Who is Commenting on Children's Attire?
CNN's Opinion Contributor, LZ Granderson, Tells it like it Is
LZ has used humor and candid personal stories to speak about topics such as his journey from poverty, physical abuse and gang culture in Detroit. He joined ESPN first as a magazine editor and later as a writer. His commentaries often tackled taboo subjects and he garnered the attention from the gang at CNN who invited him to write for CNN Opinion. Earlier this month, LZ Granderson began writing for CNN Opinion. CNN Opinion is a column on how social and cultural issues affect the way life is lived in America today.
When he wrote a recent column titled, "Parents, don't dress your girls like tramps" - the CNN blogs got quite a response. Thousands of comments poured into CNN's website, so many that LZ prepared a video response, reading some of the comments and lending his opinions of the comments.
The column essentially points the finger of blame not at the retailers or role models in our society but back at the face of the parent whose pocketbooks and wallets are purchasing the "trashy" clothing.
You can read his column and watch his video response here.
While I don't necessarily always agree with LZ, this time I believe he hit the proverbial nail on the head when he stated, "sex only sells because people are buying it." His remark was aimed at the Abercrombie stores and all others who are selling "trashy" clothes to kids. If parents weren't buying it, Abercrombie wouldn't be stocking it. Supply and Demand, remember?
The real point of LZ's commentary comes at the very end of his column when he states, "A line needs to be drawn, but not by Abercrombie. Not by Britney Spears. And not by these little girls who don't know better and desperately need their parents to be parents and not 40-year-old BFFs."
If you ask me, it was one of the best commentaries on inappropriate kid's clothing that I've read in a long time.
Sources:
Published by Michele Starkey
Optimist who enjoys writing, laughing and spreading good news. If I have but one life to live, I hope to make mine memorable. My epitaph will read: she lived, she loved, she left. View profile
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57 Comments
Post a CommentExcellent writing:)
I agree, parents are allowing this too much where I live, we have an 11 year next door who is very "developed", she wears a bikini in their pool, and public pools too and it is no means fit for an 11 year old! They don't seem to care, I mean they buy it for her, and think its cute that she is so "developed" very pretty girl BUT 11 is too young in my opinion.
ETA: That doesn't mean parents aren't accountable. As consumers, we need to use our words and dollars to let retailers know what we want.
I wonder about the supply and demand. I almost feel some styles are forced on us. As a teen and adult, I couldn't find "regular" shorts for years. Shorts were either below knee length or too short. (They also offered way too short!) I had a similar problem with the low waist, no waist, hiphugger jeans.
I know people sometimes seek certain styles, but I noticed a similar trend happening in the girls' clothing dept.
Thanks for sharing - very interesting info! rcj
I remember (back in the old days) my Mum telling me to put a dress or a skirt and blouse on to go down to the town - no slacks or shorts. I wore only home-made clothes - better than the stores put out for sale these days. I liked being original and have never followed fashion. I don't have kids but I have opinions about them. I also have strong opinions about parenting. Lucky kids who don't have me for a Mum.
I read this and I have to say that society is asking parents to dress their little girls up this way. Look at the shows on the TV Toddlers and Tiara's and those kinds of things for young girls. Mothers that allow their little ones to dress this way are actually living through the little ones. I have seen the parents on the TV on T&T it is disgraceful the fat unkept mothers who dress up 6-8-9-10 year olds like hookers. There should be laws against this kind of thing since it is a form of child endangerment. Come on parents teach your children how to be good people instead of teaching them to be those kinds of young ones who are stuck on themselves and show off heir bodies like they do.
I was surprised the other day to see a young girl wearing eye shdow. Not even a teen yet. The dress and makeup. Ridiculous to be so young and into things like that.
I still can't believe they have a line of clothing for young girls called "Juicy Couture". I always thought that sounded a bit trashy and gross, especially when the word "Juicy" is written in bold letters across the a$$. I agree that parents need to set the rules. We can't expect companies to do our parenting for us.
It does all rest with the parents. Have they no role in their own children's upbringing?