Sent in by Peter via Ms. blog.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 23
Ricky — October 28, 2010
At least it is historically accurate, since Muhammad married Aisha when she was six years old.
Jennifer — October 28, 2010
I always wanted to be a belly dancer for Halloween as a child, and finally did dress up as one when I was around 10. It's difficult to say now what my motives were, but being considered an alluring and sexy grown up woman may have been among them.
So maybe sexualization of children isn't too far off.
Becca — October 28, 2010
It's interesting that they could have chosen something like "Belly Dancer" (like Jennifer mentioned) or "Arabic Girl" or something equally ignorant and stereotypical of Middle Eastern culture, but they also had to take the extra step and make it "Harem Girl?" Do parents know what a harem is? Do the girls in the costumes?
Sookie — October 28, 2010
I don't think I'd have a problem with this if it wasn't called "Harem Girl". When I was that age, girls generally equated costumes like that with Jasmine from Aladdin, who was generally considered to be super awesome, not with being grown-up or sexy. At the same time, though, I'm not sure how to rename it without bringing up one ethnic stereotype or another.
Beccy — October 28, 2010
and another...http://www.amazon.com/Childs-Toddler-Jade-Harem-Costume/dp/B000O8E856
C — October 28, 2010
Do these parents know what a harem is? I mean, call me naive, but I just can't fathom a parent choosing that for a little girl to wear.
OTOH, I have seen a mother buying her four year old daughter her first makeup-foundation, so...
Simone Lovelace — October 28, 2010
My thought-process upon seeing this ad:
"Zuh? Is this some kind of photoshop disaster? Her head is way too large for her body?"
*beat*
"No, wait! The proportions are off because she's not a preteen! She's like SIX."
*beat*
"OH SWEET MOTHER OF PEARL WHAT THE FUCK."
maryam sheikh — October 30, 2010
i,m muslim but i think we just talk about the sutuation of Arab around 1400 years ago,think that if muhammad could be a prophet in this time,he would marry with the girl on the same age like Aisha?
any way i disagree with any thing about sexualization of child<it would be against the rule and humanity
Happy Halloween! « Apprentice Mumsy — October 31, 2010
[...] any and all costumes for females, even those in pre-k. Check out Sociological Images for more on that, for they have noticed the same thing, [...]
Sarah McClure — November 27, 2010
I had a similar costume as a child, it wasnt called harem girl I think but maybe Genie girl or something like that, it was around the time Aladdin came out so it was pretty popular. It had a fleshtone bit in the middle that made it look like a bare midridft but was not. I thought I looked pretty, maybe that's just an example of "sexualizing children" but at the same time, children grow up by mimicking what they see around them. Children have been dressing up in their moms lingerie and high heels and pretending to make out with their hands for centuries. Children do not have the same sexuality as adults but they are not sexually void. You dont just magically become sexually mature in a moment either mentally or physically it is a process that involves years to 'playing' at the adult images we see around us, Halloween is a safe, fun time for children of both sexes to 'try on' adult costumes and postures which are as much a fantasy world to them at that point as any fairy or unicorn.