Is it just me, or has this world gone completely nuts? It's becoming so bad it's hard to read the news anymore without wanting to throw ones hands up in surrender. In one day I read 2 different headlines that made my mind bend and my heart hurt. Two different tragedies for totally different reasons affecting the same target. It's distressing in a way that boggles the mind.
First off, there was an op-ed piece about the famed retailing giant Abercrombie and Fitch. This is a high end, designer driven company that was rolling out it's Spring/Summer collection for this year. In it they were offering swimwear (not unusual) to a fashion forward clientele that included kids (also not unusual). Where the crazy comes in is with the kids line. This particular retailer felt it was important to include bikini's for 8 - 10 year olds with PADDED bra tops. Padded tops for 8 year olds? Really? Is it important for our 8 year old girls to appear to have big boobs? For what? To appear sexualized and therefore appealing to, who? Other boys? Or worse... to men? To send the message that at 8 years old, you need to be worrying about body image? You need tits and ass to really be empowered? At EIGHT? No, no, nooooooo, no, no, no. This is wrong on so many levels I don't know where to begin. Which brings me to story # 2.
A south Florida man was recently sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing and impregnating a 9 year old girl. She was afraid to tell her father who did not know until he took her to a clinic for a check up. She carried the baby to term and gave birth at 10 years of age. Now, anybody in their right mind can see this is a horrific story... to be raped and pregnant before you even hit double digits? To go through the drama of birthing by 10? Yet, if you think about this little girl in a bikini with a padded top to give the impression of breasts, you wouldn't have to look too hard to see where she could appeal sexually to a man. It's hard to swallow this kind of information.
When does it stop? This was a little girl. Ages 8, 9, & 10; these are little girls. Little girls should not be put in sexual situations period. Their bodies shouldn't be forced to be an adult. They shouldn't be paraded around in padded swimsuits, and they sure as hell shouldn't be sexually violated. And we, as adults, need to be outraged by both these distortions. We cannot let the world of fashion or celebrity or media dictate what is acceptable behavior. We have to take a stand, or we will lose in the end. We are here to protect the innocence of our children, not rob them of it.
Think about this for a moment. Childhood makes up a mere 1/8th of a lifetime... for the love of God, can't we at least let them have that?
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