Sexualising Children

This is a subject that does bother me somewhat. In an age where parents fear paedophiles and the general safety of their children, I have to wonder how in the hell we can make our children into little sexualised objects in how we dress them. For example, the latest outcry, in Australia, has been about stores selling baby and children's clothing with sexually explicit logos on them.

A few other stores are also selling little girl's underwear with "Bite This" and "Bad Girl" on the front.

Now the question that keeps entering my mind when I read this and see little kids with such clothing on in the streets is, why do the parents buy it for their children. I would imagine the greater majority of parents live in fear of their child being sexually abused by a paedophile and would do anything and everything to save their children from such a fate, because who in their right minds would want to imagine that some pervert might view their child as a sex object. But some of these parents do buy these items of clothing for their children. I don't know about any of you, but a little girl's knickers with "Bite This" emblazoned on the front is overtly sexual to me.

So why do parents do this? Are parents attempting to project their own sense of 'sex' on their children? I was out shopping for children's clothing the other day and I too came across some t-shirts and underwear for little boys that shocked me. Call me strange, but I really do not think my 2 year old should wear a t-shirt with "Well Hung" written on the front. Nor should the store be selling it. But the damn things are selling like hotcakes. The very same parents who worry about paedophiles, are buying their children these items of clothing.

My question is why? Why would a parent buy such items of clothing for their children? Are they stupid? Personally, I think the answer to that is yes. But the question that must be asked is why do parents feel the need to dress their children in clothes that are so overtly sexual? What are they trying to project when they buy their daughter knickers with "Bite This" stamped on the crotch? After all, as much as we can complain about the stores selling such items, the real concern is that there is a demand for such clothing and it is the parents who are fueling such demand by buying it.

 

No, I am asking why parents feel the need to buy the clothing.

Do children need to be sexualised? If so, why?

 

I would imagine a toddler's t-shirt with the words "Well Hung" on the front is a bit obvious, don't you think?

And the thing is, they are being sold just about everywhere now and the demand for them does not appear to be waning.

 

Yes they do. And that might explain the influx of such clothes in the stores. But surely there is a limit. I saw a woman walking with her daughter, who looked to be about 3, the other day. Both were dressed the same. If that was not bad enough in itself, the mother was wearing a singlet with the word 'brownies' across her breast and the 3 year old's matching singlet read 'pinkies'.. both wearing short hot pants, both had their hair in pigtails. I was at a set of lights at an intersection and they were crossing the street. My mouth literally fell open. It would be comical if it weren't just so damn sad.