Is this really what we want our young girls to be idolizing?

“When the Bratz and Bratz Boyz are in London, they always hit their favorite pub for fish ‘n’ chips! They love to chill out and play darts while lookin’ good in the latest fashions. And boy do they look scorchin’ surrounded by the English charm of this pub, with wood-grained bar and Union Jack decor!” (caption on Wallmart site selling this “toy”, part of the Bratz London collection)

         When we began our discussion on advertising and the media one of the first things that came to mind were the Bratz dolls. These dolls are aimed towards young children. On the products packaging it states for ages + 4. The dolls won Family Fun’s Toy of the Year award and TIA People’s Choice Toy of the Year Award in 2001. These dolls are scant clad. They are wearing very “adult” clothing. In my opinion they look like prostitutes more so then dolls. The Bratz come with multiple accessories and outfits, which in my opinion are sending young girls the completely wrong message.

The Bratz brand, which has remained number one in the UK market for 23 consecutive months focuses core values on friendship, hair play and a ‘passion for fashion’.– Bratz spokesman, The Daily Telegraph

I was looking around the Bratz official website and I came across many things that were inappropriate. The first thing that struck me as ridiculous is one of the dolls comes with lingerie, such as a teddy and feather heels. I expect to see these items in a Fredrick’s of Hollywood catalog, not in an ad for a four year old girl. The next thing that shocked me was the Bratz Bar. Is there any reason why we would condone the idea of the bar being a good thing for a four year old girl? They even sell the dolls in a “Bratz Pack”, which is a set of the dolls that are in the same clique. In the “Bratz Babyz” line there is a “Babyz Night Out” playset, in which the Big Babyz have a piece of fabric under their skirts that appears to be a thong. These are some of the ideas that the advertisers are sending out. They are showing girls that it’s cool to go to bars, dress like sluts, wear way too much make up and be materialistic. I for one know that we don’t need anymore Linsie Lohans’, Paris Hiltons’, or additional children to join the skank generation of celebrity girls.

    Bratz dolls come dressed in sexualized clothing such as miniskirts, fishnet stockings, and feather boas. Although these dolls may present no more sexualization of girls or women than is seen in MTV videos, it is worrisome when dolls designed specifically for 4- to 8-year-olds are associated with an objectified adult sexuality– APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls

With toys like Bratz and other advertisments aimed towards young children, we are teaching them to be ignorant, materialistic and pretty much never achieve goals that contain any morals or values. They never advertise anything that would make a little girl want to go to college for an education or to just be herself. There is so much pressure being placed on children from every source of media that I am worried how the children of this generation will turn out. Virtually all media forms are promoting inappropriate images of products such as toys and clothing that are harmful to girls’ self image and healthy development.  Children should be having fun being kids. They shouldn’t be thinking about going out bar hopping in 5 inch heels and a mini skirt. When I was a little girl there is no way I would have been allowed to play with, let alone own any toy like a Bratz doll. I remember playing with My Little Ponies and American Girl Dolls. It seems like societies ideals and being pushed onto girls at a younger and younger age. Marketing takes unfair advantage of children’s desire for affection and the need to conform. Childrens minds are so impressionable and I don’t see how this is the right impression for anyone to be giving to young children. Why can’t the media just let kids be kids?

—Marie Mancuso—

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