Kevin Marshall's America
Last night at the Monday Night Football blog thing event steak dinner hooplah (I’m too lazy to look up what it was actually called, but it was a good time), I was having a conversation with Teri Conroy (she of FarmLife fame) and we got to talking about a recent trip she took to the mall. After I made fun of her recent forays into civilized life – which also include wearing a dress to a wedding and buying a flip camera – she expressed shock over some of the stuff she saw. In particular, the Slutalicious shoes for kids.
My word, not hers.
I’ve always been one of those people to defend kids, which I attribute to the fact that I don’t have any of my own…well, not that I know about, anyway. I honestly think that having children makes you more fearful of the outside world and the influence it has on your baby or babies. You want them to be as sweet, innocent, and carefree for as long as possible. While it may come from a place of genuine concern, it could also be a fear that exposure to the outside world just means that it makes them more their own person and less of something of your own design.
As such, I’ve always been that voice to family members and friends with kids that reminds them that things aren’t necessarily worse than they used to be. Kids have always gotten into kid-like shenanigans. Hell, I need only make a vague mention of the kind of trouble my siblings and I got into as children, and suddenly my nieces become the most virtuous creatures on the planet.
I draw a line, though, with attempts at sexualization of pre-pubescents.
It’s not that I believe those wild rumors of bracelet parties or whatever that nonsense was that Dr. Phil was spreading a couple years back. I do, though, wince a little when I see some of the stuff on shelves that is supposed to be worn by twelve-year-olds.
There’s a desire by the music and fashion industries to market a more “grown up” approach to young kids, because they know those kids are eager to grow up fast and/or piss off their parents. However, I think there’s something to be said for letting kids be kids for as long as possible.
If I could relay any single message to Madison Avenue, it’s this: leave our kids alone. They’ll buy anything, really, and trying to sell them a sexual revolution is unnecessary and kind of scummy.
Besides, have you ever driven down North Pearl Street at 1:30am on a Saturday night? They’ll have plenty of time and opportunity to skank it up and wear heels they’ll never look graceful in.
In the meantime, let’s keep the Slutalicious Shoes and shorts with words on the rear off our kids and keep the illusion of innocence alive, if only just for one more year.
Edit 10:41am - Friend/reader Mischa linked me to this CBC Report on sex in marketing to youth, which is long but very interesting.
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18 Responses to Kids are Such Sluts These Days
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“I draw a line, though, with attempts at sexualization of pre-pubescents.”–I wonder if that fits on an airplane banner? Probably too long.
That’s my campaign slogan.
It was that or “I’m not a witch. I’m you.”
I blame Miley Cyrus. JK I don’t blame anyone.
Tom Cruise’s daughter is already in heels!
What a “Suri” excuse for a father he is!
See what I did there?
Kevin – you’re a man of so many talents!! Nice play on words with Suri.
I agree with your post. Even 10 years ago when my sons were in middle school, I thought the girls were dressed way too inappriately. And it’s getting worse.
Slutalicious – now there’s a word! Cool for me is that they disgust my (15 going on 16 yrs) old daughter too – YAY!
Did you see People magazine last week? FIVE year old kids in glamor competitions…what in the world is wrong with these people?
For most of the child beauty pageants I’ve heard of, a five year old in a pageant is over the hill, Jerry. Three-year-olds with spray tans and lipstick participating in swimsuit competitions is not unheard of.
I’ve long advocated that pageants are a form of child abuse.
Don’t even get me started on child beauty pageants. That’s on a whole other level of screwed up.
They (child beauty pageants) have always been wrong and now they have a friggin reality show on like Bravo or Style or whatever channel it’s on.
It’s disgusting.
Not much to argue with, here.
I might add, however, that presently–being a proud (probable) “non-breeder”–you view the sexualization of young children as not too much more than inappropriate or unseemly. When you become what I am certain will be a loving parent, you will then see this unforgivable practice for what it is: A soul-chilling tragedy openly threatening the all-too-fleeting innocence of a precious little being entrusted to your care.
No one can restore departed innocence–or the special, unadulterated joy that leaves with it.
After listening to some of the crap that came out of the mouths of the students who attend Hackett Middle School (while riding the 13 bus to work last fall) I can attest that these rapscallions are vile and bawdy little tarts.
However, on a lighter note, I did immensly enjoy the SNL skit last Saturday about teenagers and their wild souping habits.
Mmm soup.
I dunno, I would have never seen the light of day if I dressed like the tweens today…
It’s creepy how young and how scant and whorish it’s getting. And the answer to the sexualization of the girls is not to also sexualize the boys. Christ’s sake, let them be kids for five minutes. Who’s running the ‘tween fashion industry? Pedophiles? Seriously.
That said, I admit to wearing a mini-skirt up to — well, as far as one could and still have a skirt instead of a belt — at like 12, 40 years ago. Though the skirts weren’t also skin tight in those days. No, my mother did not know. It was against her religion.
Oh, god, I dread when the grandson gets to middle school. He’s seven and already has three girlfriends and was kissing one on the school bus. Yes, I gave him a stern talking to. Hopefully, he won’t become the next elementary school kid on the news being expelled for sexual harrassment.
I totally agree with you here Kevin. Completely disgusting. You should see some of the ridiculously inappropriate Halloween costumes being marketed to little girls.
“Who’s running the ‘tween fashion industry? Pedophiles?”
…Or the Disney Channel. Your pick.
Great post Kevin. I’ve been saying this for years. Society needs to stop with the sexualization (is that even a word?) of our youth. It’s bad enough that the girls in middle school look as if they’re college students. But let’s not dress them in scantily clad clothing too. Eww. :|