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

[SparrowFflamau]

Yup, it does lift the lesser moods

[Swedington]

BitOfFun Agree there will never be total agreement.

I have no objection really. I just think it's lame. And I hate the nannying aspect of it. Besides this was 2008 news. We are becoming last century forum.

Why don't we campaign to get tits out of mainstream newspapers? It's so much more obvious and punchy. Mumsnet to succeed where Claire Short failed. We should be pressing these poltical leaders who are tarting their parties on this forum for a commitment on this matter. Never mind biscuits.

I have a daughter and have never bought a Bratz doll or a Barbie or a pair of heels. Just say no fgs.

[JeMeSouviens]

Agree with others who've said, DON'T BUY IT in the first instance. No market, no product. Use your own common sense to determine what is and what is not appropriate for your variously aged children.

Perhaps there should be a general campaign to parents to trust their instincts instead? 'Just Say No'

[CocoK]

Great news! Do it. This is an important issue that parents should a) be more aware of and b) be able to do something about.

I think lots of people don't really think it through when they buy playboy logo underpants and high heels for their toddlers - they just think their kids look cute dressed like adults and want them to have the same 'desirable brands' that they have themselves, or whatever. Of course this is idiotic, especially as these same people probably also worry about pedophiles preying on their kids and just don't make the connection. I think society as a whole has lost the plot on this issue - paranoid about pedophilia but unable to stop girls being sexualised. For example, I can't stand it when I see women in magazines or videos dressed up as temptress school girls with pony tails and lacey white socks - what kind of fucked up message does that send out to our kids and the world in general?

But that's beside the point - rant over. In terms of your campaign, making people aware of the connotations some clothes and toys have in terms of sexualising young girls and telling retailers we don't want this crap thrown at our children anymore is long overdue so well done and let's do it!

I second the suggestion to consult Object on this campaign as they really know their stuff in terms of the objectification and sexualisation of girls and women.

[MadameOvary]

Thank you for starting this. The whole Playboy etc thing horrifies me. Will read your manifesto asap

[LynetteScavo]

Actually, I think this is a very touchy subject.

I've read on MN that other posters think bikinis for little girls is in apropriate. DH and I don't think there is anything sexual about a little girl in a Monsoon flowery bikini. Obviously others disagree.

Today I saw a 9yo from a very nice family, who goes to a very nice (private) school wearing a pair of high heeled boots.I thought this was inapropriate, because I didn't think they would do her feet/posture any good, not that they would sexualise her. But I see people vehmently in favousr of this campaign would think they do.

Isn't it largly a case of it being the cheaper clothes which are more "slutty/tarty" or whatever, and have the more violent slogans on boys t-shirts?

You don't see Johnny selling much tarty tat for kids - and I haven't noticed amuch at Gap.

Yes, I support this campaign, but at the end of the day if you don't think a pice of clothing is apropriate, don't dress your kids in it.

It's a bit like campainging against fast food; if you don't want it in your/ your DC's body, don't eat there.

[OhForGodsSake]

god no
no prob with bikinis
weirdos

[LynetteScavo]

"But we reckon that, pre-puberty, children should not be presented as sexual or encouraged to believe that attracting the opposite sex is something they need to consider."

But surely puberty is the time when things need to be controlled by parents.

For example, a short skirt on a toddler is cute. A short skirt on a 13/14 yo would/could be considered inapropriate.

[Earthstar]

Why not run a campaign that credibly gives girls something to aspire to other than being a playboy centrefold / member of girls aloud / footballer's wife?

Why not get the government and the BBC to celibrate and promote women for reasons unconnected to how "sexy" they are? They should be taking a lead on this issue not joining in with it all.

Why not foster a backlash against the narrow portrayal of women in the media?

[Earthstar]

This campaign idea is like a bit of elastoplast for a severred limb - mumsnet should take on the real and important issue and not this little symptom of it.

[MegBusset]

Who is going to be the arbiter of what is appropriate clothing for each age? Is there going to be a British Board of Clothing Classification telling you what your ten-year-old can and can't wear? Who is going to police the skirts of toddlers and 13-year-olds to decide whether they are long enough?

[GrimmaTheNome]

Nice idea Earthstar. Especially at the moment when the only female scientist I can think of who's been in the papers much recently is Belle Du Jour.

[Mamazon]

i am behind this fully.

I am tired of looking for shoes for DD and seeing them in her size with massive great heels on them. she's 5 ffs!

all children want to look more grown up but push up bra's for 10 year olds and mini skirts for toddlers, there is simply no need for it.

[Swedington]

Mamazon - DD has huuuge feet and she's 4 (size 12.5) and I've never seen a pair of heeled shoes for her size. Really. Although I have seen pictures of Suri Cruise in heels and she looks like a freak rather than sexualised.

[OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper]

I think they claim Suri's heels are flamenco shoes she's wearing while they're in Spain < recent trip to hairdresser's emoticon >.

[Mamazon]

well i live in a pretty crap town which is populated with "chavs" so the shoe shops are shoe fair and shoe zone. they have horrendously high heeled shoes in their in a size 10!

they also have them in Adams, Next, new look, and various other high street stores.

[BitOfFun]

I was curious, so I googled shoezone then and the first page I opened in Girls' Shoes, sizes 10-2 was this

[LynetteScavo]

Exactly Mamazon...
This seems to be somewhat a class thing.

DD is 4 and has size 11 feet, but I don't see heeled shoes for her because I go out looking for Startrite.

I don't see boobs tubes for her either, because I recieve 20,00 Boden catalogues a year, and never make the effort to go into Adams, or where ever sells them.

I can see the headline now; "Middle class Mumsnet becomes kids fashion police."

And I'm failing to see how high heeled shoes/booties whatever is sexualising. Quirky/Odd/bizare yes.

[ForestFloor]

To those that say, just don't buy it - well I don't. But I do see that my dd is exposed to it all the time, if not from her peers, then billboards, newspapers and on a trip to the shops. I encourage talk about it and dd at the moment will say that she doesn't like it and give some reasons. However, she is 8. As she grows older, it is normal development to look towards peers and away from parents for guidance. I cannot keep DD in a bubble. Hence the need as a society to make this sexualisation (and yes, I do see it - all the time) a bad thing, nor normality.

As for MN not doing a campaign because they cannot be the voice of everyone - well if that were the case, nothing would ever get done .

I agree it is not just merchandise, it is the image of women, porn, page 3, gender stereotypes - it is all bound together and profoundly depressing.

Good on MN for trying to do something about such a huge, complex and sadly entrenched problem.

[LynetteScavo]

But who in their right mind would buy those, BitOfFun?

Yes, shoezone shouldn't sell them....but I guess people must be buying them. Although, to put a 4yo in them would be tantamount to physical abuse.

[theyoungvisiter]

I agree very much with the thrust of this campaign but I would agree with posters suggesting it should be "let kids be kids" - I am against the agressive genderisation of clothing full stop.

There is an equally problematic issue with boys clothing - which is the demonisation of boys through slogans etc.

For eg, in Sainsburys you can only buy gendered bibs - the girls bibs all say things like "today I will be mostly adorable/perfect/cute as a button" and "little princess" - pukesome but harmless you would think.

The boys bibs ALL say things like "little monster" and "today I will be cheeky/noisy/a little terror". I really, really object to labelling my sweet little 12 month old a holy terror or a monster when he doesn't even know what gender he is yet.

I agree that early sexualisation of little girls is horrible, but I think that it is also very damaging for little boys to be constantly told they must be naughty as part of their gender identity.

I'd prefer to see the campaign widened out into a campaign against aggressive gendering. Why on earth is it necessary to gender bibs at all? As for why I buy them - because they don't sell a SINGLE sex-neutral bib. I have no choice.

[LynetteScavo]

Just to clarify...I'm not against this campaing. I'm jsut plyaing devils advocate, as I think thereis more than one side to every story.

[Mamazon]

lynette - how can high heels on a 4 year old not be sexualisation?

they aren't even party shoes that little girls can play dress up/princess in. these are actually marketed as school shoes!

it makes me so angry i actually told a woman in the shop once that was picking them up for her daughter to be ashamed of herslef.

not my finest hour but it is beyond beleif that some people think this is ok.
why they are made astounds me but why people buy them is just...well it just doesn't compute

[LynetteScavo]

"And I'm failing to see how high heeled shoes/booties whatever is sexualising. Quirky/Odd/bizare yes."

I meant the soft booties type for babies.

I am quite at 10/11 year olds in heals at weddings.