Thaindian News

Perth, July 23 (ANI): Baby clothes with inappropriate slogans like “The condom broke”, “I’m a tits man”, “Pardon my nipple breath”, and “I’m living proof my mum is easy”, are said to have caused outrage with family groups.

Other clothes had slogans saying, “Mummy likes it on top”, “Wipe my butt sucker”, “So hot right now”, “I like big boobs and I cannot lie”, “I’m bringing sexy back”, and “Practice safe suck”.

According to the Herald Sun, the groups have asked for the raunchy rompers and tops to be withdrawn, but unrepentant retailer Cotton On says they are simply meant to be funny.

Kids Free 2B Kids director Julie Gale, who bought the items at Cotton On Kids in Malvern on July 20, said as a comedy writer and performer she had a great sense of humour, but using babies and children as “a vehicle for sexual innuendo” was unacceptable. She also said research had linked premature sexualisation to eating disorders, depression, and self harm, and that it was a shame a normally responsible company had “lowered the tone” of its product.

“I reckon there should be a penalty and there needs to be an awareness campaign with retailers about what’s appropriate and what’s actually harmful,” Perth Now quoted her as saying.

“They don’t get that it’s … harmful. It’s all part of a continuum of sexualisation of kids. It’s about the mental health of our children,” she said.

Prominent psychologist Steve Biddulph said using sexual language around children trivialised it and could harm their development.

“Children exposed to sexual messages too young get a cheapened idea of what love is about, before they are old enough to form better ideas,” he said.

“The sad thing is that smarter parents protect their kids, but as the media environment and the shopping malls deteriorate, the kids with not very bright parents have their mental health and sexual health degraded,” he stated.

Cotton On Group marketing manager Emily Checinski admitted the range had attracted “sporadic complaints” but said it would not be withdrawn.

“The slogan products aren’t for everyone, but there’s definitely a place in our society for provocative humour that pushes the boundaries,” she said.

Mother of two Kristen Turra, 32, said the slogans were revolting and she would never put them on Campbell, 2, or Bella, three months.

Turra said she was no prude but sexual slogans were inappropriate on babies, could be read by other children and should be withdrawn.

Biddulph will join Gale and other experts at two Melbourne seminars run by Kids Free 2B Kids and the Australian Council on Children and the Media. (ANI)