Oh Dora!

Image credit http://www.doratheexplorertvshow.com

Mia's blog led me to do something I rarely bother doing. I have signed a petition.

Back in the day, I may have signed petitions against refugess in detention, Australia's antiquated laws on adoption and surrogacy and now I am signing petitions about... cartoon characters. What have I become?

Dora the Explorer is getting a skanky makeover and I agree with the others out there who think it is a lousy idea.

I like smocked dresses, bows and all things lovely, pretty and childish for my daughter. I am very fussy about what she wears not just because I am being a snob but mainly because I have very strong views on children being children not mini adults. You have plenty of time for cutting edge and only a few years for fluffy sheep and cuddly bears.

I was always against allowing my baby girl to watch television but I relented and now she is allowed to watch one episode of either Teletubbies or Fimbles each day. She loves these shows and they are the only ones I allow her to watch, because I think they are fun, gentle little shows that won't fill her head with cheesy tacky glittery things. She used to enjoy In The Night Garden but she has gone off it now.

Anyway amongst my banned list which includes Barbie, Bratz, Hi 5 and a few others, I am now having to add Dora. In principle! I think it is nice that Dora is so popular with little girls. She is a short, chubby dorky little girl with lots of confidence who finds her own way in the world with her little mates and her trusty backpack. Very sweet indeed.

Now the makers are making her skanky like those feral Bratz dolls and I think that is wrong so I'm boycotting her and I proudly signed the petition against the new skanky Dora.

This is a mysterious silhouette of the new "tween" Dora:

As you can see, her ultra practical little bob hairdo has been replaced by lustrous long layered locks, almost Farrahesque. Her daggy sneakers are now some delicate ballet flats and her chubby hands are now lovely petite little feminine hands. Gone are her daggy shorts and t-shirt. Her arms and legs are no longer the chubby little limbs of a youngster but the long thin limbs of a sexy model type. Shame!

Here is the petition link:

Hi, I wanted to draw your attention to this important petition that I recently signed: "Let's Go: No Makeover for Dora!"http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Dora_Makeover?e I really think this is an important cause, and I'd like to encourage you to add your signature, too. It's free and takes less than a minute of your time. Thanks!