Rock out with your cock out

[Feedtheworld1982]

I need some perspective on this. I was in HMV today, and amongst the merchandise, most of which is firmly aimed at children were a selection of mugs saying “fresh out of fucks” and “rock out with your cock out”. These were very much at children’s eye level and I gently pointed this out to a member of staff who just said “ok?”.

I messaged HMV and asked them to consider the positioning of the products in store and they responded saying they believe it’s displayed in a responsible fashion.

I feel like I’m completely out of touch. If I had DS (under 10) with me I would have been very cross to have him reading that among the Minecraft merch. AIBU to think they could have been put out somewhere else in store?

You are not alone, the world seems to be filled with vulgarity and offensiveness. Ive seen a bit of a backlash starting among people I know....i dont know if we're not just all sick to the gills of too much plastic, Kardashians, over-exposure, tits and asses hanging out everywhere and general crassness, but I think we're all a bit fed up.

@andymary aren’t children into gaming?

Exactly 🤦🏻

Why is it an own goal to publicise that offensive language is at kids’ eye level in HMV? Publicising it both gives people the heads up to be careful about taking kids in there, and maybe prompts the store to change its policy.

Hence why Smyths Toy Store, GAME or The Entertainer are better choices than HMV when taking your child with you.
Did you not even read my post where I quoted factual statistics of ages?
HMV is not targeted to children.

People banging on about how HMV is “not a kids’ store” or “not targeted at children” are missing the point- it is not an “adults only” store either. It’s a shop that people of any age might go into. Like Tesco or a card shop or Waterstones. For that reason, the retailer should try to minimise the risk of children seeing offensive items at eye level, or post a clear “no children” sign at the entrance.

No, please don't start sanitising things in all kinds of shops so they are child-friendly. HMV is not a toy shop or supermarket - it should be obvious that a retailer whose focus is film and music is going to stock adult content. If you don't want your children to see it, take them out of the shop.

There is too much instant gratification nowadays. Going into HMV should be saved for the teenage years.

I dunno, adults swear, people write dumb things on mugs that are destined for landfill. Maybe take your kids somewhere higher brow for consumer opportunities? Or warn them of the dangers of throw-away consumerism? The context, as a previous poster pointed out, is its a line from a film, one that HMV sells. If it offended me as it offends you - I'd vote with my feet.

If HMV considers itself an 'adult' shop then it would have age restrictions on the door and security guards stopping young people entering. It doesn't. It's the opposite. It's window and door displays target DCs.
No-one on this thread said they can't sell what they want. That's a strawman from the usual 'let's overly sexualise DCs' brigade. What the OP objected to, was the placement. They're right. It's not appropriate.

post a clear “no children” sign at the entrance

That would be up for all of five minutes before the first indignant "WTF HMV???!!" thread appeared in AIBU decrying HMV for "hating children" or "punishing mothers" or some other nonsense.

All they'd have to do is move it out of the eye line of kids and away from child focused merchandise. It's not a huge ask.

But adults who play animal crossing may not see sweary mugs beside it to reassure them that it's just for grown ups.

I would argue that that the mugs are childish and therefore appropriate. Only a 10 yr old would be impressed.

Ignore them and your innocent lamb will forget them completely. Make a fuss and he's the cool kid telling everyone.

@ANightingale if they sell music and film isn’t it obvious that they will also sell children’s content too! Also their window and door displays are usually very much designed for younger audiences. If I had a younger child to get film/gaming merchandise I would more be much more likely to go to HMV store than GAME, that store, certainly in our nearest store, is geared to the older gamer. I’ve never seen an Entertainer store and we’ve only just got a Smyths Store, which is out of town, not on the High Street. So in my area the choice is HMV or GAME

So will I (sign it)!

Of course they also sell children's content, but, the age of child who is too young to encounter the words 'cock' and 'fuck' isn't likely to be shopping unaccompanied. Their parents will be buying for them whether the child is present or not.

Yeah it should definitely be on a higher shelf. My brother works in HMV and their are top shelf. He said the staff member you mentioned it to should have sorted it out, as they're told to put adult things higher up.

I love all these people telling you not to take children in there. The days of leaving children standing outside a shop waiting obediently for mum or dad have long gone surely about 1950. My two were reading avidly at four and I would have been very disgruntled having that at eye level. I spent years though writing futilely to M&S over sweets at child eye level at the till in our town.

Is HMV a kid's shop? I always thought it was aimed at teens and above.

My now adult kids loved HMV when they were teens. I remember many long, long, long hours spent trailing around after them in various HMVs while they browsed posters, t-shirts, and bubble-head figures. I don't recall ever seeing any kid's toys in there.

At what point do parents need to properly parent - whether that be explaining the futility of merchandise or that sweets aren’t proper food? These are
things a good parent should explain to a child - not shield them from. This suggested modern mode of censorship isn’t as effective as discussion and intelligent reasoning. Such a shame people don’t think their children are capable of navigating independent thoughts.

Not taking your children into the shop doesn't have to mean leaving them outside. You could go into the shop when you're shopping without them, or leave them with the other parent if you're shopping as a family.

That was the reductio ad absurdam part of my post - my point being that unless you are prepared to keep kids out completely (which is OTT) you have to do some basic things to avoid offensive material being kept at eye level. That’s all.

These look like they are aimed at children and if they are in displays by windows or entrances than you are going to get the younger market in store

https://hmv.com/store/merchandise/squishmallows?page=1

I'm getting uncomfortable vibes from this.

Squishmallows are popular with teenagers. I don't know if they were marketed that way, or if teenagers just took to them. My 20yo has been collecting them since they appeared a few years ago and my 17yo has a couple. My younger nieces and nephews never mention them.

Obviously, kids will also be attracted to them but you could say the same about a lot of things aimed at older people. I remember being fascinated with a local tattoo shop when I was a pre-teen because of all the fantasy drawings in the window.

It is up to parents to decide whether it is appropriate to take younger children into places marketed to older teens and young adults.

I'd take kids into places like HMV and independent comic book stores or "goth" shops but I wouldn't expect them not to see adult-geared products while they were in there. And I certainly wouldn't complain about it.

There are plenty of child-friendly shops that sell games, DVDs, squishmallows, etc. The entire world does not need to be sterilised for children. Parents need to parent.