Commercialism or Parents: Dressing our daughters as sluts!

A local news story that struck a few cords with me recently related to children's clothing and the advertising associated with products kids will use. I have noticed how skimpy and indecent some of the clothing for girls has become. I have a six year old daughter and when I was buying her first bathing suit a few years ago I was shocked to find BIKINI'S, for TWO-YEAR-OLDS!

Never mind the fact that at two years old they have nothing to hold the bits of string up but seriously, what message are we sending our kids when we dress them in that sort of thing? Where is their respect for their body? What happened to their right to have an intimate relationship with themselves? Where are the vital lessons about their personal boundaries?

I go into the shop and find black mini-mini-skirts, midriffs shirts, backless tanks, boobtubes, make up accessories, high heel shoes, and g-strings for kids who are in primary school. I can't understand who would let their kids dress in these sorts of things. Why are we making our children sex objects? It's bad enough that teenagers feel that sort of pressure but it seems like advertisers and peer pressure are striking younger and younger 'consumers'.

Thankfully school uniforms are the norm in my daughter's school and the uniforms of her school are sedate. They are comfortable, functional and the uniformity helps her feel a part of her class. At this age kids notice being different and feel uncomfortable about it which is perhaps a sign of the power peer groups have. It makes me wonder if our search for acceptance is something we are born with and never lose.

I think the real issue is that media represents what the people want or perhaps more accurately they create it. Fashion magazines tend to set the trends and strangely enough conformity works in a warped way. The 'perfect' forms of women that are splashed across these magazines give men, women, and children an unobtainable goal. Men expect these kinds of women to be available and women replicate the image because it feels like the only way to attract men. Children grow up with these role models of the ideal appearance and unfair expectations. It all spirals out of control because clothing is getting skimpier, women are expected to be skinnier, and sex sells.

The news report focused on one of the most alarming facts of this new trend towards children wearing clothing that advertises their growing bodies.

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Hoochie wear: Assessing the trend of revealing clothing for young girls?
We want to hear your view. Write now!