Elizabeth Hurley’s Line Of Bikinis For Young Girls Spurs Controversy
Elizabeth Hurley, a model/actress you may remember from such movies as Austin Powers and Bedazzled, among others, has created a line of skimpy bikinis for very young girls. Not surprisingly, a large number of people have taken offense to the outfits, which many folks are deeming to be “inappropriate” and “disturbing,” according to The Huffington Post.
Although Hurley explains that the bikinis are supposed to be a fun way for young girls to express themselves, many parents are outraged by the clothing line’s lack of modesty. In fact, a child protection group based out of the United Kingdom is appalled by the bikinis, stating that the outrageous outfits are contributing to the continued sexualization of today’s youth.
According to the Daily Mail, Dr. Katherine Rake of the Family and Parenting Institute charity believes these bikinis force children to grow up way too fast. “We’d like young girls to be encouraged to emulate Olympic stars like Ellie Simmonds and Rebecca Adlington when in the swimming pool – not models in leopard print,” she said.
Claude Knight, who heads up Kidscape, also feels that the swimwear is highly inappropriate for children. “It is very disturbing to see some inappropriate items in this swimwear range,” she said of the bikinis. “The pieces that are very adult and which contribute to the sexualization of young girls — especially in the poses portrayed — do not take account of the child protection concerns that have been well-aired.”
Despite the controversy the bikini line has generated, a spokesperson for Elizabeth Hurley explained that the swimwear has sold very well. “We are in our fourth year of selling kids’ beach kit. Our collections sell extremely well in Harrods and in numerous stores across America and the Middle East,” he said. “Most of our customers are repeat customers who report that their kids adore the designs.”
Do you think that Elizabeth Hurley’s line of bikinis are inappropriate for young girls? To see the swimwear in question, take a trip to the Daily Mail.
