Creepy With A Captial C

Okay, I don't really know exactly how to talk about this subject.  No matter what I say, it's going to seem creepy.

For those of you that haven't been paying attention to the news lately, Abercrombie and Filth - oops, I mean, Fitch - has decided to begin marketing swimwear to little girls.  Not preteens - well, now they are "supposed" to be for preteen girls, but originally, these swimsuits were to be marketed to girls as young as seven.  But here's the problem:  these swimsuits, while they were two pieces, also had pads in the bra, allowing for "more" for these girls. 

Did I miss something?

Are girls supposed to be developing at such an early age?  Is there some sort of need or desire for seven year-olds to look like models that are three times their age?  Is this some A&F's way of telling little girls that their bodies aren't good enough and that they need to look "bigger"?  Gross.

As the father of a girl, I don't want to be putting even more pressure on her as she grows and someday "develops".  As much as I would like to control who she interacts with and how she lives her life, I'm not going to have every opportunity.  Sure, I'm going to do my best to offer the best advice and make sure that Abby  has good role models, there's no sure way for me to ensure that she won't feel the peer pressure that comes with being a girl.

Given that, do I really want her to be pressured into getting a padded swimsuit?  Of course not.  I want her to grow up knowing that she's beautiful however she looks and that no matter what others tell her, there is no reason to change her looks.

Yes, I know that those thoughts are several years away, but it's obvious that I'm going to have to start thinking about these things now just so I know how to handle them in years to come.  God help me.

If you would like to see the article regarding all of this, here's the link.

Until next time.