"We hate Bratz dolls. Right, Mommy?"
My four-year old daughter makes me proud in the toy aisle at Target. We're looking for a gift for one of her girlfriends who is turning five soon. My daughter's mimicry of my intense hatred towards a slew of popular young girls' dolls like Barbie and Bratz may be rote but it's firmly implanted. For a toy company like Bratz or Mattel, makers of all things Barbie, there is no getting around my maternal barricade; at least for as long as my daughter believes that mama knows best. This, however, is not the case for millions of young girls in this country. Girls as young as three-years old are now the direct targets of marketing campaigns hawking things like toys and clothing with obvious overtones of sex and sexuality. Add advertising and media content that over-emphasize the importance of physical appearance and sexual appeal for women and according to the American Psychological Association's (APA) latest report, The Sexualization of Girls, you've got a "broad and increasing problem" that is "harmful to girls."
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Wednesday, February 28, 2007
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11 comments:
Hallelujah Amie! You took the words right out of my mouth!
Power to the mamas!!! Thanks, Krista :)!
If we are awake to subtle influences and can learn to discern what is constructive and what is destructive (abusive sexuality) Bratz dolls need not pose a threat to us. What do we stand to gain in training children to become hostile towards the messages of lust? Train our daughters to become wise so that they do not turn against those who are asleep in the world. Those caught up in the mistreatment of the world can be set free through compassionate and loving outreach.
I agree with you. How do we get the message across to Mattel that we don't want this? We have good news fellow soldiers of the culture war, The Bratz movie did horrible. Worse than Gigli. That means there will not be a sequel. Thank God.
Hey Moms you'll love this one....
www.thisismedolls.com
T.I.M.™ Values
We believe in innocence. That children have the right to be themselves, and not feel pressured to succumb to false images of beauty. To feel comfortable in their own skin and learn to love the person they are and will continue to become. We value self-confidence and dedicate ourselves to creating a world where a little girl or young woman can embrace her individuality.
T.I.M™ is different because she has heart. She’s fashionable and stylish, yes, but she has substance. She’s not shallow or mean spirited. She’s not perfect, but she’s not a brat. She’s her own unique individual free spirit – much like the children who will play with and love her. She has dreams and goals and the motivation to go for it. Its time for kids to get real…and T.I.M.™ answers that.
I couldn't find a place at rh reality to comment about this, and wanted to let you know something. First, I'm glad you posted about hating Bratz. I didn't read all of the article, short attention span, but I read enough to know you were speaking my language.
Second - I posted a link to your anti-Brat post from my site, www.KidReviewer.com. I had written guest article for gmnparents.com about Bratz and similar ways society promotes bad behavior. I'm 13 and see it all the time with middle school girls, so I can speak from experience. If you want me to point my link to your article at any other url,let me know.
You can see what I'm talking about at this Bratz post.
Good work.
Nick
KidReviewer.com
My 3 year old was invited to play with some other kids' toys by their mother while we were waiting for my 5 year old who is taking a class at the community center. My 3 year old picks up the little princess figure and holds it up to me.
"Mommy, this is Disney."
I smile and agree.
"You hate Disney," she adds.
So, I get to remind said three year old child how I don't hate all things Disney but that I disagree with the image of women that Disney puts forth in its shows and merchandise in front of the mother who kindly offered to share her offensive toys with my child.
Don't even get me started on Bratz.
I'll tell you what worked with my (now 17 1/2) girl. We never said a word about slut wear. When she tried it on I gave only the mildest disapproval.
What we did was encourage education and "brains".
Braniacs and slutware do not go together.
It is all about the culture at home.
Oh. Yeah. If my daughter wanted Barbies we got her Barbies.
I read the article with much interest and have to admit that when my friends and I were growing up, nobody even thought about the presumed sexism in toy manufacturers such as Mattel. Bratz and the Bratz dolls, btw, didn't exist when I, my friends and siblings were growing up. In fact, many, if not most of us had Barbie dolls, Patty Playpals, Chatty Cathies, and other such toys.
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