Generation Z marketed as floozies and drunks
January 13th 2008 03:01
There was a story on a current affairs program called A Current Affair that talked about shirts with labels such as Ms Goldigger and Mr. Pimp that are designed to fit tweens i.e. 9-12 year olds. Now as I said before, this happened a few days ago but it takes me this long to gather my research. What follows are the reactions of members of Gen Y to the shirts' intended wearers and the messages they send. To view the story come here and from the right hand video menu click on something called 'Daring kids T-shirts'.
It turns out that you're either in Team It's just a bit of Fun or with Camp Have some Respect. When a 12 year old boy was asked why he bought the shirt he replied with something along the lines of 'it was funny'. Indeed, it seems there are those among us that are fine with proclaiming we are Miss Wasted or Mr. Drunk and say it's amusing to label ourselves as such.
Conversely we have the issue of respect and those in our ranks that are not interested in being Miss Floozy and do not want to be seen or treated as such. There are those of us that won't be lowering ourselves to the absolute gutters of society and shouting about it like it's something to be proud of.
The participants of my research steered clear of the fact that these shirts are designed for 9-12 year olds which (off the top of my head) are in the clutches of the Gen Z bracket which I'm going to rename Generation Highly Sexed because that seems to be all you ever hear about in regards to them. Well, seeing as I've got no Gen Y opinion in regards to the target market, I'm going to have to borrow from the original media piece. The view taken by the show was that these shirts were sexualisng children at a time when they should really just be running around and enjoying being kids. Also alcohol is overrepresented in sexual assaults, so Miss wasted would very well become Miss Violated.
This is a back and forth that both sides can present valid arguments for, but none that clearly quashes the opposition. What I think it comes down to is freedom of expression. If it's found the shirts are not breaking any laws, rules or regulations let them be sold. You may not agree with it but that may not be enough to ban them. Likewise, if you wear one of these shirts, you should do so knowing full well that there are those among us who well think you are cheapening yourself. Miss Goldigger may be avoided by men. Mr. Well Hung may be understood to be Mr. Insecure and Microscopic. The list goes on, but I think it comes down to an individual choice- you make the choice, you take responsibility for whatever ensues.
It turns out that you're either in Team It's just a bit of Fun or with Camp Have some Respect. When a 12 year old boy was asked why he bought the shirt he replied with something along the lines of 'it was funny'. Indeed, it seems there are those among us that are fine with proclaiming we are Miss Wasted or Mr. Drunk and say it's amusing to label ourselves as such.
Conversely we have the issue of respect and those in our ranks that are not interested in being Miss Floozy and do not want to be seen or treated as such. There are those of us that won't be lowering ourselves to the absolute gutters of society and shouting about it like it's something to be proud of.
The participants of my research steered clear of the fact that these shirts are designed for 9-12 year olds which (off the top of my head) are in the clutches of the Gen Z bracket which I'm going to rename Generation Highly Sexed because that seems to be all you ever hear about in regards to them. Well, seeing as I've got no Gen Y opinion in regards to the target market, I'm going to have to borrow from the original media piece. The view taken by the show was that these shirts were sexualisng children at a time when they should really just be running around and enjoying being kids. Also alcohol is overrepresented in sexual assaults, so Miss wasted would very well become Miss Violated.
This is a back and forth that both sides can present valid arguments for, but none that clearly quashes the opposition. What I think it comes down to is freedom of expression. If it's found the shirts are not breaking any laws, rules or regulations let them be sold. You may not agree with it but that may not be enough to ban them. Likewise, if you wear one of these shirts, you should do so knowing full well that there are those among us who well think you are cheapening yourself. Miss Goldigger may be avoided by men. Mr. Well Hung may be understood to be Mr. Insecure and Microscopic. The list goes on, but I think it comes down to an individual choice- you make the choice, you take responsibility for whatever ensues.
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I agree with you Louie - what responsible parent allows their child to wear a sexual message across their chest? The WFA research clearly shows that self-objectification causes women to perform worse in intellectual tasks. Self-objectificaction also causes women to objectify other women. I'd think the same can be said for children. And is'nt that just what we want in the generation that will be taking care of us when we're old??
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