4 Comments

1. I think this question misses the point. If kids’ costume do not include an element of “sexy”, then why are we OK with them dressing in costume that represent death, witchcraft and the supernatural.

   All kids role play, and getting “used to” death is no different than dressing sexily as a precursor to adult life. Dressing sexy is not an invitation to sex, just as dressing as a witch is not anti-god.

2. the question and responses don’t quite seem to match up here… isn’t ‘tween the preteen years the time when they’re “between” childhood/teenagedom?!?1 because when i read “Are tween costumes too sexy?” i think of kids in the 9-12, maybe 13 range. and i think there’s a big difference between a 14 year old wearing a ‘sexy’ costume and someone who’s still in single digits!

3. I’ve got 14 year old girls, and yes, I’ve been fighting the trend in sexy clothing since they were at least 5, when they first saw lacy bras and thongs in size 4/6x. Even though I’m sex positive and they are fantastic girls, they are definitely still children in a lot of their decision-making capabilities. Dressing sexily (especially when they’re socializing with peers who’ve already been watching porn for 5 years), isn’t necessarily a good thing.

   I don’t necessarily disagree with Frank about history (English/history nerd here too), but just because it’s been done before doesn’t mean that it should happen again. We’ve managed to come a long way from a lot of things in our past (slavery, religious persecution, women as chattel), so I can’t see why we can’t draw a line against the sexualization of children as well. I have no doubt that there are individuals who are capable of making a rational decision to be sexual at young ages, but as a group, I’d prefer to err on the side of caution and make sure that they have the education and tools to make decisions that are commensurate with their development.

4. That was a tough one to answer, though I ultimately went with, “Yes. Little Red Riding Hood and kitty-cat costumes should not have daring necklines, especially when the wearers don’t even have cleavage to show off yet!”

   I cannot help but wonder if I would have felt the same at fourteen, when the notion of someone having breasts was still as fictional and wondrous as discovering the holy grail, or being transported to Middle Earth.

   I am and English major nerd, and am fully knowledgeable of how creepy Juliet’s age is in Shakespeare’s, “Romeo and Juliet.” However, as history does tend to repeat itself, I cannot help but wonder if we are entering a new age where we have to consider 13 year olds not as idealistic children of the 1950’s, but as the children of the 2000’s, where sexuality, important decisions, and all the insanity of life still applies to them, and our only advice can be, “don’t sleep with a 6th grader, they’re too young.”

   I don’t promote young children having sex, but I feel fortunate to know this trend isn’t new, and we aren’t the first to deal with it. Creepy? ABSOLUTELY! To us, at least. To them, they’re just 16 year olds who cannot drive yet.

   Perhaps I shouldn’t have my existential crisis moments on Em and Lo’s blog. 😛

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