Sexist Kids Clothing

[Falvlun]

After parental outrage, the Children's Place pulled two t-shirts, one with the slogan "Born to Wear Diamonds."

Here's the Article.

It also enumerates past examples of sexist children's clothing, with slogans that emphasize that girls are good at shopping but not good at school, or point out the prettiness of women in contrast to the smartness of boys.

I just wanted to get a feminist perspective on this. I can certainly see the sexism at play, and I wouldn't want my daughter wearing something that perpetuates these sorts of stereotypes.

But, after reading the comments, I also see the point of "If you don't like it, don't buy it!".

Should such shirts be banned? Is it legitimate for parents to get companies to remove such merchandise, or should they simply be voting with their money?

 

[Aquitaine]

After parental outrage, the Children's Place pulled two t-shirts, one with the slogan "Born to Wear Diamonds."

Here's the Article.

It also enumerates past examples of sexist children's clothing, with slogans that emphasize that girls are good at shopping but not good at school, or point out the prettiness of women in contrast to the smartness of boys.

I just wanted to get a feminist perspective on this. I can certainly see the sexism at play, and I wouldn't want my daughter wearing something that perpetuates these sorts of stereotypes.

But, after reading the comments, I also see the point of "If you don't like it, don't buy it!".

Should such shirts be banned? Is it legitimate for parents to get companies to remove such merchandise, or should they simply be voting with their money?

I'd probably just suggest parents voting with their money.

 

[Willamena]

Should such shirts be banned? Is it legitimate for parents to get companies to remove such merchandise, or should they simply be voting with their money?

Like many things that get taken too far, this is silliness, not sexism.

PS: Diamonds aren't necessarily a stereotype, they're also a wearable financially sound investment portfolio.

 

[Quintessence]

Well, it certainly reinforces dated, sexist stereotypes... particularly given they're marketed to one sex but not the other. Though honestly I find the entire fashion industry to be... extremely problematic and objectionable with how it segregates by sex on the whole.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The fashion industry as a whole is largely sexist. They tell adult women to be rail thin, and young women their looks are good enough to not need to excel academically, or that they should dress like adult women.

 

[Erebus]

But, after reading the comments, I also see the point of "If you don't like it, don't buy it!".

Should such shirts be banned? Is it legitimate for parents to get companies to remove such merchandise, or should they simply be voting with their money?

I'm very much in the "If you don't like it, don't buy it" crowd. I'd much rather live in a world where people are free to buy and wear things that might be considered disgusting and offensive to some than to have a set standard of what is acceptable. I'm aware there already is a standard of sorts, but that doesn't mean I agree with it

Simply put I think that kind of clothing (sadly the examples given are actually pretty tame, I've seen much worse) is moronic at best, but if people want their kids to wear clothes that say "My parents are cretins" then by all means let them. When the children are old enough to find their own taste in clothing perhaps they'll pick something a bit less embarrassing.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I'm very much in the "If you don't like it, don't buy it" crowd. I'd much rather live in a world where people are free to buy and wear things that might be considered disgusting and offensive to some than to have a set standard of what is acceptable. I'm aware there already is a standard of sorts, but that doesn't mean I agree with it

Simply put I think that kind of clothing (sadly the examples given are actually pretty tame, I've seen much worse) is moronic at best, but if people want their kids to wear clothes that say "My parents are cretins" then by all means let them. When the children are old enough to find their own taste in clothing perhaps they'll pick something a bit less embarrassing.

Unfortunately, the parents are reinforcing such rubbish by having their children wear such clothing.

 

[Erebus]

Unfortunately, the parents are reinforcing such rubbish by having their children wear such clothing.

Perhaps, but I prefer to think of them as setting a good example of what not to do for everybody else

 

[Riverwolf]

Unfortunately, the parents are reinforcing such rubbish by having their children wear such clothing.

I would say the most acceptable solution, in that case, remains education.

 

[beenie]

I'm in the same "if you don't like it, don't buy it" camp. I don't like bans in general, it usually brings attention to something we wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

 

[Zanuku]

I would say the most acceptable solution, in that case, remains education.

:clap

And there is the greatest problem of them all.
If the parents are not educated, who educates the kids?

Ever seen those internet hit things like the cinnamon challenge and twerking?
I'll be talking about twerking, the girls doing it probably don't realize they're "Advertising" their body by twerking and nobody around either has the courage or intellect to tell them that.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I think it's sexist to tell people that one way of expressing their identity via their gender is better than another.

 

[Willamena]

I think it's sexist to tell people that one way of expressing their identity via their gender is better than another.

Just so.

 

[Falvlun]

I'm in the same "if you don't like it, don't buy it" camp. I don't like bans in general, it usually brings attention to something we wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

While I agree with the first half of your second sentence, the second half leaves me a little perplexed.

Isn't consciousness-raising the whole point of boycotts and the like? It's to shake people out of their collective apathy or habit and realize that something just ain't right.

 

[Alceste]

After parental outrage, the Children's Place pulled two t-shirts, one with the slogan "Born to Wear Diamonds."

Here's the Article.

It also enumerates past examples of sexist children's clothing, with slogans that emphasize that girls are good at shopping but not good at school, or point out the prettiness of women in contrast to the smartness of boys.

I just wanted to get a feminist perspective on this. I can certainly see the sexism at play, and I wouldn't want my daughter wearing something that perpetuates these sorts of stereotypes.

But, after reading the comments, I also see the point of "If you don't like it, don't buy it!".

Should such shirts be banned? Is it legitimate for parents to get companies to remove such merchandise, or should they simply be voting with their money?

I think the process in the article is ideal. No ban necessary. ******* off your customers is bad business and retailers know it. That's why the
shirts were pulled voluntarily.

The ironic thing is you're gonna end up seeing a lot of starving African kids in "born to wear diamonds" shirts in about six months time.

 

[Falvlun]

Like many things that get taken too far, this is silliness, not sexism.

PS: Diamonds aren't necessarily a stereotype, they're also a wearable financially sound investment portfolio.

I think in this case, it is necessarily a stereotype. It might be a relatively silly or not-really-damaging one, but it does support the stereotype that girls should grow up just to be Mrs. Right, preferably Mrs. Rich Right.

 

[Alceste]

While I agree with the first half of your second sentence, the second half leaves me a little perplexed.

Isn't consciousness-raising the whole point of boycotts and the like? It's to shake people out of their collective apathy or habit and realize that something just ain't right.

Sure, there are two elements of effective "voting with your dollars". Not buying the product is only half the picture. Expressing your opinion and intentions to the retailer is the other.

 

[Falvlun]

I think the process in the article is ideal. No ban necessary. ******* off your customers is bad business and retailers know it. That's why the
shirts were pulled voluntarily.

This is something I wanted to highlight. "Banning" really wasn't the word I should have used in the OP.

The consensus is overwhelmingly in favor of "voting with your money". But do people also resent people making a stink about it?

In other words:
Is the feeling that people should quietly be voting with their money, and that there is something wrong with these parents vocally voting with their money and getting others to do the same?

 

[Alceste]

This is something I wanted to highlight. "Banning" really wasn't the word I should have used in the OP.

The consensus is overwhelmingly in favor of "voting with your money". But do people also resent people making a stink about it?

In other words:
Is the feeling that people should quietly be voting with their money, and that there is something wrong with these parents vocally voting with their money and getting others to do the same?

Nope. Nothing wrong with making a stink about it. How is the retailer supposed to know what their customers want if they don't say anything? Companies spend enormous time and resources trying to cultivate consumer engagement and find out what people want. They're not mind readers. For the parents who do want to dress their daughters up in shirts saying they're stupid and good for nothing but looking at, all those shirts will pass through something like Winners before being shipped out to Africa.

 

[Willamena]

While I agree with the first half of your second sentence, the second half leaves me a little perplexed.

Isn't consciousness-raising the whole point of boycotts and the like? It's to shake people out of their collective apathy or habit and realize that something just ain't right.

I think the idea was that without a stink raised about it, it wouldn't even exist but in the minds of a few.

I think in this case, it is necessarily a stereotype. It might be a relatively silly or not-really-damaging one, but it does support the stereotype that girls should grow up just to be Mrs. Right, preferably Mrs. Rich Right.

Well, I disagree, but it's no use butting heads about it.