I’ve posted before about the early sexualisation of children, and here’s the latest kerfuffle on the subject.

Retailer Cotton On is selling a range of children’s t-shirts with risque slogans on them, for example:

• "The condom broke"
• "Pardon my nipple breath"
• "I’m living proof my mum is easy"
• "I’m a tits man"
• "Mummy likes it on top"
• "Wipe my butt sucker"
• "So hot right now"
• "I like big boobs and I cannot lie"
• "I’m bringing sexy back"
• "Practice safe sucks".

Some family groups are complaining and want the range of t-shirts removed from sale.  Kids Free 2B Kids director Julie Gale said as a comedy writer and performer she had a great sense of humour, but using babies and children as "a vehicle for sexual innuendo" was unacceptable.  She said research had linked premature sexualisation to eating disorders, depression, and self harm.  Prominent psychologist Steve Biddulph said using sexual language around children trivialised it and could harm their development.  He said:

"Children exposed to sexual messages too young get a cheapened idea of what love is about, before they are old enough to form better ideas,"

"The sad thing is that smarter parents protect their kids, but as the media environment and the shopping malls deteriorate, the kids with not very bright parents have their mental health and sexual health degraded."

My thoughts on this particular subject.  I wouldn’t send my kids out in public with such messages on their clothes.  There’s a couple of them I don’t mind, but several of them I think are simply inappropriate for children.  Who would send a kid out with “the condom broke” on its shirt?  Most likely those parents who treat their kids as just another lifestyle accessory? “oh, isn’t it cute?  aren’t we the witty ones dressing the kid like that?”.

But back to the main question … am I a tits man?

Not telling.

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