Faith, Family and Friends

I'm going out on a limb here. I'm not afraid of you disagreeing with me, in fact, I don't even care. What I do care about is the way in which the World would have our children grow up too quickly. Read on for a bit, then I'll tell you what I want you to do.

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"tweens - that highly coveted marketing segment ranging from 7-12 - have spent $1.6 million on thong underwear." TIME, September 28, 2003"

"I was not totally shocked by that statistic, having worked with 7th - 12th grade girls for the last 10 years. However, it is still hard to believe that girls as young as 7 would wear thong underwear, that they even make thong underwear for little girls. Scratch that...it's hard to believe a mother would buy thong underwear for her 7 year old."

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In 2009, Dannah Gresh and The Bod Squad will present a petition to both the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the Apparel and Footwear Manufacturer's Association asking that clothing be age proper. Dannah is the author of "And the Bride Wore White", which is a book that helps teach young girls how to obtain and retain their purity until marriage.

She hopes that as a result, Women’s Wear Daily, the global “bible” of the fashion industry, will cover the petition and tell the fashion world. Dannah has been interviewed twice by the magazine to discuss the industries marketing of sensual clothing to tweens. She has their ear, but she needs your support to send them a clear message. Will you join The Bod Squad?

The Bod Squad Petition:

We believe that the fashion industry is pressuring little girls to grow up too fast! The findings of two years of study by an APA (American Psychological Association) task force state that clothing, which makes girls appear older, and the associated marketing efforts are linked to eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression. Ironically, this early sexualization presented to young girls also has “negative consequences on girls’ ability to develop healthy sexuality.” We would like to request that industry leaders send a message to the fashion industry that mothers want to purchase age-appropriate clothing for our little girls and would like the fashion industry to evaluate the clothing they design and the messages they send to our daughters through advertising.

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View the Task Force report by clicking here Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. Then, go here and sign the petition. Our youth matter.