The Bratz Backlash Begins

Thanks to Kim, a regular reader, for letting us know about the Bratz backlash that's starting in the UK. 

It's certainly encouraging to see a piece like this running in the Daily Mail, and also to read some of the comments:

I am so glad that somebody has finally brought this subject to light, my eight year old niece loves the Bratz dolls and owns most of their merchandise including computer games that consist of these scantily clothed girls shopping and talking on their mobile. What are we teaching this generation? Britain already has a high rate of teenage pregnancy and by encouraging young girls to dress in such a provocative way I fear that the already high numbers will continue to rise. One also has to be concerned with the fact that this sort of look will appeal to the likes of child offenders. I think that society has been going downhill for some time now, especially with morals and the way the media projects idealistic self image to men and women alike, but when this moves on to children who should not have to contend with the way they look (my niece also believes that she is fat despite being extremely small and petite), then you have to ask what is going on and when will the madness end?

- Mandy, England

Now if we could only get the parents to stop buying the dolls.....

Comments

Those pictures are pathetic.

[Alexandra Foley]

Bratz dolls never cease to shock and awe (minus the awe). Over Christmas there was a bout of news stories about a particular Karaoke Bratz doll that sung words that, to some, sounded like obscenities. (I googled the stories but they were too old to show up -- maybe someone else is better at searching). The best part of one of the articles was a mother saying something like, "I was so shocked. I bought my daughter a perfectly innocent doll and the last thing I expected was for her to be using foul language." Funny, that is exactly what I do expect a Bratz doll to be saying!

[wendy]

Alexandra, I love web search challenges!

Here is the story

[Ken]

I like the spoof of Bratz (TM) that showed up in the Paris Hilton Episode of South Park: SLUTZ. (Or was it SKANKZ?) Either way, that says it all.

Incidentally, have you seen the two Bratz spinoffs, "Kidz" and "Petz"? I saw a Petz fox at a charity auction two years ago, and that was enought for me. My reaction, then and now, was and is "That is The SKANKIEST vixen I have ever seen."

(Imagine a skinny-built plush vixen, styled and accessorized just like a Bratz, posed forequarters-low, hindquarters-high, hind legs spread, and tail curled high out of the way.)

[Megan]

I was horrified by the Bratz the first time I saw them, back in 2001. Barbie got a lot of flack over the years but these little vampish dolls are ridiculous. What really drives me nuts are the Bratz babies. which are BABIES - what two year old dolls? make up and dressed like whores! Argh! They sell these then complain about the hypersexualization of children from a young age.

[Emily]

Oh, Ken don't! You're kidding right?

That description is one of the foulest things I've heard. Secondary sex characteristics on a plush toy. What is next.

[wendy]

Have you seen Mattel's Lounge Kitties?

[L.B.]

I have to shake my head at this. I gave away most of my Barbie clothes and dolls as a teen, optimistically thinking that by the time I have any children, there would be dolls on the market with more realistic bodies. That...didn't quite happen. Instead, we got Bratz.

[Emily]

Gah! Well, from some rudimentary googling on the Lounge Kitties, in Mattel's defence, they do seem to be aimed at the adult collector market. Though what a kid is supposed to make of that...

[wendy]

Hi Emily, I actually found the Lounge Kitties in the children's section when I was at Toys R Us.

But in the good news department, there also seems to be an anti-Bratz movement brewing over at Yahoo Answers

[Ken]

Oh, Ken don't! You're kidding right?
-- Emily

No, I'm not. Check out the "PETZ" line sometimes, and look for any foxie in the series.

Incidentally, I'm heavily into "anthropomorphics", i.e. "talking animal" fantasy characters. (After getting hammered by the sexual revolution for decades, I got to the point that I could only think of a female as virtuous if she was visibly *not* human. When RL humans are not interested in "Transcending the Animal", maybe fantasy talking animals could.) That made it doubly disgusting.

[Ken]

Addendum to the above:

Emily, there was nothing "secondary" about the PETZ vixen-ho's "sexual characteristics". It was all presented in-your-face; the only thing missing was a Strategically Placed Hole and/or actual vertical V-lips.

[mary]

at least barbie wanted to be a doctor , we had teacher barbie and vet barbie- but the bratz dont do anything besides look slutty

[Selena]

I'm thinking of throwing out all the Barbie dolls my little girls have (5 now, thanks to gifts from others). They're a bit upset about this prospect of seeing their Barbies go in the bin. Thankfully nobody has given them any Bratz dolls yet. I want sexualised dolls OUT of the house for good. But the girls love dolls and want something else to play with. Any suggestions for a doll that sends a good message, that is also reasonably priced?

[Chandi]

Guys, you're telling me! I'm an aunt of 5 girls (Nadine-aged 12, Val-aged 10, Kailee-aged 4, Stella- about to be 2 in March, and Kyra-1 week old) and all the Bratz crap frankly scares the hell out of me. I'm no prude (grew up in the age of hair metal, Jem dolls and Madonna) but everytime I go to the toy store to either buy action figures or something for my nieces I see tbese dolls being bought by parents of girls 2,3,4, and 5 years old I want to grab the parents and shake them in anger until their head falls off!

So I go up to these parents and tell them exactly what these mini-hookers promote (I should know, Nadine and Val used to collect these things much to my horror and disgust) and these parents (almost always soccer moms with their head up their butt about what their kids are really up to) almost always fire back with something akin to "Well, you're wearing a HammerFall shirt that shows off your belly and have tattoos and piercings, so who are you to tell me how to raise my kids!?!?! These are just innocent dolls and (insert child's name) is too young to know what they mean,. You're just sick-minded!" So I walk away and say, "Okay, well when (insert child's name) is 5 months pregnant at 16, you'll change yout tune real quick!"

And I did see the Foxz and you are right Ken they are nasty. Stick some genatalia on them and you will have a phushophiliac's dream toy! Spew!

When my nieces were into these dolls, I never bought them for them and I told them why. Eventually my nieces got bored of them, so I'm guessing it was just a fad since I am now seeing more and more Bratz dolls ending up in dollar stores and at the Goodwill. Maybe parents are getting wise too, so I don't know. Post back and tell me what you think!

[Homer J. Fong]

If you're looking for old old web pages, try archive.org. I've found tons of "out of print" pages there.

Another disgusting trend is parents allowing their 6-year old daughter to wear those stupid pants with the letters written across the ass (yes, I've actually seen this). Anyone who dresses their kid like that should have their children taken and put into protective custody.

i babysit a two year old girl who keeps insisting that she wears a sexy bra...
a sign of our times

[EyeOfTheBeholder]

I don't think the fox is quite as bad as the commenter above suggests.

http://www.amazon.com/Bratz-Petz-Blue-Fox/dp/B0012YD0GO

I'd suggest that the comments say more about Wendy's state of mind than the toy.

Ken was talking about PETZ--Wendy was talking about Lounge Kitties:

http://www.amazon.com/Barbie-Collector-Kitties-Collection-Panther/dp/B00026RC8A

Not following the discussion says something more about the state of your brain LOL

[supercool]

I HATE bratz dolls. they look like the girls that get merderd by thair exboyfriends pregnent in a traler park at age 16.