The Debate about Bratz Dolls
Bratz Dolls are Slutty and a Poor Example for Little Girls
Is this what we really want our little girls playing with? Fishnet Stockings, fitted leather jumpsuits, and thongs? Dolls who are marketed sitting like pinups? Oh, even their name annoys me!
I an fearful of what these girls will grow up be. They have been taught that this is the norm.Judge Gives Bratz to Reprive
After Barbie won a copyright infringement lawsuit, a California judge orders the production of Bratz dolls to be stopped and even that they be removed from shelves at the start of the year. (They also have to pay Barbie a lot of money!) However, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Larson granted them a reprive, allowing Bratz to stay on store shelves through 2009.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byBratz Toys
LET'S HEAR FROM YOU
Please keep your comments clean. If you must resort to cursing in your response, please don't bother - it will be deleted.
Bratz Dolls are Slutty and a Poor Example for Little Girls
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, you're right!
susan says:
they are a horrible example, my niece wants to dress like them... she Only 8!!!!!!!!!
Posted February 02, 2009
dannystaple says:
I cannot stand the toys. I would not buy one for my children or someone else's. This question did not ask to ban them, it did not ask if they are more/less slutty than a Barbie. Just if they are slutty and a poor example. In which case, I have to honestly say yes. I would not agree to ban them though.
Posted December 18, 2008
bgamall says:
Maybe but they will just smuggle them from outside the country, lol.
Posted December 16, 2008
adventuresinautism says:
I don't have daughters but if I did I don't think I would let her play with them. They certainly do not promote the values and morals I would want to teach my daughter. I'mtotally turned off by that Paris Hilton rich Bad Girl attitude. The self centered attitude of entitlement to a luxury lifestyle and "It's all about me" I'm proud to be a slutty little brat. What a horrible message to send to little girls.
Posted December 06, 2008
mary says:
Absolutely, for my daughter, I draw the line with Bratz. Firstly, why would I want her to play with a brat? Secondly, I don't want her to think that the way they look is appropriate for her. It's not, in my opinion. But I can certainly understand that others, who are just as good parents, hold different views. I think it's more a personal taste thing. And I think most of us would agree that it's the role of parents to make sure their children are playing with toys, and reading books, that the parents approve of.
Posted September 28, 2008
sarahjjac says:
I am going to say that I agree! Most of the time these dolls come with clothes that barely fit them!! My daughter loves them and has a lot of Bratz stuff though.
Posted September 08, 2008
Rob says:
What were they thinking? It's now okay to be a brat or something?
Posted September 02, 2008
HighWrites says:
Too right - I hate these sick, cynical dolls, and hope my little girl steers clear of them. They epitomise everything that's crap about US-led culture.
Posted August 11, 2008
Joan4 says:
you are right! I am thankful my daughter-in-law does not allow these things in their home!
Posted August 09, 2008
carmex says:
Would you let your child play with a dildo in a dress?
Posted August 06, 2008
consrndmom says:
I would never buy my daughter Bratz dols to play with. She's got regular barbies (who btw are not in full make-up, fishnet stockings and hooker boots or a thong or supposed to represent a child for that matter)she plays with and those are fine. Regular barbies and bratz dolls aren't even on the same wave length. Bratz dolls are supposd to represent children like 3 to 10 years old. It's disgusting to even think of a child in that kind of image. (Great set up for child molesters though!) I'm sorry but that is not the image I want to see my child or any other child in. My daughter likes playing dress up..she likes putting on the princess dresses and pretending to be a princess like her disney princess barbies..I do not want my 4 yr old child wanting to play dress up and trying to look like a Bratz doll. It really disgusts me how industries now days push sex upon everyone men, women and now our children just to make a profit. It's sick
Posted August 06, 2008
Jude says:
They are completely disgusting. Our children look to their toys as role models...every girl wants to be a ballerina, a princess, Dora, Cinderella, and they learn by pretending. Would you really want your daughter or any little girl to look her doll be it Barbie or Bratz want to dress like this????? Look at all the girls you know who are STILL trying to look like Barbie, freakin' boob implants, bleached hair, trying to be a size 2, wear heels to look like a woman, desire for a Ken look a like boy friend,....right???? think about what we are saying and now a Barbie coming out that looks like a freakin' hooker, fish nets, leather underwear and shorts, leather jacket, boots with heels....so yes, I think we are coming complete idiots about what we are teaching our youth! Do you see a slutty toy for boys? Hell no, men wouldn't stand for it...so ladies wake up!
Posted July 22, 2008
No way, Monkeybrain!
Elizibeth says:
Forget the cloths these things wear...the fact you pull their feet off to change their shoes creeps the hell out of me... Does that mean i think it will lead to kid yanking other kids feet off... no it is as a toy. a bad toy but a toy. you don't like it don't buy it... 20 years ago no one would have been saying the word sexy and little kids in the same sentance.
Posted March 17, 2009
PoisonTheMonkey says:
Barbies are just as bad. I don't think reality is a bad thing to show girls. Just make sure they understand and stop being a lazy parent.
Posted September 29, 2008
Corin says:
Your kids could play with figures of anatomical members and be just fine as long as the people in their lives are truly loving-lol. I have seen children go through the most horrific of events and as long as there are unselfish and loving people out there that open their hearts to help the children, they have grown up with a love in their hearts I cannot mirror- even with my faith. Are toys and dolls the root of our societies wrongdoing to ourselves and others? Absolutely not. Should we concern ourselves with this issue? Let us detach and divorce ourselves from these minor trivialities and look inward at why we are TRULY uncomfortable at the appearance of a simple toy.
Posted August 24, 2008
Laciejaye says:
My little sisters love Bratz dolls. They are pretty and fun to play with . Little girls do not realize people or dolls as "slutty". They probably don't even know what that means. They just look at the Bratz doll and think it is the same as all the rest of the dolls that they have. So for all you people who think Bratz dolls are "slutty", you must think that cabbage patch kids, barbies, my scene dolls, littlest pet shop, and many others are all slutty too.
Posted May 29, 2008
Spiderhater says:
I don't like Bratz Dolls either! Bratz Dolls display a poor taste in fashion. The tight, leathery-looking outfit make them look grungy. Moreover, those Bratz Dolls show off big eyeballs with overly-done makeup; to me they look like circus clowns. They look very artificial to me, and they don't emphasize natural beauty if you think about their appearance carefully.
Yet, I don't think that they could really make little girls slutty either. On TV, there are already lots of slutty shows (like soap operas and reality TV shows) and advertisements. I don't that Bratz Dolls could set a poor example for people. I agree with the comment that the decision to be slutty actually lies with the people.
Posted May 10, 2008
says:
Can somebody tell me what make Bratty dolls slutty? What about the other dolls like Barbie,what they're not slutty. Come onpeople give me a break. If this is the case remove ALL dolls from the market because they are no different!
Posted April 18, 2008
Katie says:
As far as I'm concerned, this argument is an extension of the "violent video games turn nice happy sunshine children into horrible semi-automatic-wielding monsters" argument. Sure, they're annoying, they look exactly like my mental image of an objectified woman, and they seem to glorify a kind of big city nightlife (oh no!). But those three attributes might be just as easily ascribed to pretty much ANYTHING else in the common experience of American culture.
And I'm rather of the opinion that Mattel, Universal Studios, MGM, McDonald's - whatever, you name it - will sell what they know people will buy. What I'm saying is: Bratz didn't CREATE a market. They filled an already existing demand.
Don't take issue with the toy. It's a symptom, and like a hydra, trying to get rid of it will only spawn two more just like it. Get at the source. We're a sexually confused, lonely society. We've got to educate our children, and be honest with them, before our mistakes get to them.
Posted April 12, 2008
Arend-Jan says:
probablt the toys we're crafted after observing what childeren wear themselves these days (and what their parents buy for them)
so hurray for the dolls and their reflection of society.
Whole discussion just means people have nothing better to do than picking on small innocent toys. Childeren don't even see the difference between "good" and "bad" clothing anyway.
Posted April 07, 2008
Keshina says:
That Barbie is Sluttty and is a poor example for little girls.
I say she slutty because why in the world would you create a barbie doll thats pregnant and girls as old of 3 yrs. are playing with the doll. I think that sends a bad example. We are suppose to be stopping them from getting pregnant at a young age, not encouraging them to go out and get pregnant. Now in this situation whose the sluttest
Posted April 05, 2008
Always Right says:
More people trying to blame their crappy kids behavior on products instead of their piss poor parenting. Great.
Posted April 01, 2008
asshole says:
NO THEY ARE NOT THEY ARE A GOOD WAY FOR A LITTLE KID ESPECALY GIRLS TO LEARN TO DRESS LIKE A STRIPER SO THAT THERE ARE MORE HORS IN THE WORLD FOR GUYS TO HAVE SEX WITH(BUT DON'T WORRY GIRLS WE WILL USE A CONDUM)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted April 01, 2008
A Little Background on Bratz
Bratz is a popular line of fashion dolls and related merchandise designed by Carter Bryant and manufactured by southern California toy company MGA Entertainment. The four original 10" dolls - Cloe, Jade, Sasha, and Yasmin - are teenagers distinguished by large heads and skinny bodies, almond-shaped eyes adorned with eyeshadow, and lush, glossy lips.
Though Bratz dolls fared poorly at their June 2001 debut, their popularity increased the following Christmas. In their first five years, 125 million were sold worldwide, and, in 2005, global sales of Bratz and Bratz products reached two billion dollars. In 2006, a toy-industry analyst indicated Bratz had captured about forty per cent of the fashion-doll market, compared with Barbie's sixty per cent.
Bratz have provoked controversy in several areas. Criticism has been leveled at the labor conditions under which the dolls are manufactured in China, and the American Psychological Association has expressed concern about the sexualization of the dolls' clothing and its effect on children. Some of the Bratz characters dress in a provocative manner and the designers at MGA have agreed that the appearance of these dolls were far from how teenagers should dress today. MGA conceded further that many of their styles were sexually provocative and were setting a bad example for the children and the pre-teens to whom these toys are marketed. The original dolls generated a number of spin-offs such as Lil' Bratz, Bratz Boyz, Bratz kidz, and Bratz Petz as well as films, music albums, and interactive DVDs.
In 2008, rival manufacturer Mattel filed suit against MGA for infringement, claiming that MGA had improperly appropriated Mattel intellectual property in creating the Bratz. The jury found in favor of Mattel and awarded them $100 million; $10 million for MGA's copyright infringement and $90 million for their breach of contract. After the verdict, Mattel filed for a permanent injunction against MGA, to stop them from making and selling Bratz and to dispose of all Bratz-related marketing materials. The superior court judge granted the injunction, but enforcement of the injunction has been stayed until at least the end of 2009, while MGA appeals the decision.
Quote:
Bratz dolls come dressed in sexualized clothing such as miniskirts, fishnet stockings, and feather boas. Although these dolls may present no more sexualization of girls or women than is seen in MTV videos, it is worrisome when dolls designed specifically for 4- to 8-year-olds are associated with an objectified adult sexuality.
- APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls
Would you let your child play with Bratz?
Anti-Bratz Links
If you agree that Bratz are too sexual for little girls, add links (proof!) that help me make my case
Add a link that shows how Bratz are too sexy for little girls.
Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls
Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization more...2 points
At Least One Bratz Babyz Has Abandoned Her Thong
Out of the box, Dejah turned the doll over and dis more...2 points
Aren't 'Bratz' dolls basically teaching girls at a young age to become shallow mindless sluts?
Internet Discussion1 point
Girls aged 5 sexualised by toys like Bratz dolls, MSPs told
YOUNG girls are being sexualised by inappropriate more...0 points
Bratz Slideshow
Runtime:
views
Comments:
Bratz the Movie
Bratz (Widescreen Edition)
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 07/09/2009)![]()
Although movie did serve to tone down the sexy nature of the Bratz Dolls (In an effort, I imagine, to keep a lower rating), the movie still is a part of this sexy Bratz brand. I also read that a designer from the movie (Jeffrey, from Project Runway) was fired after saying Bratz were "Slutty" in an interview.
Bratz Books
"There is Nothing Wrong with Bratz" Links
Think Bratz are just fine? Put your money where your mouth is and show us why.
Post links that point out how great Bratz dolls are.
Tween girls will love'Bratz,' parents should check cynicism at the door
A daily newspaper with News, Business and Sports f more...0 points
Why do so many people hate Bratz? - Yahoo! Answers
If you watch the movies and listen to the music th more...0 points
Little Hotties | The New America Foundation
History of Bratz and how they react to the demand more...0 points
Bratz Items up for Auction
Think Bratz are just fine for your kids? Then have at it:
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byThe Bratz Debate Guestbook
Do you have anything further to add to this Bratz discussion?
bgamall wrote...
They may be age appropriate for older children, so maybe the parents are the final decisionmakers, not some boneheaded psychologist who has been divorced 40 times.
kab wrote...
in reply to Ener-G Because by putting a sales link up, I can use those graphics to show people who may not be instantly able to conjure up an image in their heads of what the dolls look like. Also, this is a page where both sides can express their thoughts. I explained my opinion, and I will not be purchasing them, but should someone disagree with me, then since it is America, I have no problem with them buying them.
Ener-G wrote...
Why are you selling Bratz products if you are against them? This is exactly the double message that our kids get. They follow our actions more than our words.
mompowereddreams wrote...
Maybe They Don't Seem Harmful To Little Girls As Little Girls, But Subconsciously They Will And Parents Will Notice The Negative Effect As Their Daughter Grows Older. Also Agree With Theresa Markham About The Attitude Of Bratz. But Its The Whole Picture And Why Parents (And I AM A Parent) Really Need To Think Consciously About The Toys We Let Our Kids Play With In General As A Whole And Not Just Bratz Dolls.
blondeheroine wrote...
And to add a p.s. to my comment above, fantastic idea for a debate. No matter what the naysayers say. The fact that you've got them all hopping mad is proof that this debate is a success. 5*
FretTube wrote...
HooRaaa-Arend-Jan, That's what I say! The toys are only an extension of our selves.
If the parents are that worried about the toys,
maybe they should look into changing their own lives as well?
TheresaMarkham wrote...
I care more about the name, "Bratz" than the dresscode of these things. Having "Bratz" stuff around leads to "Bratty" attitudes - and in life, attitude, centeredness, balance, and healthy self-esteem is everything! IALAC All the Best, Theresa
Bruce_Beerdrinker wrote...
LOL capitalism at it's finest, a debate about how Bratz are bad, but here at the bottom a link to Ebay auctions selling Bratz stuff.
Other HeyMonkeyBrain Debates That May Interest You
Did Atlantis Really Exist?
Organ Donation Should be an Opt-Out System
The US should nix caucuses and use only Primaries
Tony Bennett Should Give It Up
(Family Ties) Skippy or Nick ?
If You Were A Robot, and I Knew and You Didn't, Would You Want Me To Tell You?
Is Old School Sesame Street Appropriate for Kids Today?
by 17 people |













