Also, “looking good” shouldn’t be a line at all or a selling point at all. Children should learn to associate exercise with feeling good and being healthy—not a means to look a certain way.

Well done!

I’m a mother of two young children and I have bought at least one pair of Skechers for my son. Now that I have seen ads for your “shape ups for girls,” I will never buy your products again. It’s Payless from now on, suckers.

They wrote:

The whole message behind Shape-ups is to get people moving, exercising, and getting fit. Skechers’ advertising for Shape-ups for Girls contains the same message as the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiative, which is aimed specifically at children. American children are more sedentary now than at any time in our history. Shape-ups are intended to get people moving and being fit. We think that is a good thing for adults and kids — and hope others understand the intent.

Thank you,

Brooks

Then I wrote:

Thanks for responding, but you don’t explain why the shoes are targeted at girls and not all children. Aren’t boys sedentary and fat too? You know I’m not the first person to complain about this, you have already gotten 9000 emails from Change.org.

Then they wrote:

The reason we do not have a Shape-Ups line at this time for boys is simply a matter of how our company’s research and development works for Shape-ups. The Shape-ups line was first created for women and, once it became clear they were popular and there was a demand, the line for men was developed and marketed. The same is true for the kids’ lines. Shape-Ups for Girls were rolled out first. The success of this line and the need in the market will guide us in deciding if we will create a line for boys. Other lines may start with Men’s.

Thank you,

Brooks

Then I wrote:

Brooks,

I know that you are just doing your job, which is to debate with irate customers in a polite manner while keeping to the party line as determined by your corporate masters. I know there are probably other jobs you’d rather have, but this one will pay the rent for now. But I need to tell you that you and your company are part of a much larger campaign to sexualize childhood, and thus eliminate it entirely. I know that wasn’t in your original job description, but nonetheless you are a small piece of the machine working towards the day when 6-year-old girls exercise compulsively because their butts aren’t the right shape. I am a small piece of the opposition fighting you. So maybe it’s time to switch sides.

Regards, Me

I didn’t hear back