[Bill-Watson]

http://www.embracethechaos.ca/2012/0...-for-kids.html

Comedian Chris Rock famously said that a father's whole job is to keep his daughters off "the pole".
There is a recent trend of women learning the sexy (and strong) moves of a stripper using their favourite phallic image -- a shiny pole. And now, a fitness centre in British Columbia is offering a pole dancing fitness class for kids. And the owner is standing by her class saying that it is an excellent way to get fit for kids and adults.



She also said that many kids were playing on their moms' poles at home and she wanted to teach them how to use it safely. No comment.
At least the makers of this kid's striper pole set didn't pretend. It comes with a garter and play money -- and does not seem to be a joke.
I wouldn't even go to a fitness pole class for women. I am not a prude, but I am sensitive to sexism. I know that for some women, learning how to be sexy like a stripper is empowering. To me, it smacks of a degrading industry that perpetuates a sexist portrayal of women that is clearly designed for the male gaze. In other words, no thanks.
My daughter can play on the monkey bars and the pole in the playground. I don't think she needs to go to a class where they have to wipe down the bars with an antibacterial sponge afterwards (see video).


Looking at the bigger picture, I do find it amazing that this tiny fitness studio has started a storm of protest. It is just another of the many ridiculous sexualizing productsI have mentioned in this space before. Despite the fact that these items always generate a firestorm of protest and comments, we continue to perpetuate highly inappropriate images and role models for our girls (and boys).
My guess is that Chris Rock won't be signing up his daughters anytime soon. But who is?
Would you ever sign your kids up for pole classes? Have you taken any?
here's the kids' pole and other disturbing items from one of the links....

8 Weirdly Sexual Products You Won't Believe Are for Kids

By:Dawn Morrow July 04, 2011 1,573,439 views
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Raising a little girl is hard. You have all these decisions to make: schools to choose, what to feed them, how to make sure they don't grow up half as weird as you did. And of course, at some point you'll have to tell her about the birds and the bees. But all that sex stuff can wait until later, right?
Well, around age six, if your nearest department store is to be believed. In stores and catalogues for kids you can find items like ...
#8.
Tesco Peek-a-Boo Stripper Pole

This is one of those pictures you see floating around the Internet, and you always just assume it's either 1) a photoshop or 2) some handmade project from a feminist making some heavy-handed statement about the exploitation of young girls. "Just imagine if they sold toy stripper poles!" But, the toy is very real and was indeed sold in the toy section.
In case you were thinking the pole dancing kit was intended for some kind of nonstripper (poles make for good exercise, right?), then you didn't notice it comes with a garter and play money to stuff into it.
Via Crunchgear.com
Good old-fashioned exercise!The product was sold in a chain called Tesco, which is like the Walmart of Great Britian, who denied that this was marketed to children and has since relegated it to the exercise department. That's not only about as transparent as selling a pole dancing kit in the children's toy section -- it's also a hilariously blatant lie. As advertised on the website before being forced to take it down, the Peek-a-Boo Pole Dancing Kit was "suitable for participants of 11 years old and upwards."
Oh, bonus fun fact for those of you whose eyeballs are still intact: The product description on the box invites purchasers to "unleash the sex kitten inside."

A Tesco burns down from, we assume, combustible shame.#7.
Bratz Hooker Babies

Let's pretend you're shopping for your 9-year-old daughter. You grab the typical stuff little girls like -- a unicorn backpack, a pretty psychedelic dolphin trapper keeper (that's what little girls are buying these days, right?). And now, to the toy section. There you see the Bratz dolls:

Via AmazonHuh. Those are definitely hot pants and high heel leather knee boots there. But, hey, millions of girls were raised on Barbie, with her gigantic inhuman boobs and they turned out fine, right?
Wait, are those snake skin pants?

Via AmazonWe like how you can pick between the stiletto heel shoes and the stiletto heel boots. You know, for different occasions.
Well, OK, so maybe your kid's not old enough yet for dolls meant for the "16- to 20-year-old girls who still play with dolls" demographic. And to be fair, while having these dolls as her role models might make back-to-school clothes shopping for your daughter a battle, the dolls are themselves adults. It's not like they're telling your little girl that at her age she needs to dress like she's in the background of a rap video.
Now, meet Bratz "Twiins" Roxxi and Phoebi:
Via Sprocketink.comThat's ... Jesus, can we go to jail for having a picture of an infant in a leather jacket and black panties on the site? And are we wrong to think that 100 percent of the people in the world named "Roxxi" who wear short, pink fur coats are hookers? We'd think we were misinterpreting what we're looking at there, but we actually can't find a photo of these dolls not dressed skankily:
Via Buynbuy-sale.blogspot.comBut, still, it's not like they're specifically selling push-up bras and thongs to your kid ...
#6.
Abercrombie & Fitch Push Up Bra For 7-Year-Olds

Via chicksontheright.comWe all know that building real confidence and self-esteem is perhaps the most important thing you can do for your child. There are lots of ways to help them along with this: hugs, rigorous readings of Judy Blume and the occasional bar fight with your kid's enemies' fathers, the trophies of which you leave under your child's pillow to find the next morning.

Photos.com
"Be right back. Daddy's gonna go get a 12-pack of confidence."But take a stroll through Abercrombie and Fitch and you'll find that there is a market for parents who think that the best way to boost the self-esteem of your first-grader is via a bikini top that will enhance her bustline.
Via Forthoseabouttoshop.caSince A&F came under fire for selling the "push-up" bikini tops to little girls (and yes, the word "push-up" was on the description), they caved and took them off the shelves and swore to never try to showcase your 7-year-old daughter's boobs ever again. Just kidding! First, they simply changed the name of it from "push-up" to "padded." Then they relented and agreed to only market the "padded" tops to 12-year-old girls. Oh, but they made sure they still fit 10-year-olds.
Photos.com
"Honey, we need to have a talk about your inadequate, disappointing breasts."#5.
Abercrombie & Fitch Thongs for Little Girls

Via Dopefiles.comOK, Abercrombie is clearly just fucking with us at this point.
Not only is the above thong sold in the ******* kid's section where you'd expect to find the Spongebob Underoos, but the tiny thong contains the words "Eye Candy" and "Wink, Wink." This is made to fit girls as young as 7.
Photos.comNot that they're trying to sexualize your child, or get free publicity by drawing web traffic from pedophiles (wink, wink).

...some images removed to keep # of images below 10...

[RonPeeredob]

That's disgusting! Nothing appropriate about that! Any of it!