Posted on 08/12/2006 2:29:50 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Girl Scout leader Betsy Hambrick is outraged about a children's T-shirt that reads "Silly blonde. Brains are for brunettes."
"We would never tolerate a T-shirt aimed at young kids that linked, say, skin color or some other physical attribute and intelligence," Hambrick said. "So why is it OK to print and sell this kind of thing?"
Hambrick, who is a school social worker as well as the mother of a 10-year-old daughter, said she is sick and tired of a whole host of T-shirts aimed at girls that emphasize appearance and a mean, materialistic spirit. Some brands of boys T-shirts, aimed at a slightly older market, celebrate overt violence, sexuality, domestic abuse and drug and alcohol abuse, she added.
"These so-called attitude T-shirts for girls put an emphasis on outward appearance, and include really nasty comments. They encourage the over-sexualization of girls at ever-younger ages. It's all this catty, materialistic, petty, back-stabbing stuff that plays into every stereotype about girls."
She said she spoke to the manager at ShopKo on Mineral Point Road where she had seen the offending shirt, and was referred to the corporate office in Green Bay.
Asked about the "silly blonde" shirt, ShopKo spokesman John Vigeland, said in a phone interview Friday that "as merchants we're constantly reviewing products and asking questions about whether specific merchandise is appropriate. These shirts are intended to be whimsical, light-hearted and fun, and are not intended to offend our customers.
"Frankly, it's been in our stores for some months and we haven't had any other complaints about this shirt, but I can promise that we'll review the whole line," he added.
Last year, Hambrick said she was shopping in a junior department with her daughter at the Boston Store and found a stack of girls' panties with the word JAILBAIT printed across the front.
"Actually, I think the clerk was as shocked as I was. Later, I got a letter from the manager that said that underwear was being pulled from the store and wouldn't be sold at any of the Boston Stores any longer. I was happy to hear it," Hambrick said.
I know a guy with a T-shirt that reads "Fat kids are harder to kidnap."
As sad as it is, they also make trainer bras with pushup pads in them. And thongs for prepubescent girls.
I wonder if Betsy is a blond
While I couldn't help but to agree with some of the article once I got to your post I started laughing hysterically. It's so wrong but it feels so right to laugh. Is there something wrong with that?
Recently my husband celebrated his 30th birthday and a couple of friends got him T-shirts. One was a nice shirt the other one said "Love Sucks. True love swallows."
I undertand that some stuff should definitly not be marketed towards kids but some people just don't have a sense of humor.
The guy who owns that shirt is sitting about five feet to my left right now. He isn't wearing the shirt today, though.
Why doesn't she promote, instead, a tee shirt that reads, "Silly brunettes, brains are for blondes!"?
After the guffaws die down, she can retire to dream up new ways to control the rest of us.
I think she has a point about marketing this to children - they don't have an adult sense of humor.
So what?
I would never see those as a threat to my family under any circumstances.
You can't legislate parental stupidity out of existence.
And I'm not about to allow you to decide, under any circumstances, for me what constitutes a good parent.
Educate your kids to look down on such tripe... but don't go messin' with the friggin' First Ammendment!
That's ok. Barbie says "Math is hard".
Does he get alot of flack for wearing it? I love shirts like that. For the most part I think it puts a smile on peoples faces.
Yeah, I agree. Bad taste should not be illegal.
For an adult, that sort of thing is funny. For a kid, it is pretty destructive. Kids tend to adopt behaviors their parents think are funny in order to get attention. It eventually becomes a value. A kid running around with a snotty remark written on his shirt will grow up to be an adult who doesn't know that is an unproductive attitude.
I've never seen anyone give him any flack for wearing it. I've seen a few people chuckle at it, though.
Bad taste? A little off colour? OK. But still funny :)
All I said was how sad it is.
And I'm not about to allow you to decide, under any circumstances, for me what constitutes a good parent.
I could give a rip what you allow or don't allow me to decide. If you dress your daughter like a slut, you're not a good parent.
What do you call a blonde who dyes her hair red?
Artificial Intelligence.
Artifical eyelashes instead?
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