Have Dolls Become Too Sexy?

The first Barbie was literally a French sex doll.

It was said the doll would be a flop in the U.S., because kids wouldn't be interested in that kind of thing. They were. Kids are always thinking about being adults.

I always though Barbie was way too sexy!
I think Bratz are just plain trashy!

I haven't looked much at dolls lately, but I think Barbie has always been pretty sexy myself, showing lots of cleavage and such, but I don't think it has bothered kids much, little ones just tear the clothes off and hair out any way and bigger kids begin to collect them because some are really beautiful as far as the newer ones, well I guess Moms and Dads will have to monitor what they buy for their kids. Usually kids don't buy their own toys.

Some go pretty far now-a-days.

My daughter will NOT play with these dolls. There is no way I'll let her play with dolls manufactored to look like child hookers. If anyone else buys them, they'll go straight back to the store or in the garbage.

Bratz are trashy. I let my daughter play with them if they are given to her, but I do not buy them nor do I allow her to buy them. There has also been several conversations about appropriate dress at different ages and that lines are being crossed by the company that produces them. At least at the age of 9 she still listens somewhat. Maybe it'll stick in her mind as she ages. I can only hope.

I never thought Barbie was sexy when I was growing up. I liked the ball gowns and matching outfits. I don't remember dressing her like a hooker.

I agree that the dolls today are disgusting!! I have a 6 year old niece and my sister and her husband DO NOT allow her to have a Bratz doll.

Instead of the Barbie Dreamhouse do the Bratz dolls come with a brothel??

My girls like the Bratz dolls because of the clothes(the ones I let them buy). Although the make-up is quite awful in my eyes, my girls don't seem to mind. We moderate what we bring into our house!

db10

I don't have a daughter, so we haven't had to deal with this issue, but if I did she would only be allowed to play with baby dolls.

I escaped the whole Bratz thing - excellent timing *lol*. My girls had Barbies, but that fun didn't last too long. They preferred playing outside.

Oooh--one of my passionate topics since I have a daughter (9) who LOVES Barbies.

To the person a few comments above--a girl is either a "barbie doll" girl or a "baby doll" girl--and it really is something within her make-up. I tried to get daughter to play with baby dolls since she was a baby herself--she was just naturally "drawn" to barbies. And this seems to be the way it is with all girls.
A few yrs ago, they started making Barbies with smaller breasts and thicker waists--in response to parental complaints. My daughter still has a few of these. But since Bratz hit the market--they went back to the old mold.
My daughter is not allowed to have anything to do with Bratz--no movies, toys, anything. Why should I help financially support something that I definitely DO NOT want my daughter to grow up to be! Superficial, materialistic, cheap and trashy, mini-hooker. Have you seen the new Bratz line of "Punk-Rocker" dolls? Lovely.
Also--someone above mentioned Bratz brothel (hehehehe!!!), but in all seriousness, Bratz DOES have a "club" that very much resembles a night club. What are we teaching our daughters here?
Also--just a few days ago while visiting KB Toys, I noticed a new "barbie-type" doll--not sure if it was from Mattel. Anyway, it is called "Top Model." The doll is SO super thin her legs are as thin as a reg Barbie's arms! With all this crap inundating the market, and parents financially supporting this market of trash---it will be VERY SCARY to see what this generation of young girls will grow into.
Parents beware! DO NOT be clueless and think this doesn't affect your child! Small minds are like sponges! If this is marketed to be the "cool, "in," popular" thing to have or do--do you not think your child will "naturally" want a part of that type of acceptance? Teach her to say "NO, I'm valuable because of who I am! I am beautiful and special, and I have something significant to share with the world. I matter because of who I am inside." Teach her that she doesn't need make-up, or clubs, or trashy clothes to be accepted by others...especially men! And start while they are young. Use wisdom and discernment about the things you allow in your child's "world.

Blessings~!
**hopping down off soap box**

Amen and amen to Genesis!

The bratz dolls might as well be called "how to be a whore" dolls. these are horribly dressed, painted up trash. I never want to see little girls aspiring to be like these dolls.

They are banned from my home - If my daughter gets one I am going to hand it back and say sorry this is not the image I want my daughter to look up to. Just awful poor taste and so many girl love them. It makes me sad!

I don't allow my little girl to have Bratz dolls - PERIOD! No questions!

And I have returned a few Barbie dolls she has gotten as gifts too!

I agree with all of you. We are sexualizing kids too early with all these sex soaked images! Actually that is how the American Girl dolls came into existence. The woman who started that line had nieces & she was shopping for a doll & was disgusted with the images of Barbie & the other doll popular at the time was cabbage patch. She wanted to have girls get messages that they were strong & competent so she started the American Girl series. I was totally impressed by the stories that go with the dolls. The girls are all upstanding characters, usually faced with a moral dilemma that they solve with aplomb! Good role models, strong capable & honest! Love it. I have a 6 year old daughter & we have no Bratz, even the name disgusts me! Barbied is not a favorite of mine either but she does have a couple she received as gifts. I do point out that her shape is odd & would be quite difficult in real life! I'm very pleased to see discussion on this subject!

Someone pointed out above about the Barbie Ball Gowns. Barbie DID come with some scanty clothing, but I can remember that all I was interested in were the beautiful gowns so Barbie could be the Princess of whatever the theme of the day was. And, if I remember correctly, most of the older style swim suits were one piece also. Bratz dolls DO NOT have one single outfit that covers their entire body. Some of the clothing I have seen is worse that a Playboy Bunny would wear. It is disgusting what this is teaching our children. How many child predators are out there just waiting for our little girls to walk out the door in an outfit just like these characters. The new Bratz movie and the dolls do nothing to teach our girls anything except that they must be too skinny, wear expensive clothing that barely covers their little bodies and demand credit cards, cell phones and cash from moms and dads so that they can "fit in." I too have a 9 year old who begs to have these dolls and watch these movies because other girls do. I tell her that I have too much respect for her and she will understand why as she gets older. Life for these kids outside of home environments already has a lack of values and morals as it is. Now their toys and movies increase that..........not for me. My daughter will understand what it means to respect herself for who she is, not what she looks like. And they wonder why so many children these days are seeing shrinks and taking anti-depressants. Look what examples they are given.

Thanks for letting me vent!! I'm glad someone has brought this topic to light! It makes me feel better to know wthat several moms out there feel the way I do.

We call it the "Ghetto Barbie".....my niece isn't allowed to have them, play with them, or watch anything with them. If I had a daughter I wouldn't let her play with them either. It's just ridiculous what they dress those dolls in, and the accessories they have.....like the "club" someone mentioned. WTF?!?!?! These dolls are supposed to be kids, what are they doing in a nightclub? I yelled at the tv the first time I saw a commercial for that one lol.

Yes they need to be more real. They are yelling our kids that they must be skinny, they are to wear there clothes with there body showing and it is ok to spend, spend, spend, money.
There most be what I call real dolls for our kids to play with. And What about G.I. joe and action guys why do they get away with being all one mussel head type.
There are some action guys and dolls out there that are cool and what I call real It is just up to us to buy them. It is up to us to see that our kids gey the positive role models to play with to want to be like. It is up to us to see that the people making toys see by therer numberes what we want our kids to have. yea..

i do not have any little girls, but i would not let them have any of these
'sexy dolls' it's bad enough with everything else in the world
that has gone crazy... oh well, i'm no help... sorry...