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

Has anyone looked at the sexualisation of pre-teens through the school uniform styles? BHS and Tesco are particularly bad. The uniforms look like a parody of a uniform: short kilt skirts; tightly fitted shirts and three quarter cardigans. They would not look out of place on Britney Spears...

I have 2 boys but totally support this campaign. I noticed that Debenhams have signed up but when I was in this week they were selling padded bras size 28A in the kids department -www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_242010200005_-1?breadcrumb=Home%7ESale%7EKids%7EUnderwear

I did speak to the assistant and say I thought this was really inappropriate.

If you do set up a facebook group I'll certainly pass it on to all my friends.

I was horrified to see pink sparkly high heeled shoes in monsoon this week - i actually think they would fit a 2 year old and were over an inch high. I voiced my disgust to an assistent who couldn't have been less interested. Just vile - certainly won't be taking my girls in there again.

I think it's a joke that Tesco and others have signed up to this campaign when they are some of the worst offenders out there (see mini skirts for schoos, rows and rows of only pink sparkly stuff for girls etc) So companies can sign up and then ignore the principles of the campagin?!

It is now nearly 15 weeks since the Guardian reported on 12th May that Marks and Spencer apologised for labelling the bras for 6 year old girls BRA TOPS. So why are they still for sale?? They are disgusting. I have kept my promise not to purchase anything from M&S until they get the message that decent parents want decent clothing for their children. Those who want to dress their liitle 6 year old daughters like teenagers should not be encouraged. How dare M&S say they support your "Let girls be girls" campaign, when they clearly have no intention of missing a sale, however low they have to sink.

i noticed tesco are also backing this campaign? really? a few months ago i was trying to find some shorts for my 9 yr old dd at tesco and was disgusted to see that the age 5-6 shorts were the same length as age 11-12!? (dd is v. tall for her age) she tried on a pair, and when she bent over her bum was hanging out the bottom!all the older girls clothes are cut so small, cropped, low waists, fitted t-shirts etc. i now refuse to buy my dds any clothes from there, so i was shocked to see them on your list. i did phone to complain but doubt they took any notice. they also sell those hideous padded bras in their childrens department. my children are 9+5 they need to look like children!!

I saw a bra for 8 year olds in John Lewis last week, prompting my 8 year old daughter to ask for one. I then went to Monsoon to buy bridesmaid sandals for my six year old and found it difficult to distract her from the version with 2 inch heels. I told the assistant behind the counter that I thought it was completely unnecessary to market high heels to such young children and she agreed, saying she can't believe that they are being sold, but that they are selling really well.

I was really pleased to see your campaign in today's newsletter. I notice that John Lewis have joined the campaign, but are still selling bras to 8 year olds (in my day bras were sold in sizes, not ages), but that Monsoon still haven't agreed to support the campaign.

I was recently in Next purchasing some knickers for my 2 year old. I saw a pack of plain white or coloured so though the coloured ones would be nice. Any way I was just at the counter almost ready to pay when I looked at the packet and it read 'high leg' knickers! Why on earth would a 2 year old need high leg underwear. And these went from age 1 1/2! Was gobsmacked and immediately put them back and went to M & S and got my daughter some proper knickers - briefs.

So these stores can say they support the campaign but clearly they are not.

This is a great campaign. However, I see that H&M refused to sign up, yet you are still accepting their money to advertise on the mumsnet site. Shouldn't you refuse their advertising?

I am very concerned with the man's magazines that out local shops are selling. Now shelves with seminude females in vulgar poses on the cover exactly at eye-level of my 6 y.o. daughter.
I want to start a campaign to remove these magazines from the general shops but do not know where to start. I don?t know if it is something that can fit into Let Girls be Girls campaign which I support as well but hope someone can tell me if there is a separate one against showing inappropriate images to small children.
I believe these images can be very physiologically damaging for small children, totally misleading and humiliating for teenagers and grown ups.

I want to take an opportunity to thank you for starting this campaign. I am very glad to see that other mums find all of these suggestive clothing in stores, children magazines promoting idea that only looks and fashion are important disgusting as well as I do. Women fought for equal rights just to be aloud to work same hours not to have equal pay. Women are even more objects now and that what is promoted from early age.

I went into Primark (Sauchiehall Street Glasgow)today to get my kids some clothes but I was dissapointed to see they had T.Shirts for girls that said 'future footballers wife' and 'future nag'. Considering that it is only a couple of months since Primark withdrew its range of offensive porn style clothes for girls, I feel that they merely utilise other derogatory messages about girls identity.
Does mumsnet think it is worthwhile providing retailers with a few suggestions of positive messages on clothes (if messages have to be used at all), how about 'future international diplomat' or 'future primeminister' as T.Shirts for our daughters.

Unfortunately retailers do not take decision about padded bikinis and equally inadequate clothing on their own. They do have demand for it and as any other business just go where the money are. I am sure all of you have seen little girls dressed like prostitutes (sorry I don't know how else to classify it) walking proudly on the streets with their mums who seems don't mind it. Or boys with their heads shaved with a heavy chain on their necks and football t-shirts... So sad.
However we must campaign against it as there are many things that are profitable (drugs, guns) but it doesn't mean it could be sold legally.

KatherineCam, ikwym regarding the mens magazines. I don't have dd's but I don't want my ds's growing up thinking that that's how women are treated/behave.

Our local supermarket have moved them now though and hidden the cover so slight success there! The newsagent says there's nothing they can do, they're told where to put them.

I support this campaign.

The fact that we need this campaign to protect our children is just a shocking indication of what this society has become.
Sacrifice the dignity of girls just as long as it generates revenue in this capitilist system.
Is this what the'liberation of the female' was supposed to bring? You can see why so may men were behind that movement, but women have been hoodwinked too. The 'freedom' to 'express' your 'sexuality' became paramount and it was neccessary to 'flaunt' your 'womenhood' and be proud of it, otherwise god forbid you would never feel like a 'real' woman.
Woman themselves have been blind to this degradation and this is the result- its gone beyond the 'adult' female and now girls are being encouraged to 'take their kit off'. According to the religion of the day'it 's just a bit of harmless fun innit?'
From pop stars to fashion models to movie stars in this society, the ideal women is a 'sexy' woman who must always be on display in some shape or form if she is to be considered successful.
What a 'healthy' woman is, is of lesser importance. Ofcourse young girls want to dress like the 'adult' women because they want the associated 'freedoms'. The attention and adulation they seek is all that they have to give them a sense of self worth. Again and again the message being given out is that female 'freedom' can only be felt and attained when they literally expose themselves.And that is rampant from the style of clothing , to the way that it is worn.But the tragedy is, its these deluded women that are promoting it!
On the other hand you have girls and women adopting the 'adrogynous' look so they can feel more secure. And sadly, subconciously if they feel more empowered if they take on a more boyish or mannish appearance.
Women themselves have to take responsibility for where all this is heading- you are going to find few men championing this cause if women , ESPECIALLY mothers don't
wake up and do what is neccessary to honour and protect their girls (and boys for that matter- they are being sold the image that girls are sexually predatory). First and foremost, they need to be the ones setting the example as we all know that mothers are the immediate role models for our girls. They need to show that it is possible to dress decently and smartly so that their girls will always get the respect they deserve .And it WILL send a clear signal that we mothers, sisters , wives and daughters don't just exist for the sake of male gratification (or madly as is increasinly the case-other women) but are human beings of worth in our own right.
That it is not our sexuality that defines us or rules us but our values that define our personality. AND that we cannot stand by any longer and let ourselves and our children be (s)exploited! :)

As the mother of a 3 year old DD I support this campaign wholeheartedly.

Its not just clothes take a look at Young Voices 2010/11 track 17 CD2.(www.youngvoices.co.uk) Its an outrage, the lyrics mention guns, lovers revenge, taking risk on bad romances, and bad boys. 90,000 children from primary schools are taking part and this song just has to be removed in my humble opinion.

All children have been sent home with the words plus information asking the parents to help their children learn such filthy words - not on your nelly in my house thank you. Why not just go the whole hog and issue all 90,000 children with poles so they can pole dance to it as well.

Needless to say I have emailed the organisation asking for an immediate withdrawal of the above mentionned track.

There is petition on this matter shortly being presented at Westminster by MP Gary Streeter, go to outofsight.yolasite.com to sign the petition and join facebook group 'keep explicit material out of sight' where you can uploads links and have your say.
If you have any trouble signing the petition email Meghan at [email protected]

This is a fantastic campaign, but I do not think M&S should be linked to it anymore, as clearly their values have changed since they signed up. For those who don't know, M&S has sub-let one of its former stores in Bristol to Hooters (a company that employs young, attractive women, and requires them to wear tiny hotpants and low cut vests as their uniform, as well as perform cheerleader routines for guests, and also partake in wet t-shirt contests etc). It is clear that M&S endorses such practices by choosing to be associated with Hooters. I have contacted M&S about this three times, but had no satisfactory answer. What do other mums think?

Well said, mama4life!

Have signed, megfleet.

I'm with you on the Hooters issue too, MumofRachel. This page contains info as well as a response from Kate of MN.

Thanks franch for your comments. RangTang4 is absolutely right , its not limited to clothing. Forgive me if I sound too 'preachy' but I just feel let down by the powers that be that there is precious little that is being done to protect children from distorted ideals .These are being foisted on us by commercial bodies such as the media and advertising at the expense of children's welfare and have far reaching consequences.
There appear to be no effective laws protecting children from the pervasive and harmful influence of warped stereotypes of women, violence and aggression , nudity and foul language contained in merchandise. A whole culture has evolved around it that people (and sadly parents!) are thoughtlessly buying into. Its become standard fare entertainment which has infiltrated into schools, homes and public places. Infact there are probably many adults that need protection from this too but when you have a nation that already considers itself 'advanced' and 'civilised' can we expect any fundamental changes?
A mother's normal natural instinct is to protect and nurture .But even this once recognised and cherished 'maternal instinct' has taken a backseat and is now looked down upon. If girls are constantly being fed artifical ideas about what they should aspire to be when they grow up , then when they become mothers ,what kind of mothers do you think they may turn out to be?
MumofRachel and Megfleet thanks for the info!

Im the mother of boys and I thank God. The first I became aware of all of this was when I saw a girls t-shirt with the slogan "when I grow up I want to be a WAG".

More recently I was in Toys R Us buying for my God-daughter. It seemed to me that boys are allowed to play, have interesting toys and be children but girls have to have high school musical mini skirts and love hearts of Troy. Why do we have to make girls feel they need to be interested in boys from the age of 6, its crazy.

spoken to several friends who have girls and they are so concerned for their daughters.

I support this campaign.

Primark are currently selling t-shirts for girls as young as 3 with the words FUTURE FOOTBALLERS WIFE printed on them. I find this unacceptable and plan to tell them. I told the store manager and she practically begged me to email Primark with my complaint. Clearly, all the staff I spoke to (won't say which branch, don't want to get them into trouble) agreed. Please, if anyone feels the same way, email Primark with a complaint and let's hope for the same success you had with the padded bikinis.

We love this campaign - my 6 year old daughter was drawn immediately to a pink pencil case sold in the Butlins gift shop with "sex kitten" on it, all cute and pink and fluffy. I have to agree with the point about little boys - most of the products for them (check out Halfords for example) are about being a bit naughty or cheeky, while everything for the girls is pink princess.

What about adult products that children can see and buy that sexualise them and normalise porn? Could this be tied in with your campaign? Here's a video that demonstrates the point:

Here's some still images that show the problem with "soft" porn:

www.thefrontpagecampaign.org.uk/TheFacts/tabid/56/Default.aspx?topic=WH+Smith

The law is out of date and has no effect on this display, and no age-ratings apply to the magazines. These magazines are frequently found at the eye level of a 7 year old. If we're talking about children and young people (under 18s), you can see that this type of marketing is hooking boys at a younger and younger age, and sending very unhealthy messages to girls. The content isn't the kind of sex education most of us would want our children to have. We've even seen them displayed near children's products or with chocolate tacked onto the shelf.

The Front Page Campaign (www.thefrontpagecampaign.org.uk) is considering a similar idea for "family friendly" newsagents, who would make a commitment to more responsibly display and sell sexually explicit titles. Would Mumsnet like to talk to us about getting involved?