I took my five year old daughter shopping for Halloween costumes yesterday. Our choices were: any of the Disney princesses, Hannah Montana, slutty princess, slutty witch, slutty pirate wench, or slutty vampy-looking-non-descript-slutty-girl. Did I mention my daughter is five?
I am far from the perfect mother. Heck, I procrastinated on buying the costume until just days before the school parade. And I am far from the perfect feminist mother. After all, I let my daughter play with Barbies and watch Disney movies. But I do talk to her about the sexism and commercialism these brands promote. My lectures go right over her head and she usually responds with, “Mom, you’re weird.” But I am hopeful they will eventually sink in.
I see Hannah Montana on the Disney channel. I know that sexualization of young girls is pervasive in marketing and media. But I just assumed that as a mother I wouldn’t have to deal with that until my daughter was a tweener. But five? Why? Who buys these costumes?
This. Is. Not. Cute. (Click on the story headline to see images.)
And. This. Is. Not. Necessary. 
I left the Halloween store one part disgusted by the oversexed images of the little girls on the costume packaging and one part furious that girls are given such poor choices at such an early age. Little ladies, you can be a princess if you are pretty, perfect and blonde, or you can be a wench, if you are brunette and a little bit wicked.
Let little girls be little girls. And help them see that, when the time is right, they will grow up to be more than just naughty or nice.
Epilogue: My daughter decided to dress up as Daphne from the Scooby gang –we bought a wig, a shift dress and some groovy accessories. I tried to persuade her that Velma was the better choice; she’s smarter. But, alas, I am fighting a powerful media message that tells her looks trump all.
