Are our children becoming overtly sexualized through fashion? Two interesting sounding papers recently released by The Australain Institute for a Just, Sustainable, Peaceful Future supports so: Corporate Paedophilia: Sexualisation of children in Australia and Letting Children be Children: Stopping the sexualisation of children in Australia .

I stress that I have not yet read these papers but the media release and blog comments surrounding the research has reminded me of years of anecdotal concern from parents of children. Many parents refuse to slave to the fashion industry and dress (or undress) their children as mini Britneys, Keeley Hazells or Tammy Nyps. The parental concerns revolve around enforcing sexualisation of children and turning them into sexual objects.

Children wearing clothes that state “Porn Star” is in my view, a form of abuse. The global community is mostly outraged about peodiphilia and sexual predators tracking and grooming our children, yet too many of us groom our babies to become voyeuristic objects of lust. Of course any body has the right to wear what they want and when they want, but with rights comes responsibility. It is a parents responsibility to look after their children, including minimizing risk of all forms of child abuse.

There’s been a long running and interesting feminist debate about why many women remove hair from their legs, underarms and private parts. One analysis is because we continue to cater to the patriarchal and sexual view of women from men. Apparently, some men prefer their women to look pre pubescent.

Joining the above analysis with the sexualised clothing that some fashion labels create and market as children’s wear, I would have to agree that our children are becoming overtly sexualised through fashion. But…I have the power of choice and I choose not to dress my children in clothing that caters to the financial gain of the fashion industry. More importantly, I choose not to dress my children as voyeuristic candy for those sexual predators that so quickly evil their way into our communities, our lives, our homes. Instead, I have taught my children about protective behaviours, what sexuality is, what sexual development is and what to do if anyone steps over their body space boundary.

Children’s fashion does not have to be revealing or sexualized. Children’s fashion enables a child to do their work: play. Last time I checked, overt and ongoing sex play was not within the normal bounds of childhood development.

Are our children becoming overtly sexualized through fashion? What do you think?

Another fashion article you may want to address: Reuters Knife Dolce & Gabbana