‘Distressing’: Aussie mum fires up over Kmart find

A young mum has been left seriously unimpressed after making a “distressing” discovery in the childrens’ section of Kmart.

An Aussie mum has been left unimpressed after heading to Kmart to purchase her toddler a pair of shorts, only to make a confronting discovery when comparing the options available in the boys’ and girls’ sections.

Althea took to TikTok to compare the difference in lengths between the different pants. The shorts made for girls looked like short shorts, whereas the shorts for boys looked more like they were meant to hang around the knee area.

“I’m in Kmart getting my daughter some shorts and look at this. Why are they f**king small?” the 26-year-old asked.

Althea was shocked by the difference in lengths.

“I hate this. Why do we make them this short for girls?” she asked.

Althea Knox was shocked to see the difference in length in shorts made for boys and those made for girls. Picture: TikTok/_altheadawn

She shared the shorts that left her horrified. Picture: TikTok/_altheadawn

The mum told news.com.au that the stark difference between the shorts leaves a lot to “unpack” on how early women start being sexualised.

“A key take away for me is that women and girls are sexualised from the moment they enter the world. It’s not just Kmart and these shorts. It’s the crop tops, and it’s the ‘cheeky’ cut swimwear,” she said.

News.com.au has reached out to Kmart for comment.

Althea’s TikTok received a massive response online, amassing over 600,000 views.

One commenter claimed she has noticed this same issue when it comes to childrens’ clothing and “it upsets me a lot” and another said they’ve looked at the children’s clothes and “wondered” why the shorts are so short.

A concerned mum said she’s noticed a trend of people adding frilly extensions to the bottom of their daughter’s shorts to make them longer, but pointed out people shouldn’t have to do that in the first place.

Another shared she’d started buying bike shorts for her daughter because she couldn’t find denim shorts in a suitable length.

Others agreed they were also finding it difficult to find appropriate shorts for their young daughters.

The clip amassed over 600,000 views. Picture: TikTok/_altheadawn

She found the discovery ‘distressing’. Picture: TikTok/_altheadawn

Althea said it is incredibly “frustrating” that she can’t just go out and buy her daughter practical shorts.

“It is distressing actually. It’s a problem that runs far deeper than short shorts. It’s the fact that young girls’ clothes are always decorated with the hunted animals. Unicorns, rabbits,” she explained.

“Then the boys’ clothes are the hunter dinosaurs, lions etc. Perpetuating the idea that girls and women are helpless and weak, and boys and men are aggressive and strong.”

Althea said she wants to be able to source longer-length shorts for her daughter, who needs “sun protection”.

In the end, she bought her daughter a pair of shorts made for boys, but she said her daughter wasn’t thrilled because she liked the designs on the girls’ shorts more.