Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

'Every girl wants to look her best' Really Primark? Really?

40 replies

tougholdbird · 10/07/2013 19:27

www.primark.co.uk/products/childrenswear/

My DD couldn't give a hoot how she looks, but she does want to have fun, but that's allegedly only for the boys. I had hoped that campaigns like LTBT might have started to turn the tide against girls being ornamental and boys being active. Clearly not for clothing.

OP posts:
MyHumpsMyLovelyBabyBumps · 12/07/2013 21:37

jothehot. when do you complain? "white kids like" and "black kids like" is that offensive? whats the difference, why do people like you accept lazy sexism?

BangOn · 12/07/2013 21:52

Nasty clothes, nasty slave-labour manufacturing practices, nasty company. I'm piss-poor at the moment, & in dire need of cheap clothes, but wouldn't shop at Primarkif you paid me.

tougholdbird · 12/07/2013 22:31

jothehot going elsewhere is the answer if you only care about your child, not about changing the culture for all children.

tei yes, I think that primark advertising statement does qualify as shit.

No answer from primark head office. Will consider next step over weekend.

OP posts:
JoTheHot · 13/07/2013 12:04

Going elsewhere undermines Primark's profitability. If enough people agree with you, and do the same, Primark will change.

If most people don't agree with you, as I believe to be the case. Yet you still insist Primark should change, you are a minority trying to impose its morality, against the will of the majority. This puts you in some pretty insalubrious company.

I know less than stuff all about clothes, but white kids and black kids seem to dress differently, and I'd be surprised if some shops/labels don't differentiate their marketing accordingly. If they do this, it wouldn't cause me offence.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 13/07/2013 12:18

That's all very well to say but where are the other dozens of high street shops that don't
a) gender stereotype
b) don't use sweatshops?

Primark (appallingly) actually tends to be one of the higher rated retailers when it comes to ethical sourcing (BTW that doesn't actually mean much before you jump on me). Do you think higher priced clothing retailers pass on a bigger margin to their seamstresses in Bangladesh or does that margin just support branding / above the line advertising spend / profits?

Those working with fair trade and charities dealing with clothing manufacturing do not recommend boycotting - but lobbying and shopping loudly. So emailing / tweeting / writing letters is absolutely the right thing.

Also annoys me when people call buying from Primark 'cheap disposable fashion' - no most people buy at Primark because that is where they can afford to shop for their regular, every day clothes.

And as for white kids / black kids dressing differently - have a Biscuit

tougholdbird · 13/07/2013 15:15

jothehot you may agree girls should care about how they look and only boys should be 'active and fun'. But How fucking dare you criticise me for trying to change something I think is wrong.
If people don't stand up for what they believe in, then what is the point?

OP posts:
AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom · 13/07/2013 16:35

JotheHot - So you are totally of the belief that the market is right. Bully for you.

Personally I think that small groups seeking to change bad things about the world have often been the way that broader groups recognise and endorse the issue of change. A boycott is one way of drawing attention to your cause, but it's a weak and ineffective way in most cases. As others have said, lobbying is often the best way to draw attention to a cause.

And as for the accusation that we are trying to impose our will on a reluctant minority, actually I think it's the case that most people don't give a stuff about gender stereotypes. Lots of white people didn't care about racism either until it became so socially unacceptable that they were forced to care.

I doubt that there are many mothers out there saying 'how dare you pose the girls' clothing climbing a tree', so it's hardly as if anyone loses by making the world a better place in this way.

Mind you, as this thread has gone on I remember you from other threads. IIRC you are strongly of the biological determinism school of thought on gender roles, so I see why this representation wouldn't bother you and why you would defend it. Personally I think that that science is junk science, and I'll still fight to see boys and girls represented more equally in all media.

MyHumpsMyLovelyBabyBumps · 13/07/2013 17:32

So you're just a bit of a dick really? You're on the wrong forum jo

Splashsplosh · 13/07/2013 17:47

Wish these companies got their own customers to come up with the slogans rather than trying to enforce what a few advertising 'gurus' think we should buy into on everyone - might make a little more sense. DD is 10 but luckily we seem to be steering fairly comfortably through the river of 'a girl MUST' shite. Her ideas of a fitting slogan would be "All comfort, no pink", "I'm too busy playing to look in the mirror" and "Wear it straight off the peg, then straight off the floor".

MyHumpsMyLovelyBabyBumps · 13/07/2013 18:01

dds, would say

"built to last and if possible shows off my Spiderman pants" Grin

Splashsplosh · 13/07/2013 18:03
Grin
gaggiagirl · 13/07/2013 23:09

My DDs slogan would be ' why wear clothes when you can be naked but still wear wellies, a train, a train!'
She is only 2 and all sentences have to finish with trains!.

miffybun73 · 13/07/2013 23:16

I find that the clothes for girls in Primark are lovely up to age 2 whereupon they become unspeakably awful.

Very cheap looking tarty clothes aimed at small children :(

LetToysbeToys · 14/07/2013 09:35

Tougholdbird,
well done for taking some action on this. Whilst clothes are out of our remit, we do support you.
If you would like any advice on how to start campaigning, drop us an e-mail to [email protected]

OddSockMonster · 14/07/2013 19:44

Funnily enough my DS2 would say exactly the same gaggiagirl, just without the trains bit :)

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread