I am a little disturbed right now. The family just made a trip to Target to check out all of the 75% off deals in the global market area. As we were checking out, I noticed the Sports Illustrated magazine. At first glance, I didn't know it was Sports Illustrated, I honestly thought it was a pornographic magazine that had somehow gotten misplaced. As I gasped inside, I noticed the magazine title and the main story, "Barely Bikini's". It was a woman on the front with nothing on but beads ( I couldn't see below her belly button)! I was so angry, I almost walked in every checkout to turn them around. Brenton says I should get a band of people to help change things like this from happening, but I don't think I can really do anything.
I am NOT okay with this, but I know I will return to Target for something. If you didn't get a chance to read this post, please do and the comments too- there is proof that the image starts innocently, and quickly before anyone knows becomes a stronghold. There are too many men and young boys that have sexual addictions because at a young age, they were shown something that got their curiosity going before they were mature enough to make wise choices. It infuriates me when normal "family" stores have crap like this right at kids eye level. It would have been better if it was behind the others, but it was front and center. What can I do, what can WE do to make a change and help protect our kids?
** I didn't want to link the site to show the cover of the magazine, but if you go to Sports illustrated magazine, click on the swimsuit tabs, it's a brown cover with a title in big letters, Barely bikinis.
Steph! do you know when we are meeting at Rocs on Mon.?
ReplyDeleteI was talking to Dustin about this exact thing a week ago. I was in the store and saw the Sports Illustrated cover and almost swallowed my tongue! Like you said, no plastic cover, right at a child's eye level. Thank goodness my kids weren't with me!
ReplyDeleteThe saddest thing about the Swimsuit Issue is that it is thought of as "acceptable porn". If you have a subscription to the sports magazine it just comes to your house, so that makes it o.k. to look at, right?
Grrr...it just makes me so mad that my kids are growing up in a world where this kind of stuff is protected by the 1st Ammendment but they call Christmas vaction "Winter Break" because they don't want to offend anyone!
Ahhh... I just lost my big soapbox comment on the nasty SI magazines..so here is a shortened version.
ReplyDeleteI too was checking out at WMart and saw their stand. GROSS! It pretty much screamed inappropriateness the entire time I was waiting for my items to be bagged.
And if I would have had the kids along...and if Julia would have looked. Ohhh....tick me off. And if we were a decade or so from now...and Luke would happen upon that stand while I was paying for my stuff. Ohhhh. So annoyed.
I think the first thing to do would be to inform the store of your concern and give them a chance to respond. Perhaps they will respond positively to your concern, but if you don't inform them they won't know that there are people concerned about this.
ReplyDeleteI think the next step is to vote with your wallet. I think a lot of us with values we think are important tend to sell them out rather cheaply. And this is really not meant as an attack on you, I myself am as guilty of this as anyone. I have things that I say are important, that I think are important, but when push comes to shove, do I spend the time to find out the conditions my clothes are made in or am I just happy they are on sale. Do I avoid Burger King because they refuse to sign on with the rest of the industry to pay tomato pickers living wages, or do I stop because I'm on a long road trip with the boys and it's at the next stop.
I guess what I am saying, not just to you but to me and any of use that have values that we think are important. If we stand up for those values and try to live by those values they are likely going to cost us something, and until we are ready to pay those cost nothing is really going to change.
Absolutely complain. If Target is nearby, go there without the kids and tell them of your experience, the horror that your kids could see it at their eye level.
ReplyDelete(side note, my hubby called and cancelled that particular issue from his subscription, and it is suggested that all who subscribe call and say "I don't want to see that swimsuit issue in my mailbox ever again or I will cancel my subscription"... and mean it.)
Tell them you EXPECT that when you visit the next day they will have been moved or covered up, OR YOU WILL KINDLY SCOOP THEM UP AND DROP THEM OFF AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE COUNTER ON YOUR OWN. And ask neighbors to do the same. Can't hurt, right? I think they might get frustrated having to put them back day after day if you got others to join in doing this all at the same place one day after another.
Gotta go, I am heading to my local Target to check on things...
Jill