Target's Response

For those that haven't already seen my rant about the latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue you can read it here.

I received a very prompt response from Target after emailing my complaint to them. I was pleased with how genuine their reply was because it appeared that someone actual read my message. Unfortunately I was disappointed that they chose to dismiss my complaints by hiding behind the guise of diversity. Here was the response

"I’m sorry to hear you’ve been offended by the sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine featured at Target®.

Target welcomes everyone to shop in our stores and has a long history of offering a large assortment of merchandise to a wide variety of guests. Though we serve a significant number of families across the country, we also serve many guests with diverse tastes and interests.

Your feedback is a big help to us, so I’ll be sure to share your comments with our buyers." 

They mentioned the family thing because I implied in my email that they are a family friendly store that sells things like toys, baby clothes, school supplies etc. Their reply is interesting though because I can think of a lot of things that they wouldn't sell whether there was an interest or not because it wouldn't be appropriate. Pornography is not appropriate for children. That is why your local family grocer probably doesn't sell magazines that are exclusive designed to cause sexual excitement UNLESS it's Sports Illustrated. The shopping centers of America now include exposure to topless, or basically naked women touching each other butts and no one cares? There are laws about indecent exposure in public. I can't go into Target topless, but these models can! Well I don't want to go out naked, but you get the point. 

An article in Psychology Today says 

" Even if young children can’t understand sex or its role in relationships, the images they see can leave a lasting impression." They go on to warn about the potential dangers of early exposure to sexual content including; Children engaging in casual sex, high risk sex, STDs, and unwanted pregnancy, addictions and sexual violence. I am not suggesting that this one magazine cover is ruining society, but I am disappointed that these provocative images are EVERYWHERE and it is going to affect our country's future. 

I get my groceries at Kroger and since writing those emails I have been more aware of the magazines in the check out aisle and I wanted to see how they handle this "issue". In one Kroger I couldn't find the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue at all, anywhere in the store. In another it was there, but not at the check out line. I did notice that they had their Cosmopolitan magazines that were at the check out line strategically hidden behind a black divider. 

The first time I saw it I thought maybe it wasn't intentional, but in every aisle they were all like this, and the "family friendly" images were in plain view. 

Here is the same magazine uncovered. 

It is a racy photo and it does talk about sex on the cover, but in comparison to Sports Illustrated it shows A LOT less. To me this is SUCH a simple solution though. Thank you Kroger for recognizing this is a problem. I have certainly gone on about this topic long enough. I don't know if the responsibility lies with Sports Illustrated or the stores selling them, but for those that oppose we need to let our voices be heard or it's only going to get worse. I have read some harsh responses to mother's like me, but this isn't about consumers, or stores, or even mothers. It's about the next generation growing up in an over sexualized culture and the inevitable dangers we face as a society when a distorted view of sex and women is presented far too often and far too young. It's not a pretty picture.