Campaign to stop retailers selling products that prematurely sexualise children - let us know what you think...

[JustineMumsnet]

So quite a few folk on the MN campaigns thread mentioned that an issue they'd like to see MN get involved in is the premature sexualisation of children.

So we've put together an outline for a potential campaign, along the lines of Let girls be girls, summarising the issues and some of the research. The aim is to encourage retailers to make a simple, public pledge that commits them to selling only products which do not sexualise children.

Please do have a read and let us know your thoughts, ideas, suggestions.

Thanks.
MNHQ

Fantastic campaign idea, I would wholeheartedly support this.

I wonder if it's worth also targeting magazine outlets that display lads mags where kids can see them? The only thing that separates Zoo/Nuts/Loaded etc from other soft porn is a thin veneer of irony. By displaying them so prominently it helps to normalise the objectification of women's bodies within our society. That can only be a bad thing for children of both genders as they grow up and absorb ideas about what it is to be male and female.

I completely agree with other posts bemoaning early gender stereotyping. As profit is the only motivation retailers will respond to, we should boycot key high-profile retailers and wage a media and 'word of mouth' campaign against the worst offenders.

I've just bee reading this thread about hair removal for girls.

It seems that the beauty industry is selling products such as waxing and laser hair removal to children.

Should this sort of thing be covered by the campaign to let girls be girls? IMO it is all about the sexualising of young girls so that their body image conforms to that usually seen as acceptable for grown women.

I totally agree but I think that this is something that reflects the Anglosaxon society as a whole. The society in which you live has a lot to do with it. I'm a UK expat living in Spain. Although I have 2 boys, it is obvious just by looking around that girls have a completely different self-perception over here. Most expats I talk to say the same - it's like the UK here but 30 years ago. Spanish little girls dress like little girls, they talk like little girls and you won't normally see an ounce of makeup on them until they're well into their late teens. And yet, the same toys are sold over here as anywhere else in Europe.

I think that the job of bringing up little girls in the UK is a hard one with the type of peer pressure that both parents and children are faced with. The UK is supposed to be one of the most developed countries in Europe but I think on this score, the "development" of British society has a lot to answer for in terms of which direction they are taking their girls in.

This should not be allowed

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1259686/The-12-year-old-girls-paid-toys-promote-b ands.html

A few people have now mentioned the lads' mags, Daily Sport etc that are displayed everywhere at kid-height.

Can we do something about this?

Anyone who feels strongly about it may find the current 'Object' campaign interesting. There's also a facebook petition here (Tesco has banned pyjamas in its stores - 'offensive'! - and yet happily displays soft porn).

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it in this thread, I have a bit of a headache so have just skimmed through, but it's not just clothing slogans that sexualize children it is things like high heels and make-up sets aimed at little girls. I know little girls love to play dress up, I was a little girl and I did, but playing dress up is entirely different to dolling up/being dolled up to go to out.

I can't say I'm a fan of parents getting their babies ears pierced either. It's painful, cruel and pointless!

I have just had a little girl and have started to look around at what the young girls are wearing as did my husband we were horrified to see children of three and four walking around in clothes that i wouldnt find suitable for myself being an adult!!! I am a very short slim person and fit quite nicely into 10-11yrs clothing, what i find most disturbing is that i buy most of my going out clothes from the children's section which is great for me as i can't buy clothes that small in adults but i would certainly not let my little girl walk around like it, i saw a pair of shiny wet look leggings on a child no more than four with a pair of black high heels and a top with 'sexy' across it. I looked up at the mother who was in her twenties and wearing jeans, white t-shirt and jacket where does that make sense??

Another update on retailer's responses:

The latest company to sign up is Boden who join House of Fraser and Startrite in backing Let Girls Be Girls.

Monsoon/Accessorise, WHSmith and Fat Face have said no .

We're eagerly waiting to hear from M&S, Asda, Tesco, Mothercare, Sainsbury's, John Lewis, Next, Debenhams, Littlewoods and Boots.

Watch this space for further updates.

This is such a great campaign. I am so grateful to everyone who has commented and to those who are organising it.

Last week I was really shocked walking into my local newsagents and seeing a pornographic and degrading full front page photo of a woman on the bottom shelf - no attempt to cover it or position it out of sight of the children who come into the shop to buy their sweeties or comics. I asked the owner if he wouldn't mind moving it or covering the picture - but he angrily refused. I have a little daughter - I don't want her to see this and think it's what women are and I don't want little boys her ages thinking this either. I can protect her from internet/tv as much as I can - but can I stop her from going into neighbourhood shops? (if this newsagents does it they probably all do).

Since then I have been trying to find out what the government says about this issue. Written to my MP, the Home Office, DCMS - waiting for a response. Phoned the NFRN (Nat Fed for Retail Newsagents) - they don't speak to the public (those people who keep their members in business).

Portaying women as merely sex objects is wrong and needs to stop. That's a massive battle. Some big steps for changing the future - we can stop sexualised merchandising for little girls, we can fight stop our children being subjected to pornographic imagery (on the bottom shelf in a sweetie shop, fgs).

This is a good place to support MPs who are trying to get tighter legislation on lads mags etc www.thefrontpagecampaign.org.uk/OurWork/News/tabid/58/newsid460/2/Default.aspx

Me again.

I was just putting together an email to send to retailers who said no to your campaign to ask why. First was WH Smith - but had to stop as I was going to quote the letter that you sent and then realised that it is all about clothes, which WH Smith don't sell. So just wondering why MN targeted WHSmith?

(I can think of lots of reasons why they should be targeted - eg lads mags - but this isn't mentioned in the letter)

Hi, I haven't posted on this thread before, but I am very intrigued by the whole campaign. I am doing a project for my uni course based on a similar idea of how children are exposed to more typically mature things, such as clothing, merchandise and imagery.

Whilst in Primark today, I was looking at the tshirts as I have a 7 year old daughter, and found one tshirt that was very inappropriate I thought. It said "Future Footballer's Wife" and was in sizes small enough for 2-3 year olds. Me and DP were not amused by that. I did take a photo of it as well but remembered the post about informing you of any slogans that appear inappropriate for young age ranges.

Yuck.

GeraldineMumsnet, did Monsoon and Fat Face give a reason for saying no?

That's what interests me too zazi

I want to give you my support but I can't see how to do it. It would help if there was a button or a form to fill in as I care about this but can't always read the forums that often.
How about adding something like that so we can start getting an idea of the kind of support we're adding to?
Cheers
Charon

I think this is a great campaign!

I'm about to have my first child - a girl - and was horrified to discover the kind of sexually unsuitable messages that are even available on baby clothes. I've also got a 15 yr old step daughter who wears the most horrendous slogans on her clothes.

Also - can't quite believe that in this day and age that gender stereo-typing - through clothing for babies is still so prolific. But I guess that is a slightly different issue.

Any way - think the campaign is a great start but that we also need to consider the education of our children - boys and girls - about what it means to be over sexualised at such a young age.

Keep up the good work

I want to voice my concern at the sexualisation and stereotyping of roles for young girls through the toys and clothing marketed at them. It seems that as gender equality in the adult world is increasing, its successes are being undermined by targeting children in this way.
I also try & avoid dressing my son in clothing which suggests violnce (Why would I want him tolook like a boy soldier?) or suggest that he is "a little monster"?. Although as he gets older its becoming more difficult to find alternatives to these clothes. Especially guilty are the clothing & toy ranges from the cheaper clothing outlets.
I agree with Dudhope, is there a petition or a form we can fill in to voice our concern and support for Mumsnet campaign? How can I find a list of the retailers who support the Mumsnet campaign?

This is just amazing - I can't believe people think the same as I do.

I wrote to Primark a couple of weeks ago, because of a t-shirt aimed at toddlers with the slogan "Future Wag". I asked to see the manager, and they referred to me to head office.

I even asked my kids 11 and 15 what they thought of the slogan and their replies were "creepy" and "weird".

Do we really want our girls aspiring to live off footballers? Just horrible. I haven't been in Primark since and am still waiting for a reply. I will let you know.

Good for you looby. Let us know.

Another update: the latest retailer to commit to Let Girls Be Girls is George at Asda.

I am so glad this campaign is running, I am heartily sick of trying store after store to find clothing suitable for my 6.5yo!

I can only think Monsoon don't find it necessary to join as their children's clothing isn't sexual?? Very happy about asda though, and sainsburys clothing is fabulous for young girls!

With you all the way!

Can we also get rid of this infernal alliance to all things pink, frilly and diamante?
My dd (9) dresses in boys clothes becasue she cannot find anything that is not too 'girly' for her and as a result gets called him too many times.
She cannot be the only one, why do retailers have this ridiculous strerotyping of children from babyhood into what colours they can and can't wear.

Anyone tried to find bright coloured sensible boys clothes? Quite - impossible from about age 4!!!

I'd still like to hear the details of the response from Monsoon and Fatface . . .

Another update: the latest retailer to commit to Let Girls Be Girls is George at Asda.

They sell padded bras for pre-teens

Is that okay then?

arctcwind - for colourful boys clothes have you seen jako-o? They're a German company, but the website's in English and they do deliver to the UK.