John Lewis ad is sexualising girls

[Lovecleansheets]

Got this image on email advertising Halloween dressing up but I think it’s creepy and overtly sexual.

1. female child seems posed with hand on hip. Gaze seems serious, not amused or laughing.
2. there’s nothing funny or spooky. Her outfit and makeup seems more appropriate for an adult.

Checked with DH who just winced and agreed.

I will be contacting JL to express my distaste.

Any thoughts?

The make up is unnecessary, but I don’t think the outfit is sexualising her.
I don’t think having a hand on a hip is sexualising. She is posed so the full length of the costume is visible

There is something about the pose that makes me uneasy. The make up is OTT too.

This isn't a child's outfit. I do see what you mean.

I have a Mum friend who has always encouraged her daughter who's 7, from a young age to pose for photos with her hand on her hip and pouting her lips.

It's never sat well with me. I don't have an issue with the outfit though.

YANBU

The outfit is fine, the pose is wrong.

What's sexualised/sexy about putting your hand on your hip?! I do it all the time, at work, in shops - it's not a sexual gesture?

I think the hand on hip gesture can be sexualised or not at all; of itself, it is not necessarily a sexual gesture. I’m uncomfortable with the lack of humour here. There is nothing wrong with the costume particularly. For me it’s the intentness of the gaze and the lipstick teamed with the hand on the hip.
I think it’s a photo of a child that has nothing childlike about it.

I'd say overly pert rather than sexualised. (Can't stand pert little girls!)
I can't see that lack of humour equates with sex.

I think you are bonkers.

Being annoyed that the child has serious/neutral facial expression and has her own hand on her hip.

I think it's alright. The lipstick is dark to make her look more witchy - it's not to make her look sexualised. The hand on the hip - more sassy witch than sexy imo - I mean what would she do with her arm/hand - just dangle it? It's fine IMO.

I think it’s sexualised as well. Exaggerated hip etc.. bit of a knowing look 🤢 Sassy or cheeky or defiant doesn’t need the hand on hip in quite that way. The whole impression is of a girl much older than this child must be.

We’re so desensitised that the outfit seems.. typical… but why does an outfit for a child need the impression of a laced bodice?

A woman wearing that and posed like that would definitely be giving sexual vibes. Makes me shudder.

It's not about "hand on hip" is it. This isn't a normal standing pose, it's standing askew with one hip thrust out sideways. Definitely coquettish.

Firstly it's amscan, not John Lewis. John Lewis is just one of several stockists.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amscan-9911973-Spider-Halloween-Costume/dp/B095H2YLQC/ref=ascdff_B095H2YLQC/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=606795544535&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=720279314401796106&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046458&hvtargid=pla-1879670290982&psc=1

Secondly I don't think it's sexualised. It's meant to look witchy.

looks fine

You’re bonkers

You’re all seriously reaching and I’d be more concerned with yourselves if you’re seeing something sexual, in a kid’s Halloween costume and makeup, just because she’s posed a certain way!

This is a witch costume and a sexy witch costume. If people can't see the difference and think both are appropriate for a child then as a society we've become desensitised to sexualising young girls.

Think about who benefits from this? Who gets a kick out of it? Hardly the child and her mother.

@Whygobald Stop exaggerating 😂 How long did it take you to find those specific images? If anyone on here literally goes and Googles ‘kids witch costume’ the images are very much similar to the OP.

However, go and Google ‘sexy witch costume’ and the images are very different to the one you’re showing…

@Whygobald In fact, if you just Google ‘women’s witch costume’, your example shows up a lot. Mostly as ‘classic witch costume’, not sexy!

I don't have any daughters but I would not be happy with the pose if I did.

I found both images under "witch costume". I wasn't making a point about how costumes are classified, more that we all know what looks sexy, or maybe womanly. I hate to see girls sexualised or adultified. They have a long life of sexualisation ahead of them.

I wouldn’t say the image you posted of the adult is portraying a ‘sexy’ costume, just like I wouldn’t say the image of the child in the OP is sexualised. I slightly agree with the ‘womanly’ comment, the makeup especially in the OP is a bit too grown up but I just don’t see anything sexualised in it. I think the pose and gaze are meant to be more sassy and witchy, it’s more cringey than anything else.

I also hate young girls being sexualised. It’s something I am strongly against and complain constantly about how sexualised youth is in our society. I just feel like saying this image is sexualised is a bit of a stretch.

@Whygobald Young girls are adultified too quickly and I hate it, especially as I have a 7 year old DD. But I see that more when I’m out and there’s children wearing tiny shorts that look more like underwear, small crop tops and layers of foundation. I just personally don’t see it in a kid’s Halloween costume.

Wtf?
The left one is a poor witch costume, and the right one is a rich witch costume. Neither is "the sexy witch"

The rich witch is essentially a dark version of a princess, of course the dress is more complicated cut.

This whole thread is just a witch hunt