I used to teach a Women in History class. I broke my curriculum into two parts. The first nine weeks we studied women of the world. The second nine weeks we studied American women and their roles in the history of our country.
After the colonial period, we studied the Revolutionary period. Most of my students knew the battles and images of the Boston Tea Party, but didn't understand that the real resistance started with the women boycotting British goods. Arguing with the British, declaring independence, and protesting didn't work, but hurting the British government and merchants financially made those first voices of freedom heard. The boycotts primarily fell on the shoulders of the women who had to find alternatives for textiles, utensils, tea. In fact replacing tea, led to the discovery and popularization of a new warm drink, coffee. Say thank you Starbucks! But the boycotts were at least effective enough for England to take notice we were serious.
This week a disturbing advertisement for a new Abercrombie & Fitch Kids swimsuit was released. The Ahley bikini was marketed as a push up triangle top. A&F Kids target consumers are under twelve years old! What do they have to PUSH UP? Apparently, I was not the only parent of a young girl who is already horrified by the sexualization of our society and felt that A&F was irresponsible in its marketing.
According to Laura Heller of Wallet Pop, after several days of outraged consumers, A&F changed the description of the product to a "lightly padded" triangle top and agreed that the top was best marketed to girls twelve and up.
I am still concerned. They did not stop selling the top. They did not change the top. If it is designed to "push-up," it is still going to do that for girls who are too young to worry about sexuality. They are marketing, to twelve year olds, a top to enhance their busts. WHAT?! I don't want my daughter to worry about her chest until at least she is done developing one. Ideally, I wouldn't want her to worry about it at all.
In our media gorged society, a girl who doesn't worry about her physical appearance would be incredibly rare. We are confronted at every turn by glammed up genetic freaks who are then additionally airbrushed into a frightening level of perfection. Not everyone feels the pressure to conform, but most do to some extent. Our society is so appearance conscious that girls feel if they don't measure up, they don't matter. In fact we are more than beauty fiends, we are perfection happy.
I know I have struggled with my flaws my whole life and they only increase exponentially after 30. I have struggled as seeing myself as worthy of a happy, full life because I am not a size zero supermodel.If as an adult, my heart and head are infected by the messages of our media, how much more vulnerable is my Lil Bit?
I think free speech is great, but we have to draw a line somewhere and I personally resent advertisers trying to impose on children generic standards of beauty that have nothing to do with where true beauty lives. But Abercrombie & Fitch aren't truly listening. They made cosmetic changes to their campaign, not to the product. Some even believe that this was all a publicity stunt.
The company made a decision to sexualize little girls. They decided to use manipulative techniques to make children insecure about their bodies in a world that body image is so distorted. I don't plan on shopping there, now or ever. Maybe my one little voice won't ever be heard, but when a company's behavior is so abhorrent, I can't be silent.
If you agree and want to give my voice wings, please share this message or this blog post with your friends online. Click share below and let our disgust give A&F pause.
After the colonial period, we studied the Revolutionary period. Most of my students knew the battles and images of the Boston Tea Party, but didn't understand that the real resistance started with the women boycotting British goods. Arguing with the British, declaring independence, and protesting didn't work, but hurting the British government and merchants financially made those first voices of freedom heard. The boycotts primarily fell on the shoulders of the women who had to find alternatives for textiles, utensils, tea. In fact replacing tea, led to the discovery and popularization of a new warm drink, coffee. Say thank you Starbucks! But the boycotts were at least effective enough for England to take notice we were serious.
This week a disturbing advertisement for a new Abercrombie & Fitch Kids swimsuit was released. The Ahley bikini was marketed as a push up triangle top. A&F Kids target consumers are under twelve years old! What do they have to PUSH UP? Apparently, I was not the only parent of a young girl who is already horrified by the sexualization of our society and felt that A&F was irresponsible in its marketing.
According to Laura Heller of Wallet Pop, after several days of outraged consumers, A&F changed the description of the product to a "lightly padded" triangle top and agreed that the top was best marketed to girls twelve and up.
I am still concerned. They did not stop selling the top. They did not change the top. If it is designed to "push-up," it is still going to do that for girls who are too young to worry about sexuality. They are marketing, to twelve year olds, a top to enhance their busts. WHAT?! I don't want my daughter to worry about her chest until at least she is done developing one. Ideally, I wouldn't want her to worry about it at all.
In our media gorged society, a girl who doesn't worry about her physical appearance would be incredibly rare. We are confronted at every turn by glammed up genetic freaks who are then additionally airbrushed into a frightening level of perfection. Not everyone feels the pressure to conform, but most do to some extent. Our society is so appearance conscious that girls feel if they don't measure up, they don't matter. In fact we are more than beauty fiends, we are perfection happy.
I know I have struggled with my flaws my whole life and they only increase exponentially after 30. I have struggled as seeing myself as worthy of a happy, full life because I am not a size zero supermodel.If as an adult, my heart and head are infected by the messages of our media, how much more vulnerable is my Lil Bit?
I think free speech is great, but we have to draw a line somewhere and I personally resent advertisers trying to impose on children generic standards of beauty that have nothing to do with where true beauty lives. But Abercrombie & Fitch aren't truly listening. They made cosmetic changes to their campaign, not to the product. Some even believe that this was all a publicity stunt.
The company made a decision to sexualize little girls. They decided to use manipulative techniques to make children insecure about their bodies in a world that body image is so distorted. I don't plan on shopping there, now or ever. Maybe my one little voice won't ever be heard, but when a company's behavior is so abhorrent, I can't be silent.
If you agree and want to give my voice wings, please share this message or this blog post with your friends online. Click share below and let our disgust give A&F pause.
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