It's all about marketing slut 'role models' to young girls. Disgusting. Girls SHOULD be taught to respect themselves, maybe then we wouldn't have so many damn little hoochies running around. Bratz are NOT good toys for kids. NO WAY. This movie is also a wretched example of our twisted culture at work. SIMPLY AWFUL.
shareYeah the mini skirts bother me too...it is really stupid. girls at my school would wear mini skirts and flip flops in the winter time. all i have to say is if a girl wants to reveal her stomach or whatever and doesnt listen to people telling her to dress modest, that is her problem. It is her life and it is how she wants to live.
shareOk I wear mini skirts all the time but only when its atleast 60 degrees. Why do you think skirts are stupid? Its not like all of them show off your butt. Im not like the supposed girls at your school dressing in summer gear. But then again it depends on where you live. I live where in the winter it snows and its freezing so of course I wouldn't wear those things. But if you live in say California or Florida then yea I would wear them too. I do listen to people who tell me to dress modest. If my parents want me to change I do.
shareI just want to say that...this conversation is a total waste of time!!! I mean Bratz are just DOLLS FOR GOODNESS SAKE! The world can live w/out them, they dont have any impact in someone's life, except only for kids to play with them. Yeah kids like those dolls...so what, you dont have to like them if you dont want to. I am 15 years and i used to play with barbie dolls and people that are saying that bratz dress a little bit slutty are right, but so did barbie dolls! I remember i had a barbie doll that had blonde hair and blue eyes and she had this really short pink dress! and i had another barbie doll that had a strapless swimming suite. so to make my long statement short here is a summary:
1. This Conversation is a TOTAL WASTE OF TIME!(YES I KNOW WHY SHOULD I BE HERE IF I THINK THIS)
2. bratz are just dolls for GOODNESS SAKE! they have no meaning in life except for kids to play with them
3. Bratz may dress a little slutty, but so did barbie dolls
I think you're one of the only people on this site that have commen sense. Good for you.
And Barbie deffinetly was a slut. Ken was her boyfriend, Tommy was his son. Did Barbie have a mom? No. So who was Skipper and Stacey? Yeah, my point exactly.
You are the only one that makes sense right now.
Skipper, Stacy, and Kelly were marketed to have been Barbie's sisters but I'm not sure I believe that.
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Ok well since you seem to be so sure of yourself and your precious ugly Barbies, then why don't you list some of your reasons why they are better? Because I can give lots of reasons why Bratz are better.
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Ok you make very good statements. First I am not being immature. I just don't like Barbies. About my clothing, my parents were the ones who bought it for me. I did wear t-shirts and flip flops. I practically live in those but occasionally yea I would wear those other things. And yes I agree with you that little children are influenced by those things. I've seen it myself. I babysit for many little kids and I know they are influenced by that. I always dress nice and act appropiately when I'm around them. About my stereotyping Christians, I wasn't trying to. I was just stating that I am Christian. I am a good Christian girl. I never get into trouble and I have great grades. And I'm not a ditzy little girl. I have more common sense then anyone I know. I laugh at people that are that stupid like Hilary Duff and all those other retarded idols. And I'm not like them at all. I'm the kind of person that goes to the mall to freak people out and to dress like a total freak then one that goes just to shop and be all prestigious and dumb. About the club thing, they have teen clubs. Haven't you ever gone to a mixer? I've been to teen clubs before. There is no alcohol and its just for people 12-17. With the guy thing, of course they go off with different guys. Don't you have friends that are guys. Over half of my friends are guys and just because you date alot doesn't mean you are a slut. It just means that you haven't found the right guy yet. And I'm very sorry if I came off as mean and ditzy or whatever. I really do think you have strong arguments. Now please feel free to respond again. I would type more but I have to go and try on dresses for my Uncle's wedding.
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Oh and i have one more thing to add......all this arguing about dolls is just plain ridiculous and downright funny, LOL ^_^!
shareYoung girls want the life of older girls, and thanks to Corporate America, Bratz is "the life of older girls."
I detest it with a passion, but not mostly because of the morals, but because of the sheer greed and moneymaking on this.
Ohhh I can't wait to get into this argument.
I am fifteen. If i had a daughter or ever have one i would NEVER give her these dolls. If she was given these dolls for a gift at christmas or on her birthday i would through them away before she even got a chance to open them. this may sound ridiculous but i wouldnt want my daughter to be influenced by these dolls. children are strongly influenced by everything around them. when i was young(6 perhaps) i watched the simpsons and after each episode my behaviour changed slightly. I was rude and naughty for a short period of time. my mother stopped letting me watch it until i was about 10 or 11. It worked and my behaviour improved.
I look around today and see 6 yr olds wearing mini skirts and tube tops. This disgusts me. its not right. they are too young. when i was 6 i wore t shirts and shorts and on special occasions i wore cute little dresses and lacey socks. biologically little boys and girls have the same body shape. its true. i watch scientific documentaries. they are strait up and down. why wear boob tubes when they have no boobs? it doesnt make sense. girls act too grown up nowdays. i saw a documentry were they interviewed a 9 or 10 girl who wanted to be a pole dancer when she grew up so, in her words "i would meet lots of boys". this is so sad. i pity this girl because she has obviously had bad influences in her life.
In the bratz ad for 'bratz safari' they go to some sort of nightclub. In the front of the screen there is a girl in a leopard print top doing that 'chest pump' sort of move. gross. the fact is these dolls are aimed at young girls aged 5 - 10 ( i was quite suprised that a 12 year old still played with dolls) and they are just not old enough for that sort of thing. they can't even get into nightclubs.
dolls like these give the impression that all teenagers act this way and it is a well known fact that many little girls look up to teenagers as being cool. most teenagers don't act this way. sure maybe the ones on tv do but there are alot of normal teenagers who don't have fabulous bodies showing through see thru halter tops in this world. i am 15 and do not act this way. i wear clothes that cover my stomach, back and thighs.
Children are bening treated to old nowdays. I have have seen 8 yr old girls with their mini skirts and handbags ( what an 8 yr old would put in a handbag, i don't know) who think they are better than me. i am not saying i think i am some god or something but i think i deserve a little respect especially from an 8 yr old. i do not expect them to push past me in the street practically knocking me over and then look at me with their hands on their (non existent) hips and smile. this is rude and this is the result of little girls trying to act like what they think teens act like, yeah right.
representation of teenagers on tv is stupid. If high school was really like how it is on tv i would be running there in the mornings. it looks like fun. every one has perfect friends, nice clothes, gossip, no homework and on every single teen tv show the 'group' has a cool hangout like a cafe or 'juice bar'. life isnt like this and kids will be let down.
i have a lot more to say but i am getting tired of typing so there.
I DON'T MIND IF I DO.....HUH - Stephen - Basil Brush ROX!!!
u know i actually agree with you. you are right and i was wrong. although they are dolls, they still have a bad example on little kids. this subject is definately not ridiculous as i stated earlier in one of my posts.i mean there were alot of decent dolls i had as a kid...and ALOT of them covered up their skins,but now a days things are changing, style is changing. one doll that i think is really great for kids to play with is baby born. where u feed the baby and change the babies diapers. those dolls really teach kids about taking care of a babies. Yeah things really influence little children....i remember when i was about 5 or 6 years old i was watching tv and i saw this lady without bangs....so i decided "hey that lady doesnt have bangs...so i will cut off my barbie dolls bangs too...so she can look like that lady." and i did. Things like tv, dolls, and other materialistic things really influenced me as a child. The message that these bratz dolls are sending is not wise. they dress in mini skirts and have boyfriends. Girls will grow up thinking in order for me to fit in i have to have a boyfriend........and belieeve me, those are all just a bunch of lies. I went through that when i was in the 6th grade and i STILL GO THROUGH IT TODAY,EVEN AS A 15 YEAR OF GIRL. But now that i am older and i had friends telling me that popularity isnt important. i am a better person today because of their advice. I now think that my opinion about myself is more important than other's opinions on me. I just have to be myself and if people don't like it, they have to deal with it. Because i am not going to change who i really am for anyone. not for a doll, not for my friends, not for the tv, and not for the whole world
shareYou are a stupid closed minded teenager. You must be one of those kids that judges a book by its cover and doesn't care about anything really.
DO YOU FREAKING RUN THOSE 6 YEAR OLDS LIVES?! No, you don't. Their parents do. And obviously if their parents don't care, then neither should you. Honestly. You see them for a millisecond and don't have to see them ever again.
Get over youself and stop acting all OH MY GOD I'M SOO COOL CAUSE I'M A TEENAGER AND EVERYONE SHOULD LOVE ME CAUSE MY IDEAS ARE RIGHT. I'm older then you and I probabably have had to deal with this *beep* more then you because I live in a town full of kids who dress like that. AND YA WANNA KNOW WHY THEY DRESS LIKE THAT?! BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE SELLING IN THE STORES!!
And saying you would "through" (it's spelled THROW darling) your daughters gift away is just wrong. It was a gift. Goddamn you're gonna be a horrible parent. You don't throw away something your kid gets as a gift. You return it. You buy them something you want them to have. But just throwing it out, goddamn you're retarded.
I am probably sounding like the biggest bitch in the world to you, but you just *beep* piss me off. Acting like your hot *beep* cause you're 15 and know EVERYTHING. Well news flash, you don't. Neither do I.
BUT HOLY *beep* IT'S A DOLL. A GODDAMN DOLL. IT IS PLASTIC, LIKE YOUR COMPUTER AND HAS MAKEUP PAINTED ONTO ITS FACE! IT CAN BE BURNED WITH MY LIGHTER OR A CIGGARETTE! Holy *beep*
A doll might have some infulence on a girl's life, but they're not gonna go off and have sex with every guy that they see. Do you do that? No. They're not stupid. People treat kids like they're dumb. They're not. They know what they're doing. They're smarter then us to a point because they see stuff we don't.
I would love to argue with you on this so feel free to.
--Tara--
God, that was condescending.
Aside from the obvious lack of capitalisation, I think her arguments are mostly pretty valid. She shares an anecdote about her behaviour at a younger age being influenced by the media, and compares it to the dolls and today's clothing. She explains her impressions of a commercial on the dolls (see, she's done more research than I have) - and what she thinks its effects on the target population (i.e. kids, girls in particular) are. She links it back to people her own age, and then goes to the media's portrayal of teenagers, which she finds unrealistic. Not including: her screen name, eagerness to get into the argument, "I pity this girl", "So there," and "It's true. I watch scientific documentaries." I see nothing that's got much omnipotence to it. The essence of her argument is laid out well and logically. You say "they're not gonna go off and have sex with every guy that they see." Yeah, I agree; that's a pretty extreme statement. Where did Jessi imply as such?
If I may, I think you also overreacted to "throw away." That could mean any number of things. Me, I'd always return things - or donate them to charity - if I received them as gifts and didn't want them. And I'd also use the words "throw away" if I were writing about it - because those are the strongest words for it, those that emphasise the action the most.
Expletives, even covered up, aren't going to help anyone either.
I realise I'm probably overreacting to your post, but whatever. Maybe I feel like arguing too.
Ok wow these posts have really interested me so I'm going to give my opinion on the subject. First off let me just say that I am a 20 year old woman who often played with Barbies when I was little. I do however think that these Bratz dolls are promoting the wrong message to little girls. You have to admit that Barbies were a little bit more classy even if they did sometimes wear clothes that were a little more mature. Personally I never looked up to these dolls I just saw them as something to play with but I know that other girls were affected by their perfect bodies and fashionable styles. However I do think they were a step up from these Bratz dolls. First of all the name alone suggests that they are indeed spoiled brats and that's okay. In fact all girls should be spoiled brats. All girls should be anorexic and wear loads of makeup and slutty clothing. I really don't think that's the message you want sent to your children. I understand how people are comparing them to Barbies but I think that these dolls are a lot more raunchy and promote a worse message. Barbies never wore loads of makeup or hung out in night clubs when they were underage. They're goal in life wasn't getting a boyfriend. They often held respectable jobs and as far as I was concerned they came from a healthy and loving family. And for the people who say where were their parents? Why would their parents be marketed? What little kid would want to play with older dolls? They want someone young. I always thought that all the other dolls, Skipper, Stacy, Tommy, and whoever else, were family members like siblings, not Barbie and Ken's children. I also thought that Barbie and Ken were married and as for a pregnant Barbie,that doll only came out recently to coincide with the recent media influences on young girls. Now it may sound like I'm justifying Barbie dolls but I realize that they promote the wrong image too in some ways, I just feel it is to a way lesser extent than Bratz dolls. Bratz dolls are creating impossible standards for little girls that they feel they must live up to. These dolls look like total skanks. The fact that they are targeting little girls is just sick. But, it's not just Bratz dolls that are doing this, it's the entire media so if you're going to attack Bratz dolls then you have to attack the rest of the negative influences on little girls. I think it comes down to a simple fact, some girls can handle it and some girls can't. It is the parents job to determine whether or not their child can handle playing with such a mature toy and not be influenced by it. As for whether or not I would allow my children to play with them it all depends on the child. Clearly the 12 year old that was posting on here isn't mature enough to play with a doll like that becauses it influences her too much. Not only the doll, but the other media that she is exposed to. And for the people who argue that there is nothing else to buy in the store? That is just completely untrue. I have a 9 year old neice and her parents have never had a problem finding her decent fashionable clothes that still cover her body. Anyone who says they can't find cool clothes that are not revealing is just trying to justify the reason that they wear these slutty clothes to begin with. I've been in the stores that were mentioned and not all of their clothes promote that image. In fact there are still a lot of stores who have nice childrens clothes in stock. But obviously children cannot be blamed for these things. Because ofcourse it's not them buying the clothes is it? This is the parents responsibility to determine what their child should wear. ESPECIALLY if you live in a big city you should not be wearing these kinds of things at such a young age because it just makes it more likely that you'll be the victim of a crime. What is the point to wearing these clothes? The only reason is fitting in. You can't tell me it's comfortable to wear a tube top, mini skirt, and heels. Why not try wearing something to reflect what you are in the inside? That being a KID! What is the rush to grow up? Kids should be encouraged to hang on to their childhood for as long as they can. They'll have plenty of time to experiment with different styles of clothing when they are mature enought to make that kind of decision. Another point that I would like to make refers to the statement that just because I dress slutty doesn't mean I'm a slut. Well maybe so maybe it doesn't mean you're a slut but that's the image you present to others. So when boys expect things from you don't be surprised or when you're not respected at least you'll have a reason. Well that's all I'm going to say now as I'm sick of typing. Feel free to respond.
shareAdvertising for these dolls has just started here in Australia. I have to say that when I see what looks to be an 11 year old girl stare down the barrel of the camera and encourage the prospective buyer of this doll to "accessorise", adding the little to and fro head shake..I shudder.
I do think women have full liberty to wear whatever the hell they want, though I also believe we fell by the wayside somewhere in allowing 10-13 year old girls to wear next to nothing and cake themselves in makeup. I saw in an earlier post about heels being worn by a friggin 12 year old? c'mon. Kids DO need to be raised as KIDS and sad as it comes across, these dolls are only accelerating the process of letting little girls be polluted with image obsessed teen culture. The key word here is little. Let's face it. This is a logical step for profit hungry manufacturers who have witnessed what we all have and took full advantage: shopping malls around the western world filled with a brittney spears mini-me at every turn.
Problem is, where do we lay the BLAME? Sure we could heap it upon parents who haven't got their daughters on a ball n' chain. Or indeed we could point the finger at the capitalist devils who conjured up these dolls in their teen marketing think tanks. Even the media as a whole could cop a serve but what's the use? Culture is just another element of evolution and as much as I hate it, this is how things panned out for the younger generation.
I do reserve my right to look back on the good ol' days with rose tinted glasses, when kids were kids in every respect. I'm 25, so it wasn't that long ago. Scary how quickly some things are changing.
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You are saying 12 year old like you are saying 7 year old. In a lot of places 12 is actually considered to be when you turn a teenager. If you saw me walking down the street you wouldn't think I'm a 12 year old you would think I'm atleast 14. Hell, I'm already 5'6" as it is.
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Yes but I am tall and I do have mature facial features along with big boobs and a big butt. So actually I do look about 14 atleast.
share13. ThirTEEN. The "Teen's" go all the way up to nineTEEN.
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 , 19.
13 year olds are at the youngest age of the spectrum. They are one seventh of their Teenage lives through. Being 13 does not make you mature, old and sensible. However, welcome to the world media, out to make a quick buck by selling things to gullible little early teens, and flattering them and covering their tracks by stuffing the above bullsh!t down your throat.
I posted a little while back and i am sorry i didnt come back sooner as i would like to respond to what 'ditzygirl888' said after my post.
"You are a stupid closed minded teenager. You must be one of those kids that judges a book by its cover and doesn't care about anything really"
I am not a stupid closed minded teenager thank you. However i do have my own opinions and personally i dont think me being a teenager gives you any right to think differently than if i were an adult.
"DO YOU FREAKING RUN THOSE 6 YEAR OLDS LIVES?! No, you don't. Their parents do. And obviously if their parents don't care, then neither should you. Honestly. You see them for a millisecond and don't have to see them ever again"
no i dont run their lives and i do see them for a millisecond but i see about one every millisecond and it does bother me. the truth is i worry about them, about how they are going to grow up. i know girls my age who grew up like that and i dont like them.
"Get over youself and stop acting all OH MY GOD I'M SOO COOL CAUSE I'M A TEENAGER AND EVERYONE SHOULD LOVE ME CAUSE MY IDEAS ARE RIGHT. I'm older then you and I probabably have had to deal with this *beep* more then you because I live in a town full of kids who dress like that. AND YA WANNA KNOW WHY THEY DRESS LIKE THAT?! BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE SELLING IN THE STORES!!"
I do not think i am cool. i do not think i am cool cause i am a teenager. Yes i do think my ideas are right but i do not expect everyone else to agree (or love me for that matter).
"And saying you would "through" (it's spelled THROW darling) your daughters gift away is just wrong. It was a gift. Goddamn you're gonna be a horrible parent. You don't throw away something your kid gets as a gift. You return it. You buy them something you want them to have. But just throwing it out, goddamn you're retarded."
first of all please do not call me darling. it is very patronising and rude. now that i think about it i probably would not THROW my childs gift away. i would return it and thank you for judging my future parenting skills when you dont even know me. by the way i am sorry my spelling offended you so much it must have been a traumatic experience reading my post and i congratulate you for getting through it.
"I am probably sounding like the biggest bitch in the world to you, but you just *beep* piss me off. Acting like your hot *beep* cause you're 15 and know EVERYTHING. Well news flash, you don't. Neither do I."
you are sounding a little bit rude. i do not think i know everything and it is obvious you dont either.
" BUT HOLY *beep* IT'S A DOLL. A GODDAMN DOLL. IT IS PLASTIC, LIKE YOUR COMPUTER AND HAS MAKEUP PAINTED ONTO ITS FACE! IT CAN BE BURNED WITH MY LIGHTER OR A CIGGARETTE! Holy *beep* "
yes it is a doll and as i have explained before these dolls influence real girls and yes it can be burned (although what this has to do with anything, i dont know.) but newsflash, so can humans! duh.. ( also after reading this i think i am smarter than you because a} you smoke and b} you think computers are made of plastic. the only thing plastic is the casing their is a lot more inside darling......)
feel free to reply
I DON'T MIND IF I DO.....HUH - Stephen - Basil Brush ROX!!!
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What the hell are you talking about? I never said that!
shareI think we're all missing the point: A 12 year old is still playing with dolls
I'm sorry if this offends Blipe25 but I turned 13 this year like you are going to and i don't know anyone who has played with dolls since they were 8, 9 tops....though there is this one girl i knew....
on the up side: congrats on making honor roll
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Forums like this depress me....really they do...
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No.
What the hell? You are twisting my words. First where did you get that thing about men and second, what do you mean dressing up like a Bratz doll? And to all you who said I'm too old for that, like half my friends do too. Its not like we do retarded things like have them go shopping, we do serious and just downright stupid things. Hell we even throw them and break them sometimes! But we don't care because we both actually put together have over 200 bratz dolls!
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Ok who the hell is he/she? And what the hell are you talking about?
shareyou are sooooooooooo wrong
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