Parents worry fashion trends are sexualising young girls
June 14, 2010
As more and more retailers begin to market high-heeled shoes to young girls, parenting groups are beginning to lash out against the new trend as a way of prematurely sexualising girls as young as three. The trend first began when celebrity babies like Suri Cruise began to sport the latest kids fashion must-have. The daughter of actors Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Suri is regularly snapped in her mini glittering high-heeled pumps.
Now, the trend has taken children’s fashion by full force with Asda, Next, and GapKids pioneering the new footwear minis. Mumsnet’s Justine Roberts said that some of the latest styles for young girls look more fitting for a lap-dancer than that of a child. She added that it was also unhealthy for a child with developing feet to be wearing heels of up to two inches.
Mumsnet has launched a campaign to try and combt the trend, Let Girls Be Girls, which petitions retailers to stop selling such ’sexualised items’ to younger girls. Parents have had issues with the new fad for several reasons, however, including the health and safety risk putting young children in heels poses.
Podiatrist Gregor McCoshim said young children, for safety alone, should not be in heels as the probability of twisting an ankle is quite high. Additionally, he added that wearing heels regularly can add stress on the back that could affect further growth and development.
In April, another fad that had sparked parental concern about over-sexualising kids was removed from Primark’s retail. The company had put out padded bikini tops for young girls of seven. Strong parental objection caused the retailer to later remove the item from its stock.
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