Funny or inappropriate?

[Lady_Disdain]

I'll sit this one out too. I received my own dose of assumptions and leaps based on photos I shared of my 13 month old. It was her 1 year professional photos and a friend sent me an email to say she was ashamed that I exposed her breasts and posed her in a sexual manner which was offensive (to say the least) so I am admittedly too close to the topic.

What? Now, those are some interesting assumptions your friend made.

Personally, I have no problem with a naked baby or todler - there is absolutely nothing sexual there at all! Now, if you add Hooter's or Playboy references, the picture changes, at least for me.

 

[Laila619]

Jeez, if a Hooters shirt is offensive maybe I shouldn't have bought those "Boob Man" and "Lock Up Your Daughters" onesies for my nephew

See, I think there is a double standard with boys and girls, because I find these amusing, not gross.

 

[sillyberry]

Jeez, if a Hooters shirt is offensive maybe I shouldn't have bought those "Boob Man" and "Lock Up Your Daughters" onesies for my nephew

See, I think there is a double standard with boys and girls, because I find these amusing, not gross.

I agree those are amusing, but I would find a boy over 5 or so wearing either of those shirts wrong. So I'm consistent! Yeah!

 

[Nashville]

You know, in all honesty a stupid "Future Hooters Girl" baby tee as a joke at a party surrounded by family and close friends bothers me far less than say, going to the mall and seeing "Bad Girl" or "$poil Me!" tees that are being sold to 7 year olds.

 

[slg47]

I find the Hooters shirt in poor taste.

 

[Jennifer W]

I had to google Hooters, never heard of that before. Once I did, I had a fairly extreme reaction to the tshirt for a baby with that written on it. Maybe it's because the whole Hooters thing was new to me and I'm not desensitised. I don't know. I would distance myself from someone who thought that I'd let my child wear such a thing. I think it's horrible.

 

[zoebartlett]

I would think it was funny but I don't think I'd let my (hypothetical) child wear it, no matter what her age. Maybe around the house but that's about it.

Nashville -- I HATE those t-shirts that young girls wear. I've seen all sorts of them -- "Brat" comes to mind too. I definitely wouldn't let my daughter wear any of them.

 

[softly softly]

I'll sit this one out too. I received my own dose of assumptions and leaps based on photos I shared of my 13 month old. It was her 1 year professional photos and a friend sent me an email to say she was ashamed that I exposed her breasts and posed her in a sexual manner which was offensive (to say the least) so I am admittedly too close to the topic.

Oh firey I'm sorry your friend made you feel this way. What a strange and confusing world we live in. On the one hand we have shops selling clothing for small children emblazoned with sexualised messages, while on the other hand it is considered offensive to take a naked photo of your toddler. Although having written that last sentence I can see how the one situation has created the other.

Personally I would not care to be given a 'future hooters girl' t shirt for my daughter, but I would not find it particularly offensive because I would most certainly not let her wear it. I would probably find it offensive if my daughter was of an age where such a statement could no longer be considered completely ironic.

 

[steph72276]

Yeah, I think it's pretty inappropriate and think of it along the same lines of putting your daughter in a playboy bunny onesie. I don't even have a daughter, but the thought of joking around that she would have to work someplace based on her looks rather than her brain would make me sad...I wouldn't raise a girl to think that way.

I wouldn't make a big deal about it at the party, but as soon as everyone left, it would hit the trash!

 

[oranges]

You know, in all honesty a stupid "Future Hooters Girl" baby tee as a joke at a party surrounded by family and close friends bothers me far less than say, going to the mall and seeing "Bad Girl" or "$poil Me!" tees that are being sold to 7 year olds.

ditto-- this was obviously a harmless joke, but those awful t-shirts kids are wearing these days...

 

[Circe]

I'll sit this one out too. I received my own dose of assumptions and leaps based on photos I shared of my 13 month old. It was her 1 year professional photos and a friend sent me an email to say she was ashamed that I exposed her breasts and posed her in a sexual manner which was offensive (to say the least) so I am admittedly too close to the topic.

What? Now, those are some interesting assumptions your friend made.

Personally, I have no problem with a naked baby or todler - there is absolutely nothing sexual there at all! Now, if you add Hooter's or Playboy references, the picture changes, at least for me.

This, in spades. Fiery, the connection between sexualized slogans to the pressure to enact sexualized beauty rituals was mine, and even I think your friend was displaying a lot more about her own psyche than anything else.

As for the connection itself ... well, the first thing I thought of in relation to this thread was a pretty little girl of 6 or so whom I saw a year ago. Her parents had dressed her in a pretty pink dress with a big 'ole Playboy bunny across the chest. My husband and I got into a debate about it. I thought it was inappropriate and a disservice to the kid on multiple levels - from encouraging kiddo to try to attain the beauty standards which are expected of Playboy models to discouraging her from aiming towards higher goals to making a connection between her as a female and sex for all the potential molesters out there.

My husband thought this said a lot more about my psyche then it did about potential predators. And, who knows? Maybe it does. All I know is, if I was getting catcalled from 11 on wearing normal kid clothes, having the logo of a major pornographic chain on my clothes probably wouldn't have made things easier.

Admittedly, that is moving beyond the topic of this thread a little. For little tiny babies? I think outfits like these are damaging because they reinforce really damaging social norms about girls looks being the most important things about them. For that matter, I think the boys onesies that Nashville mentioned can also be damaging by reinforcing the stereotypes about boys being sex-crazed, wild, etc.

Does it hurt the babies directly? Only if you've got little MENSA babies who can read before they're out of diapers. So what about their older brothers or sisters, or kids who read them on the street? I think it's all connected, so ... yeah. I'll be the one handing out little baby tee's that say things like "This is what a feminist looks like," I guess.

 

[yennyfire]

I would totally laugh if someone gave my daughter that (but wouldn't ever let her wear it in public).

Ditto

 

[Laila619]

I don't even have a daughter, but the thought of joking around that she would have to work someplace based on her looks rather than her brain would make me sad...I wouldn't raise a girl to think that way.

Here here! Why can't we be buying a "Future doctor" or "Future NASA engineer" onesie for a little girl instead? It's so limiting to treat little girls as though they are only good for their looks.

 

[House Cat]

It is my opinion that it is never ok to sexualize our children, in jest or otherwise. I think "it was just a joke" is how it all begins for some. Humor can be quite the ice breaker.

 

[Laila619]

As for the connection itself ... well, the first thing I thought of in relation to this thread was a pretty little girl of 6 or so whom I saw a year ago. Her parents had dressed her in a pretty pink dress with a big 'ole Playboy bunny across the chest.

Ick.

 

[soocool]

I am sure the gift giver never gave a thought as to whether the gift was appropriate or not. If I had received the gift I would have chuckled and afterwards use it as a rag.

Now the people who make money from manufacturing these types of clothing/products make me sick. But if people did not buy inappropriate "products" then there would not be a market for it.

People are buying inappropriate clothing for their preteens and teens and allowing them to wear the clothing out of the house, to school, to church (yep saw it church last week!) , etc.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I don't even have a daughter, but the thought of joking around that she would have to work someplace based on her looks rather than her brain would make me sad...I wouldn't raise a girl to think that way.

Here here! Why can't we be buying a "Future doctor" or "Future NASA engineer" onesie for a little girl instead? It's so limiting to treat little girls as though they are only good for their looks.

I would love these! As well as a set of "girl" trains and trucks

Nashville, I don't want to pick on you (I really like your posts!), but "Lock Up Your Daughters" is unacceptable to me on several accounts: it promotes the "men have to be studs" stereotype (which is as bad as the madonna/prostitute view of women), that women shouldn't enjoy sex and be responsible for their own sexual choices and that women have to be defended/controled (ie. locked up by fathers). However, my views aren't absolute (yet ) and I defend your nephew's right to wear the onesie

I do like "Boob man", because of the double entendre.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Completely inappropriate in my book. I see no humor in it at all. I think I am quite good at accepting gifts with a smile, even if the gift was not to my taste; however, in this case, I don't think I would have been able to disguise my true feelings.

Laila, I'm curious. How did the mom react?

And, ditto to soocool. How sad that there are people making money off of such products.

 

[dragonfly411]

Normally I am pretty ok with the joking baby shirts, but I think the Hooters idea is a bit inappropriate.

 

[Nashville]

I don't even have a daughter, but the thought of joking around that she would have to work someplace based on her looks rather than her brain would make me sad...I wouldn't raise a girl to think that way.

Here here! Why can't we be buying a "Future doctor" or "Future NASA engineer" onesie for a little girl instead? It's so limiting to treat little girls as though they are only good for their looks.

I would love these! As well as a set of "girl" trains and trucks

Nashville, I don't want to pick on you (I really like your posts!), but "Lock Up Your Daughters" is unacceptable to me on several accounts: it promotes the "men have to be studs" stereotype (which is as bad as the madonna/prostitute view of women), that women shouldn't enjoy sex and be responsible for their own sexual choices and that women have to be defended/controled (ie. locked up by fathers). However, my views aren't absolute (yet ) and I defend your nephew's right to wear the onesie

I do like "Boob man", because of the double entendre.

No problem! I think with a thing like that, you have to know your audience, and in my case my family has always had a pretty inappropriate sense of humor. In my own mind, slogans like "Lock Up Your Daughters" or "Future Hooters Girl" for BABIES are funny because they are meant to be ironic. I'd never let my son or daughter wear anything inappropriate out in public, but I'd giggle wildly at the Hooters shirt because half my family consists of college professors and other fairly earnest professions.

I mean, where do you draw the line? Should I be offended by a onesie that says "Mommy's Pretty Girl" because the emphasis is on her "looks" only? Babies don't have "looks!" They can't date, and they certainly don't have the coordination to hula hoop while holding a plate of buffalo wings. I saw a onesie once that said "Bent on World Domination (After my nap)" or something of that nature. Is that offensive because of historical figures like Hitler who had similar goals? I don't think so. I think it's a silly onesie that is meant to be ironic and fun. Now that I think of it, there are a lot of baby stuff people could be offended by. I had a baby tee that said "Tax Deduction" I got as a gag gift and I thought it was a riot. But that's just me.

Everyone certainly has the choice to not buy things they are offended by.

 

[zipzapgirl]

Yeah, I think it's pretty inappropriate and think of it along the same lines of putting your daughter in a playboy bunny onesie. I don't even have a daughter, but the thought of joking around that she would have to work someplace based on her looks rather than her brain would make me sad...I wouldn't raise a girl to think that way.

I wouldn't make a big deal about it at the party, but as soon as everyone left, it would hit the trash!

I agree. I think it's tasteless and I would trash it the minute they walked out the door.

 

[Prana]

For me, I'd have to know the relationship between the sisters to really form an opinion. Maybe there is an inside joke that you aren't aware of and the onesie is not actually intended to ever be used. Who knows.

 

[steph72276]

I don't even have a daughter, but the thought of joking around that she would have to work someplace based on her looks rather than her brain would make me sad...I wouldn't raise a girl to think that way.

Here here! Why can't we be buying a "Future doctor" or "Future NASA engineer" onesie for a little girl instead? It's so limiting to treat little girls as though they are only good for their looks.

I would love these! As well as a set of "girl" trains and trucks

Nashville, I don't want to pick on you (I really like your posts!), but "Lock Up Your Daughters" is unacceptable to me on several accounts: it promotes the "men have to be studs" stereotype (which is as bad as the madonna/prostitute view of women), that women shouldn't enjoy sex and be responsible for their own sexual choices and that women have to be defended/controled (ie. locked up by fathers). However, my views aren't absolute (yet ) and I defend your nephew's right to wear the onesie

I do like "Boob man", because of the double entendre.

No problem! I think with a thing like that, you have to know your audience, and in my case my family has always had a pretty inappropriate sense of humor. In my own mind, slogans like "Lock Up Your Daughters" or "Future Hooters Girl" for BABIES are funny because they are meant to be ironic. I'd never let my son or daughter wear anything inappropriate out in public, but I'd giggle wildly at the Hooters shirt because half my family consists of college professors and other fairly earnest professions.

I mean, where do you draw the line? Should I be offended by a onesie that says "Mommy's Pretty Girl" because the emphasis is on her "looks" only? Babies don't have "looks!" They can't date, and they certainly don't have the coordination to hula hoop while holding a plate of buffalo wings. I saw a onesie once that said "Bent on World Domination (After my nap)" or something of that nature. Is that offensive because of historical figures like Hitler who had similar goals? I don't think so. I think it's a silly onesie that is meant to be ironic and fun. Now that I think of it, there are a lot of baby stuff people could be offended by. I had a baby tee that said "Tax Deduction" I got as a gag gift and I thought it was a riot. But that's just me.

Everyone certainly has the choice to not buy things they are offended by.

Nash~ I see your point, but for me, here is where I draw the line. "Pretty girl" doesn't have to have a sexual context, whereas girls that work at Hooters make money off of their "assets" and sexuality. So, therefore Hooters is tied to sexuality and to me, babies and children should never be sexualized in any way

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Not my sense of humor.

 

[Nashville]

Yup, everyone has their own sense of humor. I respect and see everyone's point as to why they might be offended. I just personally am not. That's ok, not everyone needs to agree.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

For me, I'd have to know the relationship between the sisters to really form an opinion. Maybe there is an inside joke that you aren't aware of and the onesie is not actually intended to ever be used. Who knows.

This was sort of my first thought. That the sisters probably had a close relationship and that the gift-giving sister knew that it wouldn't be taken as "offensive".

If any of my sisters gave me a similar onesie, I would find the humor in it. The humor is in the irony--I'd assume most moms wouldn't want their daughter to aspire to be a Hooter's girl. That's why it's funny. As others have said, it's not something I wouldn't have my daughter wear out in public (the irony may be lost on some and construed as trashy), but as a joke from a close sister, I get it.

If a casual acquaintance gave it to me, my response might venture more into the "WTF?" territory.

 

[gemgirl]

Just curious what you personally think of this :

I was at a 1st birthday party this weekend for a little girl. The mom was opening all the presents because obviously the little girl was too young to understand what was going on. Anyway, mom opens this one gift, and pulls out a tiny little tank top for a baby/toddler and it says "Future Hooters girl" with the Hooters logo on it--just like the Hooters girls wear. The tank top was a present from the girl's aunt (the mom's sister). A bunch of people were chuckling. Do you find the gift amusing or inappropriate?

Just vulgar, not actually inappropriate, and most of the world is vulgar.

AGBF

I have to agree with the word vulgar. Something happened in our world, and I don't know exactly when, when vulgarity replaced actual humor.

And the other thing I was going to say was, was that all that the baby's aunt could think of to put in a box for the child's birthday? Tacky, very tacky.

 

[dragonfly411]

Just curious what you personally think of this :

I was at a 1st birthday party this weekend for a little girl. The mom was opening all the presents because obviously the little girl was too young to understand what was going on. Anyway, mom opens this one gift, and pulls out a tiny little tank top for a baby/toddler and it says "Future Hooters girl" with the Hooters logo on it--just like the Hooters girls wear. The tank top was a present from the girl's aunt (the mom's sister). A bunch of people were chuckling. Do you find the gift amusing or inappropriate?

Just vulgar, not actually inappropriate, and most of the world is vulgar.

AGBF

I have to agree with the word vulgar. Something happened in our world, and I don't know exactly when, when vulgarity replaced actual humor.

And the other thing I was going to say was, was that all that the baby's aunt could think of to put in a box for the child's birthday? Tacky, very tacky.

In ways, it has gone beyond just humor. Imagine if this had happened in the 20's-40's.

 

[gemgirl]

Just curious what you personally think of this :

I was at a 1st birthday party this weekend for a little girl. The mom was opening all the presents because obviously the little girl was too young to understand what was going on. Anyway, mom opens this one gift, and pulls out a tiny little tank top for a baby/toddler and it says "Future Hooters girl" with the Hooters logo on it--just like the Hooters girls wear. The tank top was a present from the girl's aunt (the mom's sister). A bunch of people were chuckling. Do you find the gift amusing or inappropriate?

Just vulgar, not actually inappropriate, and most of the world is vulgar.

AGBF

I have to agree with the word vulgar. Something happened in our world, and I don't know exactly when, when vulgarity replaced actual humor.

And the other thing I was going to say was, was that all that the baby's aunt could think of to put in a box for the child's birthday? Tacky, very tacky.

In ways, it has gone beyond just humor. Imagine if this had happened in the 20's-40's.

I agree, it's totally sexist and in bad taste. Me? I'd rather someone bought my baby, girl or boy, a onesie that said "Future PhD".

 

[Arkteia]

Personally, I do not find it funny, but people's perception of humor differs. I do not think it is inappropriate, either, people just opened it and had a good laugh, that is all. After the party, it would probably lie firmly at the bottom of the closet, because you do not know what the neighbors would say. It may be difficult to donate it, for the same reason. If you compare it with some logos on adult T-shirts, or some birthday cards that I have seen, it sounds quite innocent.
As to "Future Ph.D.", my son has a T-shirt saying "Future Harvard graduate", but since he has dyslexia, it ain't going to be, so in a way, it is not appropriate, either.