9-year-old 'drag queen' - am I wrong or is this incredibly disturbing?

[Foxpyjamas]

Hi, long-time lurker, first-time poster.

Someone posted this link on my FB this morning with a comment that made it clear he thought this was cool.

I just thought it was extremely disturbing and a clear example of a child being inappropriately sexualised. The way the article is written this point of view is presented as moralistic prudish pearl-clutching, like whatever an Alt-Right or Christian says must be completely unreasonable.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Alt-Right are wrong about almost everything but in this case I don't care who says it, those pictures are awful. Not because the boy is wearing a sparkly costume (complaining about that would indeed be ridiculous but as far as I can see that wasn't even what anyone was saying) but because of the poses, the makeup, the fact that this is a CHILD.

I feel like most progressive types would agree these days that children should be able to wear what they like free from gender stereotypes, but a child drag queen? Isn't that a completely different kettle of fish? I have always had some qualms about drag anyway (it strikes me as mocking women) but for adults it's one thing - I don't know much about it but aren't drag shows genuinely pretty sexual, like definitely in the realms of adult entertainment? But the article and my friend are muddying the issue trying to make it about the fact that there's no problem with a kid wearing a sparkly suit.

Am I crazy here?

I meant generally pretty sexual, don't know why I typed genuinely.

YANBU. Im very uncomfortable with it too, and "Lactatia" really ?!

It seems like harmless dress up to me, there's nothing sexual about those pictures or the clothes etc.

This is product placement. The child was not "dragged on stage" (geddit?) to then instantly become a model, it was all staged. The company are trying to sell their glittery onesies and need a story.
It's making the rounds anyway so no doubt hey will sell!

Anyway, that poor child is being exploited and my guess probably does not want to be a drag queen but who doesn't love all that attention and ££.

Hugely inappropriate regardless of the sex, gender or orientation of the child concerned.

Lactatia? How much driven by the child and how much by pushy adults with an agenda?

I don't actually have an issue with this - given that the outfit and images aren't sexualised. I'd rather kids were encouraged to express themselves this way than pushed to transition at a young age because because they want to wear make up or dress a certain way.

I've seen articles and videos about that child before and to me it looks like child abuse.

Note the name, Lactatia. Drag artists having sexualised names is one thing, them being used for 9 year olds is another.

This is the kind of thing where as a parent I would say 'when you're bigger darling, you're too little now. This is for grown-ups'.

Same as if they wanted to drink wine, try a cigarette, drive a car, wear high heels to the park, bungee jump, go to a nightclub, have sex or use a chainsaw. Some things you grow into. I'm not a massive fan of drag, but neither do I think a boy shouldn't wear a sequinned onesie. Challenge gender stereotypes by all means, but I don't think this is age appropriate. I hate little girls doing pageants too.

YANBU, it's hideous.

It makes me feel uncomfortable in the same way that small girls heavily made up in child beauty pagents do.

I have no problem with children wearing sparkly outfits, nor with children dressing up in outrageous ways - as long as they find it fun.
I don't have a problem with children wearing make up (occasionally) either - but I don't agree with that amount of heavy, time consuming, professional looking make up in a child, no matter what sex.
How long must it take to make a small child look like a botoxed adult? Why is it necessary?

It seems like harmless dress up to me

See

And attached pics

I think if they dressed a little girl like that’s and posed her as an advert for a BDSM site people would have something to say about. Unfortunately, instead, they are falling over themselves to be progressive and oh so cool.

How is this ok? He’s advertising an erotic BDSM site! He’s 9.

The world finds it acceptable to make up little girls, flaunt them, have them in pagents, make adult clothing for them, go on about their beauty. So, all things being equal, they should feel the same about this.

I don't agree with the whole pagent thing etc but I do see this as different, I suppose, but I'm not sure why

So, not really sure of my view and if it's something he genuinely wants to do and not because he's been encouraged to be 'beautiful' (I think that's the difference) I don't see a problem.

Whatever, he does look incredible!

Woah, hang on. He's advertising a BDSM site? I missed that

Ahh I missed that too!

It's fucking awful. I couldn't finish that vid and I have to scroll past it on twitter.

Poor kid. It's obscene. I would hit this kid's parents on the head repeatedly with a blunt instrument

I have absolutely no problem with the glittery outfit. A lot of children like sparkly things, nothing wrong with it at all. I don't think anybody really has an issue with the sequins here. I also don't have an issue with kids messing about with makeup in a playing / dressing up kind of way, but that kind of makeup I think goes over the line.

Really it's the poses that get me. Even if he wasn't advertising a BDSM site (which is awful in and of itself), those poses are clearly mimicking adult 'sexy' poses in a way that really creeps me out on a child. I think if those poses were from a little girl modelling children's clothes (so removing all other 'contentious' issues) it would be very obviously inappropriate to the liberal right-on crowd, who do generally recognise the problem of sexualising children in advertising. But because it's a boy not conforming to gender norms (which on its own is a cool thing, I absolutely agree) apparently it's OK? Not in my opinion.

No child should be used to advertise a BDSM site

No BDSM site should want to use a child in their advertising

This stinks

^^This. I really doubt the alt-right has a problem with beauty pageants for 6 year old girls.

No I really hate these pageants too. Dressing girls up like sexualised barbie dolls is abuse imo. But tbf, I don't like that look on grown women either

I know what you mean about the poses - the resting of the hands on the 'breasts', for example. The camera angle doesn't help. In one photo I thought it was adult hands.

YANBU. It's a safeguarding and child protection issue. The parents should be subject to social services intervention.

I feel the same about this as pageants.

Kids dressing up is fine. However when 6yo and even 9yo do their makeup themselves they make a hash of it. The point is they are copying, usually badly, because they haven't had the practice. The poses are not great because they dont' get sex because they're kids.

With the pageants and this, it's not dress up, it's dead serious, with the adults working as hard as they can to make the kids not copy it, but be it.

No 9yo should BE a sexy drag queen. Because they're 9. They should be a fairly crap imitation of a sexy drag queen that misses the mark.

Those photos have adult male gaze (sexualised) all over them.