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?

I dislike the image intensely. The make up, the expression, the pose, the dress style all of it is adultising a girl. I don't feel it's overtly sexual but it's inappropriate. I would have expected better from John Lewis.

I personally don’t view that as sexualised. She looks like a confident young witch to me!

@thankyouforthedayz "the dress style all of it is adultising a girl" is that the way you see most of us women adults dress for Halloween? 🤣 costume down to ankles? I don't think so! Think it would be something more like a tiny corset costume where our arses are hanging out, fishnet stockings with a pair of knee-high heels 😉 that little girl isn't dressed like a female adult at all! 😂 what is wrong with some people, I must be not seeing something the same here 🤔

All of these have lace, the girls wearing costume make up and hand on hips so are these sexualised?

Or is it the sassy look that makes the OP’s pic wrong to some?

Such a strange thread 😂😂😂😂😂

And isn’t dress up for children going to be inherently a little adultifying for both sexes as they are dressing up as witches, cowboys, queens, policeman etc who tend to be adults?

It's a stock photo from the manufacturer, I've seen it on another sellers website.

@Bex5490 my point provent exactly, most young girls pose with their hand on their hip! I know I did sometimes for the odd photo... & i wasn't trying to look "sexy" i swear to all of you karen's! 😂

proven*

Thank you to all of you who’ve offered points of view, either agreeing or disagreeing (Anyone who has used derogatory language about women I’m ignoring though: you’re not people I listen to, obviously.)
The photo shows a child made up and posed as if she is much older. I find it distasteful because it has nothing to do with being childlike, having fun at Halloween or playing. That’s not face paint, it’s makeup.
I have looked at the photo again and I’m confident about my response - that’s a little girl being made to look a lot older. That’s inappropriate.
John Lewis is using this and so I shall contact them.
Thanks to all of you who took the time to post in good faith.

@Bex5490 - Exactly! A child dressed as a witch is pretending to be older. It’s called play!

Neither the outfit or the pose are sexy.

@Lovecleansheets will you also be contacting Amazon and Party delights?

Why not go to the manufacturer who supplies the branding pics? Amscan.

Complaining to JL won't help your cause.

Oh and Very stock it

Exactly. 👏

I commented on this a few days ago but coming back to it now, I can’t believe some of the responses.

I’d really love to understand the psychology behind those that think there is something sexual in this pic. It isn’t sexual at all in my opinion and if you’re seeing something that isn’t there then you’re the problem.

OP, maybe your DH winced because of how ridiculous it is and just agreed to keep the peace.

The irony is, the people saying all this are the ones that are actually sexualising a child. ‘Knowing look’ and ‘exaggerated hip’… Fuck sake.

People who find a girl standing with her hand on her hip, not smiling (heaven forbid) 'sexualised' need their heads checking. It's fucking weird projection and a desperation to be offended.

Face paint is what a child wears- a butterfly, clowns face, tiger etc. This girl is wearing make up- yes I suppose you could call all adult women’s make up face paints if you like but most of us call eye shadow and lip stick make up.

Whether the child is sexualised or adultified or not, the point is that she's wearing some of the signifiers of adult female sexuality designed for the male gaze. Maybe it's ok and it doesn't matter but it's sad and worrying to see all the women here who don't recognise that.

Exactly what I thought.
It’s so mainstream and normal that women on here no only can’t see it- they are calling others who can ‘disgusting and wrong’
Yes it’s not an glaring obvious sexualised photo in terms of inappropriate outfit but there is markers of adult female sexuality here and that’s sad to see on a young child.

Likewise.
It’s actually a view that a majority of people on these comments seems to agree with.

No, it’s not so mainstream that women on here can’t see it, it’s actually the other way around. It’s so mainstream that there are some people that have their views warped so much that they start seeing what isn’t there. They’re constantly looking for reason to be outraged and offended, they are always looking for sexism and sexualisation in everything that they’re even seeing it when they look at an innocent picture of a child.

Oh, and grow up.

I only need 'bitter' for a full house.

Well I don't wear anything for the make gaze; neither do any of the women in my family. So a child waring what we wear (dark lipstick in play mode) would NOT be fit the male gaze.
That's a you problem.

What you do in your own home is not what this thread is about. You've taken a discussion very personally.

I’m no outraged. I wouldn’t write in like the OP necessarily.
But I do find it a bit sad that kids are shown in an adult way (usually only woman and girls)
Im not seeing things that arnt there.
That girl is wearing make up- not facepaints.
Every girls witches costume almost is a bodice lace style.
The girl isn’t playing in a childsih way. She’s standing in a pose staring unsmiling into the camera.
Its not the worst photo in the world but it does seem slightly off to me.
It doesnt to you- that’s your opinion but a lot of people here agree that it does feel off so I’m not the only one.
I’m not looking for anything to feel outraged about at all.
You can disagree with someone without battering them down with ‘fucks sake’ etc you know!