You know, there is a growing epidemic affecting children (and their parents). This epidemic, first brought on (to my knowledge) by people like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Yes, I'm spelling their whole names. If you don't know them personally, you shouldn't pretend to.
This epidemic is then taken a step further by parents, (and some grandparents, *ahem) who proceed to buy clothing for their kids that allude to these (and more recent) women/girls who like the "sexy" look.
It's one thing for a woman to look sexy. It's another thing to look slutty, and it's another thing completely to market slutty clothing towards pre-teen kids.
This article on CNN is fabulous. Parents, don't dress your kids like tramps is honest and real, and my first reaction? "Finally!!" Maybe parents dress their kids like that so because they want the kids to be popular, but heck. I'd rather my daughter be popular on her own merit than because she looks a certain way. I certainly don't remember (please say I didn't!) dressing "sexy" like that when I was young. When I was 6, 7, or 8 years old I think I was more concerned with reading and playing than with clothes, or how they made me look. If anything, I think I was the opposite, with baggy shirts and backwards hats. (I have a picture somewhere, complete with flannel over-shirt. I'll show you sometime.) Even if I had wanted to dress in "sexy" clothes at that age, I'm fairly sure my parents wouldn't have let me. I sure as heck am not going to let Brianna dress like that.
In the article, they state that "In 2007, the American Psychological Association's Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls issued a report linking early sexualization with three of the most common mental-health problems of girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression".
What does that say for what we are doing to our kids?
All you have to do is watch one episode of "Toddlers and Tiaras" on TLC to see how sexual some women portray their young daughters (and in some cases, sons!). We worry about the rise in crimes on children, and wonder why these people are taking our kids! Maybe they wouldn't see kids as sexual beings if the parents didn't dress them as such.
It's really hard for me to stop writing on this topic, because it is so close to my heart. Someone in our family (no name calling) is already buying clothes like this, "For Brianna to wear in a few years!".
Brianna is a year and half! A few years? Seriously?!
What will you do for your kids?
Goddess Bless,
Stacy
Great post! The whole concept of "sexualizing" children is simply disturbing. Industries can market whatever they like; parents should be saying no. Unfortunately, they're not or there wouldn't be a market for it. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't stop there. Talk to a cosmetologist sometime about women bringing their first grade daughters in for waxes and peels--against the child's will! If the child is self conscious about something, that is one thing (peers can be mean), but forcing a 7 year old to "beautify" on that level is kinda creepy. Just sayin'.
//R
Thanks, Rainy! Yeah, it's a scary thing. Above mentioned relative has bought tiny miniskirts and midriff sweaters for Brianna already...scary stuff. And tanning! All these kids you see running around with spray on tans!! Lol, you got me going again, haha! ♥
ReplyDeleteI dress my kids in an age appropriate manner. That means, 30 year old prostitute clothes, not so much. I don't want my kids to grow up seeing sexuality as bad, or something to be ignored. But I don't think the over-sexualization of children is doing much past making it easier to exploit them. Sexuality is a beautiful gift of the Goddess. All acts of love and pleasure are Her rituals, after all! But I'm all for letting them be children first. I buy clothes that allow them to play and be cute. Sexy will have to wait.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! It's crazy how kids dress these days.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I'm fascinated with "Toddlers and Tiaras" just because it's an interesting facet of the human experience.
@Muse Mama, I agree! I never would want to teach my baby to be ashamed of her sexuality, but I'm definitely waiting until she HAS sexuality first, haha! It's definitely going to be an open topic in our home though. If she isn't afraid to talk about it, hopefully she will be honest with us about it (and might not make the same mistakes!)
ReplyDelete@Hailey, I'm completely with you on Toddlers and Tiaras. Every now and then I watch an episode, but then I just feel so bad for some of those kids I can't watch anymore! Then I forget, and I watch it again. It's a vicious cycle!! ♥