Look who I saw while searching for fishsticks at Whole Foods:
Remember when Dora used to be cool?
Sadly, Breaded Fishie Dora looks less like her former self and more like sexy Ms. Green getting stalked by Yellow on an M and Ms package:
This pose– one leg out, one leg bent, in a bathing suit and smiling at the camera– is commonly used when toy, food, and game companies are marketing products to girls. Why not show Dora swimming instead of vamping? Does this pose say: “Look what I can do!” or “Look how cute I am?”
Next time you’re shopping, check out packaging featuring boy and girl characters. Boy characters, whether on cereal boxes or toys, will be doing things. Girl characters will be looking “pretty.” What do these stereotypes repeatedly teach our kids about gender? What do they tell our kids that they will get attention for? That they are capable of?
I definitely agree with the premise that girls look cute/pretty while boys do things (I work in a children’s clothing shop and GOD I have a headache by the end of the day from all the pink!) but to be quite honest, I’d take the good things about Dora the Explorer and run with them. Sad to say, I think she’s probably as good as it’s going to get.
Even though I grew up in the early 90s I’m glad I didn’t have a TV at all for much of my childhood!
Do you count male vs. female in everthing? Sesame Steet is useless to you because too many male figures. You are doing way, way, way more damage to your daughters than you think. Do you remember when you were in the middle of your eating disorder. The same will happen to your daughters, except they will be waking up in stranger after stranger after strangers bed. I urge you to get professional help. You do not work, so that trust fund is getting smaller and smaller for these girls.
Hi Tina,
Sesame Street is not useless to me. In many ways, its a great show. I wish it had more positive female role models.
I better not get professional help, got to protect that trust fund, but you do have me worried now that my daughters will grow up to be sluts!
MM
Sadly, what you’ve typed lacks any evidence of intelligence. Before you become too enraged and accuse me of sexually harassing you, I’d like to share that I am a woman as well. You are the type of hypocritical “feminist” that gives real feminists a bad name. It’s absolutely disgusting. You have the ridiculous mentality that feminism translates to “Hurr durr, bois r bad and feminism means that gurls r better.” This is why nobody takes feminism seriously. You claim to be an advocate for equality but get upset if girls aren’t portrayed as the superior gender. Equality means that everyone is EQUAL. No gender is superior or inferior. Period.
She cares about lack of female characters in her daughter’s media so they will become sluts? HOW?! Seriously, how does your mind even work?
“Remember when Dora used to be cool?”
Nope. I’ve always found the show to be ugly, bland, offensive, and downright annoying… just like most “preschool” TV shows these days.
What ever happened to good shows like ‘Mr. Rogers’, ‘Shining Time Station’, ‘Reading Rainbow’, and, of course, the classic ‘Sesame Streets’ that were actually entertaining and didn’t treat kids like they were mentally disabled and bombard them with unicorn-vomit primary colors, bland-as-hell designs, and downright boring one-note characters?
At least Elmo and Big Bird had real personalties. Which is more then what can be said about any of the horribly bland “characters” on Dora or most of the pre-school shows these days on TV.
Hi jimtheanimator,
I agree that Dora can be annoying but I was a fan of the original. I liked that she was an explorer, lantina, and the star of her own show.
I like Sesame Street but its totally male dominated. A few years ago they came out with Abby Cadabby but did nothing with her. Elmo is king.
When I was a kid, I loved Mr. Rodgers, but again, its his show– and Mr. GreenJeans.
MM
“I like Sesame Street but its totally male dominated.”
True.
“A few years ago they came out with Abby Cadabby but did nothing with her. Elmo is king.”
lol “Abby Cadabby”? That’s the best they could do? I haven’t seen much of the recent versions of Sesame Street but what I have seen of it is pretty bleh in my opinion. Just a shadow of what it was. Isn’t Cookie Monster the “Veggie Monster” now or something? Jim Henson is rolling in his grave…
Even as an adult I still watch a bit of the old 60s- early 90s version of Sesame Street once in a while… it’s surprisingly entertaining for a kid’s show. Well written and genuinely funny for kids and adults… which is incredibly rare these days for preschool entertainment.
Now if only they could bring back some of the original crew and create a female character that’s as entertaining as the classic characters…
We found an alternative to Dora and M&M’s. Home-popped popcorn! Plus planning & building a tiny deck together through mishaps and all. Then gathering plants to pot, mainly mints, basil, and rosemary, plus nourishing and caring for a tiny persimmon tree. And scouring flea markets and garage sales for lounge, chairs and table. It has taken almost the entire spring and summer, but time and energy well spent together. Our tiny deck is unique and ours and filled with memories. Home made lemonade & cookies anyone? Come visit us on our home-made deck!