Frisky Rant: So What If Little Girls Wear Bikinis!

workerbee
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:49 am: [report]

I agree with you.  I mean, look at that girl in the photo.  She looks like such a cutie, not a sexually provocative child!

area51alienbabe
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:50 am: [report]

Love this post and I agree 100%.  Not only are they adorable, but extremely practical as well.  Hell I struggle getting out of one pieces let alone trying to get a small children out of one in time for them to get to the bathroom!

writergirl
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:51 am: [report]

I notice a LOT of little girls around the pool this year dressed in boy suits of the long swim trunks and the SPF shirts than in regular girl suits. Most of the girls were wearing one pieces.  Very few were wearing bikinis.  I thought it was for sun protection, to be honest.  Now I have to wonder.

writergirl
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:52 am: [report]

And not that I think bikini’s on little girls are sexually provocotive (How could they be?) but I wonder if mother’s are taking this too into a realm of over protectiveness?

*sam*
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:55 am: [report]

After being a mini part of this debate, I actually called up my sister whom just gave birth to a beautiful and precious baby girl (Jenna) this past April. Here’s what she said (obviously paraphrased as I didn’t write it down b/c I didn’t know the topic would be coming up again ).

She told me that baby bikinis are adorable. There’s absolutely nothing sexual about them because they don’t have to bodies to make them sexual yet. generally, little girls at that age tend to have little buddha bellies, which only makes their little ruffle-y bikinis cuter, and that much less sexual. Then she went on to say, that for older girls (7 - 15 range), that it really just depends on the girl as to whether or not bikinis are appropriate. She told me that she would start instituting the one-piece or the tank-ini only options as soon as Jenna needed a training bra. and she agreed with me that by the time Jenna reaches 16, it’s going to be hard enough battling with her over clothes in general, that she might as well just give in and allow the bikini (so long as it’s not super-skimpy).

lea322
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:59 am: [report]

I have always had a long torso, even as a child, and one piece suits have rarely ever fit me. There are tankinis and fairly modest two pieces out there, and I see nothing wrong with putting a child in one. I never felt sexualized in mine, and I’m sure most children under the age of 10 aren’t aware enough of their bodies to feel that way either.

Kiki T
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 11:03 am: [report]

I was once a bikini wearing 3-year-old and I grew up fine.

PinkRanger
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 11:15 am: [report]

aww, look how cute that little girl is! I think it’s only inappropriate if it’s a little string bikini or something…....and I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those on a child!

GirlvWorld
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 11:31 am: [report]

If you look at a little kid in a bikini and think, “Sexy,” then YOU’RE the problem, not the bikini.

http://www.blog.#&@$%.com

workerbee
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 11:32 am: [report]

@writergirl: yeah, I think you’re right about the SPF shirts and stuff being more about sun protection.  I put that type of thing on my son too.  Unfortunately, he’s now at an age where he just whisks it off, but if I had a girl who is used to having her chest covered, I’d prob try and make her wear those too.  And the shoes and hat (I try to be sun protective)

Eve
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 11:58 am: [report]

I think there’s an underlying issue to the whole are-bikinis-too-sexy thing : the common assumption that nakedness automatically equals sex (I have the impression it’s also more pervading in anglo-saxon cultures). And that therefore, the less the clothing, the more sexual we become.
I was raised in France, where kids under the age of 5 will often be naked on the beach and women of all ages topless. At the swimming pool I used to run around in a simple bikini bottom till I was about 6 - and there was nothing sexual about it.
Just putting it out there.

mayorbubbles
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 12:05 pm: [report]

the bikini pictured above is fine. i think it depends upon the bikini.

writergirl
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 12:08 pm: [report]

@Eve—I don’t think you’re off on that.

My BF got married and had both her nieces in the wedding.  The dress for them (they were 4 & 7) was a sleeveless a-line, calf-length flower girl dress.  It had a scoop neck, maybe showing just a hint of collar bone, so not a lot of skin exposed.

My BF’s SIL wrapped her kid (7) in a wrap, like a mummy,  pinning it from neck to waist.  The kid couldn’t move her arms.  Could barely hold the flower bouquet because her arms were bracketed at her sides.  The mother’s reasoning was there was too much skin showing and it could be deemed “sexy”  and that it was in appropriate for the child to be showing that much skin and such a dress would lead to promiscuity when she’s older. (These were words from that woman’s mouth)

writergirl
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 12:12 pm: [report]

@workerbee—my son wears the shirts too.  But he’s so white he glows like Edward Cullen in the sun. 

What I found odd about the girls at the pool is they are in BOY suits—brown, dark blue—not in girl colors.  If I had a daughter who was as white as my son, yeah, I’d have her in these shirts too, they are wonderful—but I’d make sure she looked like a girl, not a boy

(And yes, I know, I know, I am sexist and propogating gender stereotypes for saying that, but after spending the entire past five years buying blue and brown I would TOTALLY go overboard on pink if I had a daughter)

CaleeKay
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 03:58 pm: [report]

It really depends on the swimsuit. Ive seen some little girls wearing some, ‘sort of’ inapropriate suits actually, ones that just show a little too much, or even look too uncomfortable. Just find one that fits and looks great for them.

Its funny actually, because i was either running around with just my bottoms on, or in my minnie mouse bathing suit, so i swung both ways. :]
i didnt get a bikini till i was like, 7? i just didnt want it.

But we do have to notice, that little girls like to take after ‘trends’ too, if they see girls/ladies/women in bikinis then they usually wanna wear them too.

bdubs629
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 04:12 pm: [report]

Both my sister and I both wore bikini’s as kids just because my mom didn’t want to deal with the whole thing for bathroom runs…but after the age of like 4 or 5 i didnt wear a bikini again till i was 15, there was nothing wrong with that

alleigh25
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 07:29 pm: [report]

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with little girls wearing bikinis, for all the reasons mentioned already. But most people would probably say that girls ages, say, 9-14 (give or take a couple years) shouldn’t be wearing bikinis. So my issue is, is it worth it to have to explain that, no, sorry, you can’t wear the same style of swimsuit you’ve been wearing for years, because now you’re both too old and not old enough? That sounds like it would be a bit nonsensical to most children.
However, I do agree that it is a good thing that two-pieces are easier to get out of quickly, which is a very good thing for little kids.

dandrean
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 08:56 pm: [report]

hell. i wore a bikini until i was too beaten down by society to feel comfortable in one!
bikini’s are usually cheaper, and cuter.
all of the one peices i’ve looked at are so freaking expensive, that is if they are not butt ass ugly.

i say hell, let em wear a bikini thats not a skimpy/string bottom type! go for it. its the most unjudgemental part of your life. live it up. i wish i still had the courage/naivity of a 9 year old.

Coral
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:41 pm: [report]

Well I figured I should comment on this since I brought it up the other day. I still stand by my statements that it is inappropriate for little girls to be wearing bikinis. And it’s not at all that I am uptight and consider bikinis a very sexual thing—because that’s not what I think. I see no problem with little girls just wearing bottoms. They have nothing on top yet, so I don’t see the necessity of wearing a top. However, the whole bikini styling is almost the same as a bra and underwear. And little girls don’t need bras, so I feel it is too grown up for them to be wearing bras or anything similar. It also bugs me when I see 8-12 year olds wearing ‘training bras’ who do not need them at all yet—once again I just feel that it’s too grown up. But it seems that most of you are okay with little girls in bikinis, so then I guess it would be no problem for little girls to be wearing thong underwear? (after all it’s underneath clothes). Plus, thongs are made and marketed to young girls now, so what’s the huge difference? Personally, I see a problem with that. And really, my reasons for not liking the bikinis on young girls is not about oversexualizing them at all.

*sam*
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:19 pm: [report]

@Coral:“There is no good reason in my opinion that a toddler should be this exposed. Would you be okay with a toddler wearing a coconut bra? The bathing suit that I put a link of most definitely sexualizes the toddler wearing it.”

not to be rude, but part of your argument was about sexualizing them.

but in your regards to your previous comment on this thread, about the whole “it being too grown up” thing, I’m just curious, little girls wear a whole HOST of things that are “too grown up” for them—purses, make-up, mommy’s high heels, a breast-feeding baby doll(!), etc etc… I think that maybe you’re reading too much into it. Sure, they don’t need any of those things yet (training bras included), but, isn’t that all part of growing up?? someone mentioned either earlier on this thread or the other one, that little girls imitate older girls all the time, and wanting to wear a bikini is just another expression of this. every toddler I’ve ever come in contact with has wanted to be a “big girl” and sometimes that means wearing “big girl” things. It’s how they learn about growing up. just because they don’t necessarily need it doesn’t mean that it’s inappropriate.

Coral
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:41 pm: [report]

@sam: Yes, you’re right, I did mention that in my argument before. Although, I have changed my mind about the sexualizing part, I forgot to mention that.

I think little girls who have purses and wear them and use them all the time is inappropriate. I feel purses, mommy’s high heels, make-up, etc are really only appropriate when kids play dress-up. I understand the imitation and little girls wanting to be ‘big girls’ but sometimes I think it’s taken a little too far, and what’s wrong with little kids just being little?

bumbler
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:48 pm: [report]

I started wearing a training bra in junior high (6th grade-8th grade) not because I was developing but because we changed in a communal locker room for gym class and a training bra at least afforded me a small amount of privacy.

Coral
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:58 pm: [report]

@bumbler: I think that’s a good enough reason to wear a training bra. If I were not developing at that time, I probably would have worn a training bra too just to allow privacy.

DancingGeek
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:59 pm: [report]

Its amazing how something so innocuous as a two piece bathing suit can cause such a stir.  The suit in the picture is sporty and cute- File under things we didn’t give a rat about when I was a kid.

I do think that a lot of childrens clothes (limited too) are a really way too provocative, but with a bathing suit? come on, are we going to go back to women wearing tents and not showing their ankles?

@bumbler lucky you- I was in a C cup by then :(

Kat
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 11:29 pm: [report]

@writergirl

Perhaps I missed the memo on “boy” vs “girl” colours…..?

I thought it was pink and baby blue.

I didn’t know there was an entire list of “boy” colours….

*sam*
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 11:52 pm: [report]

@coral: meh, to each their own

pinkwhiskey
wrote on August 22 2009 @ 01:13 pm: [report]

I have to say that there is a definite difference between a 2-piece and a bikini. I grew up with fairly conservative but fashionable parents and I had friends who were from even more restrictive households. My younger sister and I always got to choose our own swimsuits. Until I was 18 this meant no string bikinis. The suits needed to cover more of me than my underwear did. (More of a challenge on my D cups than my sister’s smaller Cs.!) The clear guideline was always the cleavage factor. A belly is not sexy on any child. And to some people it never is. The only “rule” my dad had regarding our swimwear choices was that they had to be bright. Neon pink, green or orange were preferred because they were easy to spot in a crowded pool and he could keep an eye on us easier.
You’d think that would be the bigger concern, making sure your kids are safe in the summer.

pinkwhiskey
wrote on August 22 2009 @ 01:18 pm: [report]

@Coral : Just a question, would little girls carrying their babydolls and babydoll strollers places and pretending to be mommies fall into your category? Because I think even the purtanical society of the ‘50s would have said that may be crossing a line with your reasoning. In my house, dress up time and imagination extended outside of the confines of our home. Unless it was inappropriate to the location or occassion, my parents let us have our fun.

writergirl
wrote on August 22 2009 @ 01:48 pm: [report]

@Coral—

Its a big jump to say just because a person lets her kid wear a bikini that’s she’s going to allow thong underwear at 6 and training bras at 8.

You don’t think little girls should be exposed and that’s your opinion.  But mother’s who do dress their little girls in bikini’s aren’t necessarily going to push them into sexier dress earlier.

I was in a training bra at 9—I needed them.  Additionally undershirts for girls that age are difficult to come buy so they wear training bras because they need something under the bloses and tshirts—especially the really thin-paper like materials that are used in kids clothing.

I will agree that there is a push for younger girls to grow up quicker.  The clothes that are available from stores over the past two years is pushing them to dress older than they are.  Finding appropriate clothing is hard.  But I don’t think a bikini—something kids have been wearing for years is the catalyst for dressing in an overly mature manner.

writergirl
wrote on August 22 2009 @ 01:55 pm: [report]

@Kat—I think I used the wrong word. 

Even if a girl has a brown suit, there will be brighter colors mixed in (aqua, pink, purple) with a very feminine design.  Boys clothing obviously differs.

Aside from color, cut and styling will be different.  The suits I saw were definately boy suits.