Oh Hell No, Kitty!

I love me some Target.  And my current address affords me access to not one, but 4 of those fantastic establishments.  Can you believe that?  I used to drive at least two hours for the sweet joy that is that bullseye taunting me with its awesomeness.  Yes, two hours.  Totally worth it.

And I have learned there are good targets and then....there is the mother of all Targets.  Over in Mt. Laurel, NJ, sits the mothership calling me home anytime I'm heading down Rt. 38.  It's hidden over there by the Wegman's (or what I like to call Heaven for the Hungry).  Yep, I didn't even know this Target existed.  It's like a well kept secret to those displaced Southerners just trying to not get killed near the Turnpike or those All Turns Right Lane (a later post, I promise).

This Target is great for clothes.  Such good finds, especially with my picky children who have started to develop their own style.  Bear wants anything with a sports team, a couple of polos, and comfy cargos.  Lola, oh Lola.  Depends on her mood.  She loves jeans and sneakers, but fawns over the pretty sundresses there every time.  Makes it impossible to buy for her when she's not there.  So, she's always along for the ride.  And lately, it is a ride.  Like a get-the-cart-and-push-them-both-around-the-store ride. That's a 90lb workout.  I should be thinner at this point.

Now, in case I have failed to mention, we live just 45 minutes to the famous Jersey Shore.  (No worries, I won't be running into Snookie anytime soon; that's a different beach.)  So, we will be in need of swimsuits sooner rather than later.  Lola saw her swimmies first...as she leads me toward them, riding the cart like Jack and Rose on the Titanic.  I'm just praying we don't crash into a rack of clothing from the weight of the cart and her squeals.

Now, my daughter is NOT a girly girl, but her little girlfriends are.  And she has decided that Hello Kitty is tolerable.  (Yay! Secret high five to myself.)  She is picking out different suits, and I'm trying to hide the shock that people would put their little girls in tiny two piece bikinis.  Lola isn't having that.  She is so sad to see that all the Hello Kitty ones are like that.  She asks, "Mama, why are they all so small? I would need a LOT of sunscreen to cover me up.  (and whispers...and some things are private, I think you could see my boobies in this one)."  (another mental high-five).  As I'm rejoicing my sweet baby's innocence and smarts, I stop dead in my tracks when I spot this:

Yes, folks that is a bikini bottom in the CHILDREN'S section.  From sizes XS-L (basically size 4-12 for little girls) they have a swimsuit with the words Hello Kitty written across the butt.  Now, maybe I'm reading too much into this, wouldn't be the first or the fortieth time for that, but this is ridiculous. 

Yes. It is a brand.
Yes. It is on an innocent child's clothing.
Yes. I would like the punch the designer in the face.

For years, women have been wearing words across their derriere.  Juicy. Pink. Sweet. But that's a grown woman.  A consenting adult.  An idiot who wants male attention drawn to her ass.  News flash!!  You don't have to put words on it for men to stare.  And in my experience, I'm constantly trying to downplay the sheer size of mine.  So, I definitely don't want to put an advertisement there.  And now these consenting adults will be dressing their daughters the same way.   WHY???

Why are we asking our children to grow up so fast?  Why are we making them targets for pedophiles or even just order boys?  Why did someone not catch the inappropriateness of this product placement?  Why didn't somebody think someone would make the connection between Kitty and.....Well, that P word. You know, that one.  Now, are you in shock?  Now, are you pissed?  Now, what do we do about it?  Because I'm still in shock, and I'd like heads to roll for this one!

Maybe you think I'm blowing this out of proportion.  Maybe you want to tell me it's all innocent fun.  But it's not cute on my 6 year old daughter.  It's not funny on my soon-to-be 9 year old step-daughter.  And it's downright inappropriate on a 12 year old.  And if you want me to put you over the edge....there are little pictures of the Hello Kitty cat on the two little triangles over the chest right on top of, as Lola would say, "boobies".  (Forgot in my haze of anger to snap that picture).

So, I'd like to cause a shit-storm of trouble because of this.  We have to stand up for our children and say NO!  No, to the sexualizing of our children.  We are their voices, their advocates.  If not now, when?  Who's with me?