Dora is All Grown Up. Out of Touch Parents Outraged Over "Sexy" New Look
Dora was first aired on Nick Jr. in 2000. My oldest daughter was born in 2000 and grew up watching Dora until she grew out of it a few years ago. Now, she's an 8-year-old straight A third grader who loves fashion. Her favorite stores are Limited Too and the now defunct Club Libby Lu. Thanks to a good upbringing, she loves fashion for what it is, and doesn't have an attitude about it, and she's not the kind of kid who would pick on others for not being popular or not wearing popular clothes. (Yes, this happens in third grade now, which is pretty sad.) A new grown up Dora character would be welcome into our home, especially considering the fact that the tween market is somewhat overlooked. Give me, a parent and a consumer a choice between a new grown up Dora and a Bratz doll, and I would choose Dora hands down.
My question is why are parents so uptight about this new doll? Are their parenting skills so poor that they think one pretty, style-conscious doll will forever warp the minds of their daughters? Girls like little Dora don't always remain tomboys forever. Most grow up and have different interests, even before they start worrying about boys and the like.
Something that disturbs me personally, especially as a parent, is how men and women's minds are working these days. This new Dora character wears a pretty purple tunic with matching leggings, and some of these psycho parents are saying her legs look too sexy. Are these people sexually frustrated in epic proportions? Were they sexually abused making them more sensitive to prepubescent images? Yes, I'm reaching here, but I don't get their concern.
In my opinion, this character doesn't have "sexy" legs, nor do I think all pre-teen girls with long hair are sexually charged. In fact, I can't believe I have to write this. The new Dora character looks cute.
One concept many parents are overlooking is the fact that Nickelodeon can't take a wholesome, educational character like Dora the Explorer, strip away her values overnight, and turn her in to a Lindsay Lohan action figure with optional panties. Just because Dora is becoming a tween doesn't mean she can't remain an educational character.
According to Mattel, the new Dora will have four BFFs to solve new mysteries with topics ranging from wildlife, the environment, and school. Nickelodeon will still air new episodes of the original Dora the Explorer.
The original picture was taken down, but a new one can be seen here.
Sources:
http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/nation/ny-usdora176072293mar17,0,7068834.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/bal-new-dora-0316,0,5342616.story
Published by Alicia White
Alicia is a former air traffic controller who lived in Japan for several years. She's currently a freelance writer in California, and a full-time student majoring in digital media/graphic design. View profile
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14 Comments
Post a CommentI really love the fact that Dora is grown up I have 2 daugthers and it really works out with there ages.....JUst look %40 Hannah%2CBratz%2Cetc the list goes on I see nothing %40 all wrong wtih it
you guys are so wrong i could see if she was teaching thins inpriit and now your kids wont be wathing sex i would let my two15 year old girls wach it
I think that if we as parents have issues with Dora growing up%2C maybe we should re-read what Too Far said. We all played with Barbies with the miniskirts%2C high heels and all that. I would rather my daughter look up to a tween Dora than Hannah or the Bratz. Yes our kids get older%2C like we did. If Dora starts caring more about makeup and school drama%2C I might still let my little girl watch her. But I%27m not going to say Don%27t Watch That New Dora show%2C at least not until it comes out. Give Tween Dora a chance...Maybe our daughters won%27t have to be introduced to things that they are just not old enough for.
I think that if we as parents have issues with Dora growing up, maybe we should re-read what Too Far said. We all played with Barbies with the miniskirts, high heels and all that. I would rather my daughter look up to a tween Dora than Hannah or the Bratz. Yes our kids get older, like we did. If Dora starts caring more about makeup and school drama, I might still let my little girl watch her. But I'm not going to say Don't Watch That New Dora show, at least not until it comes out. Give Tween Dora a chance...Maybe our daughters won't have to be introduced to things that they are just not old enough for.
now 2 year olds r going to be acting 19 and this time LITERAALY
Hi Tammy. Perhaps you may have jumped the gun on this one too. Dora was about learning. What suggests that they will keep to the same format? Are we going to learn how to say Levi's or Ballet Slippers in Spanish? LOL, you hit the nail on the head when you brought up Bratz. Why must Dora start to dress like them? Look at the Simpsons, Bart and Lisa in real time are 30 and 28 years old respectively. They havent changed. What about the girls who watch Dora that aren't that age? Your article had no valid reason to call people out of touch, instead its the ramblings of someone who is raising a monster.
I agree with you. People need to loosen up more. It's just a stupid doll. do like the Bratz dolls though. Great Article.
I have no problems with the new Dora. I think it will be wonderful for tweens, as I have one (she' 10) and grew up with Dora. The one thing I wanted to say was that the same parents freaking out over this are the same ones that told Mattel Barbie was not realistic looking and she was giving little girls a false image.I grew up with Barbie and not once did I think I was going to grow up to look like her, although beautiful she IS just a doll. They will never be satisfied. If it's such a problem, why don't they make their own dolls and market them. That way they can feel like there's a more "positive" influential doll out there as a choice. By the way, I agree about the Bratz dolls. I just don't like them.
I have no problems with the new Dora. I think it will be wonderful for tweens, as I have one (she' 10) and grew up with Dora. The one thing I wanted to say was that the same parents freaking out over this are the same ones that told Mattel Barbie was not realistic looking and she was giving little girls a false image.I grew up with Barbie and not once did I think I was going to grow up to look like her, although beautiful she IS just a doll. They will never be satisfied. If it's such a problem, why don't they make their own dolls and market them. That way they can feel like there's a more "positive" influential doll out there as a choice. By the way, I agree about the Bratz dolls. I just don't like them.
I have no problems with the new Dora. I think it will be wonderful for tweens, as I have one (she' 10) and grew up with Dora. The one thing I wanted to say was that the same parents freaking out over this are the same ones that told Mattel Barbie was not realistic looking and she was giving little girls a false image.I grew up with Barbie and not once did I think I was going to grow up to look like her, although beautiful she IS just a doll. They will never be satisfied. If it's such a problem, why don't they make their own dolls and market them. That way they can feel like there's a more "positive" influential doll out there as a choice. By the way, I agree about the Bratz dolls. I just don't like them.