You may or may not have noticed the news reports on the stationery store Typo yesterday, and you might not have seen the uproar on Typo’s Facebook wall.
After reading all the demands and insults, I went to bed last night with my head swimming in thoughts.
Typo is probably my most favourite store currently, and even after all of this hullabullo – it still is. Let me try to explain where I’m coming from .. I feel a bit safer here on my blog than on Facebook.
I absolutely agree that whoever is the buyer/designer for their stores needs to rethink about appropriateness and quality of their products. They have such a great cute and funky name for themselves and I don’t think this stuff in question compliments their range.
But in saying that, I don’t think it’s pornographic (you can’t see any genitals, she’s not in a suggestive pose – the text ‘DIRTY’ is weird though) and I don’t understand why people feel like they have to be rude and insulting when making a complaint. I think it’s absolutely fine and within our rights as a consumer to not buy something, but I hardly think Typo deserve this amount of criticism as a company.
I thought about my feelings towards the situation and here’s how I see it – we’re not going to escape images and words like this. Growing up, you’re going to be faced with hundreds of situations where you might see something that’s not right, that is a bit too adult or you don’t understand. We can’t remove it all, we just can’t stop our kids from seeing something. More ‘designs’ will be out there, more video clips about drinking and violence will be played on morning television. There’ll be billboards and bus stop signs, and a few of us will see this in our very own homes. I am NOT saying ‘oh let’s give up’. Here’s what I would say.
Teach your children to be confident. Teach your children to know themselves and to understand the difference between right and wrong. Teach them to respect the person next to them – whether in person or in print/online.
Teach your children that they have a CHOICE and that choice is the most powerful thing about living in this beautiful country of ours. Teach them they can say NO, that they don’t have to follow the trends and that they can think for themselves.
Teach them about the world and about struggle, safety, security and opportunity.
Teach them and you’ve just built the foundation for a well rounded and mature adult.
Typo are yet to put out a formal statement, but I’ve read that they are pulling the line from their stores. I think that’s exactly what needed to happen if there’s been complaints – no disagreements there.
There’s always going to be questionable products out there and I would much rather teach my children to show respect and confidence than to constantly shield them from these things. I have heard worst words blaring from only what can be described as a mobile rave, while waiting in traffic in the car with my kids. I have witnessed extremely inappropriate ‘childrens entertainment’ in the city, which we had the opportuntity to get up and leave. (We did). I have experienced abuse as a child that could of screwed my confidence and self worth completely, but I refuse to let it.
We have the power RIGHT NOW to use situations like these as learning tools and discussions with our kids. What a gift it would be to have that kind of relationship with our children and in turn, have them pass on the same strengths to their own children.
There are amazing groups that fight for women’s & children’s rights and I think that is INCREDIBLE, but speaking as a mum and a woman – Typo bashing just doesn’t feel like the place to pool our energy. They’ve heard you and they will hear you if you just stop shopping there. That’s your choice to not shop in certain stores – have the conversation with your kids and see how they feel too.
What’s your thoughts on the Typo range? Did you shop there before? Will you still shop there now?