‘This should not be allowed’: Mum rages at ‘disgusting’ Shein ad for tweens

The mum was scrolling through her social media feed when she saw the horrifying advertisement. 

Shein has once again come under fire for a “disgusting” advertisement targeted “towards young girls.”

Jen, a mum from the Midlands in the UK, was recently scrolling through her social media feed when she was shown an advertisement. 

An ad for Shein featured a photo of a young girl dressed in matching workout clothes and holding dumbbells. But it was the text overlay that left the woman furious. 

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The ad showed the tween working out. Picture: Shein

Mum calls out Shein’s “disgusting” ad for young girls

“I’m passionate about youngsters being pressured regarding looks,” the Britsh nurse said on X (formerly Twitter).

“Imagine my horror when I see this Shein advert!”

RELATED: 'If you buy Shein for your tween, you're a bad parent'

The advert, which was advertised as the “Teen Girls Sportswear Set, Floral Pattern Top” featured photos of the young girl pretending to stretch and lift weights. 

According to the listing, the fabric is “breathable” and “skin-friendly” thanks to its “four-way stretch.” 

So far, everything seems relatively fine; at first glance, you may think it’s a cute way for a child to dress up just like their mum. 

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Then, you see the rest of the ad. 

A text overlay on the first image describes the activewear, which is designed for young teens and tweens, as the “secret to slimming down.” 

Yes, this children’s activewear is designed with the intention of losing weight. 

That’s not even the worst part, unfortunately. 

Other features of the activewear include a “butt lift” that “flatters curves and enhances support.” 

“Disgusting that companies are sexualising young girls,” Jen wrote on the social media post. “This should not be allowed, which is targeted at young girls.”

As of writing, the kids' clothing is still available for purchase. 

It’s not just the sexualisation of young girls that should get parents furious, it’s also the language about body image. 

A recent report from the Butterfly Foundation found that 57 per cent of young people were “dissatisfied with how their body looks”, an 11 per cent increase from their 2022 report.  

Another deeply concerning statistic shows that more than half of Australian youth are thinking negatively about their bodies, with 78 per cent of “young people [wishing] they were thinner or leaner.”

RELATED: The swimmers I ordered for my 8yo girl have a very 'sinister' detail

The ad promoted the clothes' "butt-lifting" design. Picture: Shein

An ongoing cause for concern

Sadly, this is not the first time Shein has been accused of over-sexualising young girls’ clothes. 

A mum from the UK recently ordered a pair of bathers for her seven-year-old daughter, only to realise they featured something a little too “mature” for her age.

“I looked and I was like what the f**k are those?” she said in the clip, pointing to padded cups in the chest area. “Why does my seven-year-old needs need some padding in that area?”

She went on to wonder if there was something more “sinister” at play by putting cups into the swimsuits for young girls, arguing it’s an almost impossible sight for boys. 

“Would you get you know a pouch in the boys' pants? That's what I mean,” she said. “I just don't feel like padding is needed!”

Of course, Shein is not the only culprit in this case. 

In April, an American woman slammed Zara for their sizing disparities, showing how “microscopic” her daughter’s singlet was compared to her son’s.

“Can we please bring back age-appropriate clothing for our little girls?” she asked. 

Kidspot has reached out to Shein for comment. 

Originally published as ‘This should not be allowed’: Mum rages at ‘disgusting’ Shein ad for tweens