you just said it WOMENS clothing not little girls. why should anyone suggest a little girl is ready to become a woman. just because a girl hits puberty DOES NOT MEAN she is ready for sex or anything sex related. this is why we have so many little girls are having children of thier own.. and as for what nature is doing hahhhaa nature is preparing your body for change not for sex hhahahahaha. when you hit puberty your body is changing to better assist you when the proper and appropriate time comes to become "sexual beings". and by the way the purpose of women is not to be "sexual beings" but to be resepcted and admired for who they are and not what they can offer and be used for.. if a girl sees her mother or her role models dress like scanks and they are told or led to assume its normal then they will grow into that mentality and fallinto that patter and assume its fine to walk into school with half you behind showing and your breast about to pop out fo your too tight shirt. i do believe that if your child is wearing this its because the parent is alowing it. but please be mature and adult enough to accept the truth. clothes music movies and anything that is created to appeal to otehrs can influence and alter a person. they can add to a persons personality. most of everything is an observed and learned behavior and we are allowing this to occur. our children are the future and your saying its ok for them to explore sex just because a female gets her period and hits puberty and a male grows facial hair and hits puberty.

While I agree that it is natural for girls (yes, I believe they are still girls) to experience for the first time the notion of their sexuality sometime during this stage of their lives, I do not believe that it should be advertised. Yes, girls are hitting puberty and maturing physically at an earlier age, but do we really want our 12 year old daughters walking around looking like they're 17 or 18 with a 23 year old man by their side who happens to be clueless that she's not even a teenager? These types of clothing make girls look older therefor make them feel older, even though they may not be any more mentally mature than the 9 or 10 year old down the street. Let me ask, do you have any children? More specifically, a daughter? Are you aware that there are 11 and 12 year old girls right here in America that are willfully and freely having sex? Now, I am aware that much of that (in my mind, outrageously rediculous) problem can be directly linked to values and morals that were (or were not) previously instilled in them. However, can you go so far as to say that you truly believe that apparel has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it seems as though every girl in this country is maturing at super-speed? Furthermore, just because they may be maturing sooner, we, as parents and guardians, should find it acceptable for our children to go out in public in micromini skirts or tube tops or don't-bend-over-or-I-might-see­-the-bottom-of-your-butt shorts?!? I have a 4 year old daughter and I promise you, she will not be allowed to wear that kind of clothing until she makes enough money to pay for it herself (the leagal working age at most places where we live is 15). I'm okay with trendy, but it's a shame that clothing lines are essentially aiding to robbing children of their childhoods. Can you imagine doing what we did at 11-13 (playing softball at the park, riding bikes, sitting on top of the mokney bars or swinging) in the clothing girls that age are wearing now?

Are you out of your mind? The reason why these girls are becoming 'sexualized' at an earlier age is not because of 'nature'. It's the hormonal additives to the meats we eat, the media pushing it on everyone, and the torn fabric of society! The kids of clothing I see on the racks in Kmarts and Walmarts everywhere are the sort that only adult women should wear! I never had access to that kind of stuff as a kid. I didn't start growing breasts until I was at least 14. Girls of 10 years old are wearing C cups! And things are way out of control. I say wear turtlenecks and plaid kilts! I know how it feels to go out there and want something cute but not slutty, and I'm 44!!

The problem as I see it, is that clothing "styles" for BOTH girls and boys seem to pay homage to the lowest, most reduced levels of our society. Witness the tight, low-rise jeans showing undergarments and the midriff tops showing the girl's stomach (fortunately, the midriff has been ebbing lately). What do prostitutes wear? What do a lot of women in the lower escheleons of society wear? There is the "sloppy" ungroomed look. What do homeless people often wear? What is it about society that makes us want to relate to or identify with the least fortunate elements among us? And boys clothes are no better... The Hip-Hop influenced clothes ever so popular among males were born out of prison garb! Worse yet, boys' "styles" don't even change anymore -- I remember boys wearing the baggy, below-knee "shorts" replete with underwear poking above the waist, oversized t-shirts, often with stupid, demeaning sayings, and the ever-present, war-ready "buzz-cut" or shaved head, for some twenty years. Lest I sound like a snob, please note I do not have anything against people who are in the "lower escheleons". Folks truly down and out having to struggle to make a living (prostitution, etc.) are one thing. I find it hypocritical so many in our society, who are NOT in some unfortunate circumstance, would desire to look, dress, act like those who are. This is about more than clothes or fashion -- it is an indicator of a culture in decline.

No, we are not overreacting a bit. The demands the writer of this article wish for are not in the least unreasonable, and are a problem.

I, myself, am a teenager of 18 and feel as though I should make a comment.

And to the other teenager who had commented before.... I don't even know where to begin. She may believe that there are things out there more important such as politics, but just because there are things going on in the world ("omg" elections are a year away...) this is still something that needs attention.

Before you all create preconceived notions about who I am from my comment, I do remember my tween years.

I am engaged, and my finance and I having talked about having kids in the future after schooling and saving up, have been keeping an eye on things like this that we will deal with.

While it IS the parent's responsibility to keep in eye on what their child is wearing, and while they should shape their children's minds for what they want to wear, the clothing industry should not be exploiting those parents who either want their kid to dress like a whore to get laid (pardon the language), or who are into pedophilia and want to see their daughter dressed like such for their own pleasure.

Yes, female children are developing early. I had "developed" in the female way starting when I was only just turning 10 years old. That is no excuse; and only more makes you sound like a pedophile talking about how these children are "mature" enough to bear children. As someone else had mentioned, it is the added hormones in the meat that children consume that is a factor in this.

Even Sparta had known better in the age of child parents. They had discovered that the children born by young women were not up to par with the children born of the elders. In fact, they had their women wait until at least 16 (while still underage, it is close enough to be reasonable standing next to the 12 year olds you often refer to) to try to bear strong, healthy babies who would make the best soldiers. In fact, it was rare for a woman to be married under the age of 20. It was because of that fact and that they had considerably more power that women were able to wear less clothing around. Here in America however, there is no safety for these girls from predators and wearing such clothing is considered an 'open invitation' and provides the excuse 'she was asking for it'. No, she doesn't even really understand what 'it' is.

While they may be physically able to bear children early and may have changing feelings and urges, more often than not formed from observing modern television and pop stars such as the female idols that the kid's generation is watching, it really is both physically and mentally harmful for a child to be "getting it" early in their lives.

Don't just blow that off, I have been studying this here in college professionally (I had entered the university at age 17) and plan to center my future thesis upon it (not the clothes part, but the part where you tried to shift it to that pretty much girls should be doing it young.) I have taken classes which I believe give me some accreditation on this topic such as child development, child psychology, adolescent psychology, sociology, and human anatomy and physiology.

I would like to get back to the clothing issue, but it seemed you had other ideas so I shall continue.

Girls of tween age are not emotionally ready to understand the sexual relationship. They may get urges (cough cough, I mean, genetically engineered hormonal meat induced), but that doesn't mean that they should go advertising themselves out on the street for all passing pedophiles to take and 'take' to satisfy "both" the urges. Besides, isn't that how STD's get spread? You may say it's the parents' fault, but while I was under a contract to work helping teachers at elementary schools, I would often hear young girls complaining that their mother wouldn't buy them tube tops, and wanting to buy them tank tops instead. They would have their friends bring clothes and change at school; possibly under peer pressure and the need to be accepted, possibly to from these "ugres" you seem to feel for them- sorry, I mean that they feel and make them feel like a grown up and more mature, when they really aren't.

Now I really shall get back to the clothing problem. As I had mentioned earlier the clothing industry should not exploit those parents who do dress their little girls as hookers. They should not be provoking pedophiles with girls wearing clothing saying things like "buy now, tell dad later" or some that I have seen such as "I'm magically delicious" with a "want to judge?" on the back.

And sadly, it's not just the suspected old men who are pedophiles. Back in high school I had been hearing many boys mention a website (not what it was, but about it) so I had gave it a chance and all there were disturbing pedophilia. Horrified, the page had comments on it that were what the boys were seeing little girls on the street playing in and exactly what seeing the girls in such clothing made them want to do to them.

So what can dressing such little girls thusly do other than spur on pedophiles? Satisfy their own 'urges?' I think not. It's not the girls' urges that are getting satisfied from the clothes.

Who's urges are you really wanting to satisfy here?

My response to you is (in the words of my 13 year old daughter) "Dude, you are really starting to freak me out!!!"

The only person I could think of who would possibly write something like that is a PEDOPHILE. No matter how old a child is when they start to reach puberty, sexuality and dressing to attract, shouldn't be on their mind.

That response was sick!!!

Keep in mind, even if girls are hitting puberty at an earlier age, the boys their age won't be interested in them until a few years later. So if your 11-year old is promoting herself as sexually available, she's not advertising to 11-year old boys. She is putting herself out there for older boys.

Palabra needs to recognize that tweens are entering puberty earlier and earlier not because their brains are ready for it. Hormones in milk and other food items are responsible for the change in early puberty that we are seeing - not a child's ability to handle the demands of puberty earlier.

Tweens may be physically able to engage in the sexual behavior that their wardrobes may suggest but that does not mean they are emotionally or cognitively ready to take on the pressures and responsibilities associated with sexual activity. It is criminal to set tweens up for stress and demands that they are ill equipped to deal with - wardrobe is a contributor to those kinds of situations. Responsible adults need to help tweens by setting boundaries about wardrobe, behaviors, etc.

you are not normal........

Little girls should be little girls. 11 years of age is a LITTLE girl. I haven't read that little boys get intrested in little girls who show their bodies sexually. I was a little boy myself once. Girls do not need to expose their bodies too much for boys to get excited. Where do you think little babies come from?

Overreacting you asked? When did people have to have young ladies, their daughters, walking around like they want to sell themselves? I think there is a time to let them make up their own mind. Look at drinking, driving, smoking, oh yeah that is after the age of 18. They think they know how to choose right from wrong.Why are 7th grade girls giving birth to babies, why is the age of sex so young. And then we wonder why so many young ladies do not have a career or so many childern that do not have a mother or father to be there for them because they was to young to raise them. And let us not go to aboration!!!!overracting ,taxes up ,wellfare failure, unemployed mothers with babies and daddies making more babies, rape on the increase, child abuse, overracting, you ask? you tell me!

Are you discussing the problems of tween fashion or just wanting a jump off point for telling us how you were the "powerfully attractive girl who had it all: brains, beauty, confidence, etc"?

I think there are plenty of powerfully, attractive Moms and Dads out there (complete with brains in their wee educated little heads) who would prefer that their eleven year old daughters not attract the unwanted attention of the local perv who likes to hang out watching the middle-schoolers at recess.

Call me crazy, but I suppose I'd much rather have my daughter known for being smart, artistic, atheletic and nice to everyone instead of what color her thong was.

Have fun arguing your point more.

I think that there is a point to be made that Yes, Young adults clothing has followed suit with Adults clothing. Really, I don't think anyone is overreacting. I think we are underreacting at this point. What signals are we giving our children when we let them wear Micro skirts and thong underwear at the age of 11. That underaged sex is alright. Or perhaps that it's alright for them to act sexually when they aren't mature enough to take care of an unplanned baby that happens from that. I think that not only have we been underreacting about this, but we are not being the responsible Adults that we should be and put a stop to this. Has anyone looked at the number of kidnapped or sexually abused children these days. Or have we forgotten about that. Oh, I forgot, they were asking for that. And how, by the way they dressed.

My Grandmother has always been a great example to me. One thing she stressed was modesty. One moral I think has been forgotten for many years. Or one moral in many that most people don't teach their children, non-the less follow themselves. Integrity. When you are not a moral person you can't have Integrity. And what about Self Asteem. Are we teaching our children that by wearing skimpy clothes that they are beautiful. Or if their clothes aren't sexually provocative that they are less of a person. I'm 25, not 31 like another writer. I am also a parent. I wonder what her children are wearing. The most guilty person is the ones who agree with and condone these types of clothing.

Maybe I just have better morals than others. Or I think better of myself and my children to let them wear something like that. I cannot believe someone would think that these types of clothing are just a fashion statement or a way for children to express themselves. Or beit, a way to express their sexuality. What sexuality are they trying to express? They are CHILDREN. Have we forgotten that too. Has anyone also noticed that Condoms are being passed out in large bowls at Pediatricians offices. I wonder if they already notice a pattern with they way children come dressed into their doctors office. HMMMMM. Let me think. Something most people don't do anymore.

Palabra:

Surely, it is appropriate for a parent to guide and channel that desire. But Yoffe does not condemn parents for buying clothing that they deem inappropriate for their children; she condemns clothiers for selling clothing that she deems inappropriate for her daughter and, therefore, for all girls in her daughter's age range. I don't question whether or not parents should have the leeway to raise their daughters with their own standards of acceptable clothing; instead, I question whether or not it is fair to take the clothing industry to task for not self-censoring - despite obvious demand that just so happens to correspond to proven physiological phenomenon - based on Yoffe's personal opinion of what constitutes appropriate clothing for a "tween" girl.

And as a short, flat-chested, narrow-hipped but large-stomached twenty-six year old woman, I would argue that the fashion industry frequently ignores variations in the body shape and tastes of its customer base. Not all grown women like low-cut shirts, not all women like to bare their midriffs, not all grown women like low-rise pants, not all grown women like tight clothing, not all of us look good in those styles. There are many grown women out there who hate that it's so difficult to find shirts that hide their stomachs, or pants that don't reveal their underwear.

So why should it be that way for twelve year old girls? Sure, puberty might be occurring sooner now than it was fifty years ago, but that doesn't mean that all adolescent girls want to look like Britney Spears. Yoffe's daughter sure didn't. When I was going through puberty, I certainly did not want to draw any male attention towards myself. I was the nerdy kid who had no interest in fashion. Underwired bras and high heeled shoes seemed like torture devices to me, and to this day I shun them both.

Is it too much to ask for the fashion industry to recognize that everyone isn't the same? You'd think they'd clue in after all these years of customers complaining that they don't want their underpants hanging out of their trousers.

You ask why it's inappropriate for girls of "tween" years to express their sexuality? My answer: for the same reason we don't let 11-year-olds drive cars: they are simply not mature enough. Their reflexes, reach, and general ability to be responsible for safely navigating a ton of metal around a host of obstacles (and seriously weighing the cost to others if they fail) is just not great enough. The fact that they are mature enough to begin to look forward to driving themselves and even planning for that day (by saving money to buy their own car, for example) still doesn't make them mature enough to actually do so. (I am aware that there are exceptions to every rule, but I'm talking about the general.)

Learning about the changes going on in one's body, feeling excited about growing up (esp. this particular aspect of it), a growing sense of feeling pretty/desirable, thinking more about boys and exploring what it means to have a relationship with boys that now involves the presence of sexual awareness/desire...these changse are not only perfectly understandable but pretty much unavoidable. Dressing in a sexually provocative manner is not. It is an option, no matter what your age, and really shouldn't be engaged in by persons who don't have a full understanding of what it means and are not ready for what it can lead to. Our sexuality is both beautiful and explosively powerful. The more casually it is handled, the greater the chances of getting hurt. Is that casualness really something we should be teaching 11-year-olds?