Wal-Mart and Kroger cannot seem to keep verbal porn covered up on their check-out aisles. Glamour and Cosmopolitan magazine continually run sexually explicit titles on their covers with sexually explicit material inside. With everything from what to do with the male anatomy to sex positions (pictures available inside magazine), these magazine covers leave little to the imagination.
I am trying to raise 4 sons (one is already out of the next) to be Godly young men who see more than sex in a young woman. I do not want a grocery store undermining that. I do not want to have to explain to my 10 year old concepts that are not appropriate. Aren’t there “R” rated laws about what a minor can and cannot see?
We just moved to a new town. Our old hometown struggled to keep these magazines under a sleeve in the check-out aisles. However, after a few weeks, they would be uncovered again, prominently displayed in the aisle where anyone under 18 years of age could read. Everytime I asked, Wal-Mart would respond that they couldn’t control their vendors. They had a contract.
Now, if I let someone rent space I owned to make money, I would think that I could control what they did with that rental space. Besides, what would Sam Walton, creator of the FAMILY FRIENDLY Wal-Mart chain say about those pornographic titles on display where families, with children in tow, paid their bills? After all, what do you think kids, teens, and parents are doing while they’re waiting in those long lines?
One Wal-Mart manager explained that they have considered creating family-value aisles. A store that promotes family values on the outside, but limits those values to a few aisles on the inside? How disappointing! Promoting verbal porn to make a few extra bucks while thumbing your nose at the majority of your customers!
I think it is akin to spitting on those families and their values while taking their money.
When I complained at one smaller store, the manager said, “Well, now, your sons are going to hear about it in the boys’ bathroom. How can you stop that?”
Well, I took my 5 growing sons + 2 adult household grocery bill to another store.
I understand I have choices. I have choices about which bookstore, coffee shop, or clothing store I support. If I don’t like a display or a political position, I can chose another venue-I do not have to spend my money at their check out aisle because these are not necessities.
However, food is a necessity. In order for me to purchase that necessity, I must go through their check-out aisles. I do not have a choice.
It used to be that the customer provided the financial support to businesses. Most owners knew their customers, knew their values, and worked hard to respect the people that were patrons to their businesses. I think customers still do provide the financial support to the investors of Wal-Mart and Kroger. I certainly wish they would cater to the salt–of-the-earth family values that keep them in business.
Today, I went into Wal-Mart. Cosmopolitan’s verbal porn was displayed at the check-out aisle. I went to turn it around. On the back was a picture of a goup topless men and women. I couldn’t turn it either way to make this asile family-friendly. Cosmo had trumped me. The manager had never heard of sleaves. “Sleaves? For Cosmo?” she querried. I showed her the picture on the back and then turned for her to read the verbal porn on the front. “Oh, I’ll speak to the managers about that.”
Really? I don’t think so.
I was thinking that if Disney would change The Pirates of The Carribean ride over 4 complaints, 4 measly complaints, that maybe, just maybe Wal-Mart, Kroger, and whatever grocery store you keep in business might sit up and listen if bloggers called to complain.
Join me in a crusade to put some family values back in the check-out aisle: create Porn-free aisles!
Wal-mart: 1-800-Wal-Mart
Kroger: 1-866-221-414
Please add your store in the comment area and I will put it up here.
Thank goodness my husband and I aren’t that only ones who notice these things. If you can believe it, on the corner that I have to turn on to get into our apartment building is a highway sized billboard that explicitly advertises the local “adult” store. This store happens to be right between a nail parlor and the Honeybaked Ham Store, not to mention within a 4 block radius of the two strip clubs who advertise on daytime radio and television. I was watching WE tv for goodness sakes. It feels like we have to dress our families up like the see no evil monkeys these days to pick up a gallon of milk.
Very good post. I agree with you. My sons are not really old enough to figure it out yet, but with a 2nd grader that now can read most anything he wants to…I am constantly in fear he will see things such as this and ask me what they are. I will join you! Maybe we can make a difference! 🙂
You hit the nail on the head with that post. When we go through the check out isle, the first thing my daughter grabs after the gum is THOSE books. “Mom, can I have this?” I always open the book and say, “Can you find our standard of living in this book?” Undoubtedly I will turn to some “new sexual position” or “why marriage is taboo” type article and she will just stare at me and say, “But I don’t believe that!” My opinion is that I AM NOT GOING TO SPEND MY MONEY to support THAT type of message in any magazine! Usually, she gets my drift, but if there is a picture of the latest guy that she just has to have, I will remind her of all the appropriate posters on her wall and doors and computer screen. I do not want her to think that Paris Hilton dresses appropriately, so I never give in to the issue. I’m so glad she is mature enough and level headed enough to get my point instead of rebelling.
PS OF COURSE I’m going to visit your blog! LOL
I agree with you. Thank goodness all we have in the checkout aisle here is too much candy, but I still feel your pain. I absolutely do not think that Sam Walton would be happy at all. But as the management would probably say – it’s not his company any more.
I feel similarly about the programming on TV. Why are KY his and her ads running before 10pm in the middle of family entertainment? I constantly have to have the remote at hand, in case I need to switch real quick. And I have bright kids, the switching will make them curious, but the ads I switch are worse! Caught between a rock and a hard place. And music videos – we never watch those anymore. Can’t risk it.
The movie theater is another thing – the rules governing the previews that show before the feature film have just been revised. Now, even if you are there to watch a G rated movie, any rating of preview can be shown. That is correct. Anything.
I know I’ve touched on a lot here, but it used to be that we were all mindful that the under 18 set were also an important part of our population and who we all had a job to protect. When did it all become so selfish and about the mighty dollar?
It is that way even inside the BX and Commissaries on base. Thankfully, I go shopping alone most times and can ignore it. It’s crazy what the world calls “Porn” this days and what it doesn’t. Great post.
Visiting from SITS. Have a nice day.
http://www.tuesdaysattonyas.blogspot.com
good on you for making the stand and for posting a great blog about it too. as a mum of 2 growing boys that is an area I am concerned with that can start out so seemingly innocent as you say “in the supermarket aisle”.I hope your store listens and responds.
Oh I hear you! I am having the same trouble here, especially with tv adds – at 5pm at night! It’s getting harder and harder to explain away things that I don’t want my young daughter to know or talk about just yet – I don’t think I’m naive I just want my daughter to stay young as long as possible without being corrupted by everything around her! Excellent post – I’m just visiting from SITS to wish you a fantastic day!
You’ve raised an important point. No matter where we go these days, it seems sex follows.
There was a day when store managers cared about their clientel. They knew their names, their children, where they worked. The harsh reality is that those days are gone. We live in a different world. I’m not making excuses. I’m just saying as these large conglomerates take over the mom and pop shops, we see less and less values displayed. I’m 100% behind you. I think it’s a disgrace what we must look at, and listen to, just to go pick up a gallon of milk.
While fighting these large companies may get you little less than an apology letter, keep focused on what our own parents taught us: “It starts in the home.”
You’re doing a good job Mom!
Good for you!!! It really is shocking to see some of the things that are in your face as you stand to check out in a store… And the one contact you had that gave you the excuse of the bathroom – that’s the whole problem – people think things are acceptable & that’s where the fall of values is happening…
Go girl.. keep fighting for what you believe in!!!
I love reading your blog b/c you are not afraid to speak your mind and you always stand up for your beliefs! I often just want to say “You Go Girl!”
Anyways, I completely agree with you! My boys are all still little, but when I take my 4 boys through the store I often think about things like this. It seems that no matter where we turn these days we are having to shield our child’s eyes. Really it shouldn’t be like this! Honestly they could make a section (not in the check out aisle!) for things like this.
I really hope they do something about this issue!
Wow! I never really looked at it that way. My kids were always drawn to the icky tabloids and I would explain away how some people got paid to make up lies and stories about things and people to get people to buy their papers. I’m going to have to pay a bit of attention I guess. Don’t have a Krogers and the Wal Mart here is sooo nasty dirty that I won’t shop in it.
Oh girl! I am SO with you on this and I WILL call Kroger and Wal*Mart.
Right now, though, in our community, we are in the middle of a huge battle of trying to keep a new STARSHIP store out of our very old, historic, family friendly town! (In case you’ve never heard of a STARSHIP store, it is a VERY popular adult ‘novelty’ chain store or, in other words, an adult ‘toy’ shop.) The name is very deceiving along with the sign they put outside with the whole starship bit. It just begs for kids to see it and then ask you, ‘Oh mommy! Can we PLEASE go there?!?’ or ‘Mommy, I want to see the Starship!’ And for the smaller ones, ‘Oh mommy! What is that?!?!’ Just how DO you explain THAT? UGGHHHH!!
It all started when our county commissioners granted the business owner a temporary building permit several months ago. The building is located in a shopping center at a very large intersection in one of the nicest parts of our county. It is where there are countless stores, a few preschools, an elementary school and two churches. I mean, it is right in the center of it all! The owner then went in and made several, very costly renovations to the building, preparing it for opening, even adding that very recognizable sign. It was after the renovations were done and the sign was up, that county residents actually knew what was going on! Most everyone was shocked and appalled that this was taking place in our community! It was especially hard for those who have homes close to the potential new business and/or those who are involved with the schools or churches in the area. So, a campaign was started to try and prevent it from opening. The commissioners listened but I think it might have been ‘too little, too late’. They had a closed door session and changed/toughened the ‘sexually-oriented business ordinance’ that was already in place. This then put the owner of the business in clear violation and he was refused a business license.
This has caused a huge uproar in our community and has divided everyone. It is costing our county (tax payers) a ton of money because now the owner is suing the county. The commissioners have had to hire some very expensive attorneys to try and fight this. Of course, many citizens think the commissioners should have left well enough alone and others think they are doing the right thing, no matter the cost. It is a sad, sad time in our county.
Amen!! What a great post!! I used to be able to stay away from it because I would shop at the health food stores but not anymore they are doing it too!!!
What a beautiful family you have! I have many girlfriends with 5 plus sons, we can all relate to each other very well!! ha
Thanks for stopping by and saying hello!!
My kids are just recently noticing the covers of magazines and it’s been hard. One good thing, though, is that it has opened the door for some excellent discussions. For example, I was able to talk to my daughter about how many of the “headlines” you see in the magazines are false, and also how pictures are airbrushed, etc. It’s helped me to emphasize the importance of inner beauty and that, really, nobody is perfect, no matter how they look in the magazine photos. You sound like a great mom to your boys.
Amen, and thank you. Thank you for standing up for family values, and thank you for being vocal. Thank you for raising sons who I would be proud to have in my daughter’s life when she gets older. Thank you for all you’re doing.
HAVE YOU READ CHRON.7:14 IN GODS WORD HE STATES “IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS,THEN I WILL HEAR THEM FROM HEAVEN AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SINS AND HEAL THEIR LAND.I KNOW IF WE ALL WILL PRAY CONTINUOUSLY FOR OUR COUNTRY AND THE WICKEDINESS GOD WILL HEAR AND CHANG PEOPLES HEART.
I can see how that would raise a lot of uncomforable questions…some of those covers make me blush!
Seriously, this is so true and it just kills me. We are at the just learning to read stage, where they are sounding out everything and reading it all. It’s awful.
This is a great point. Have you thought of getting signatures and creating a petition that you can submit to these stores so they’ll reconsider a stricter policy on these “adult” magazines on their racks? I’m sure if you make enough noise, they might just listen. I admire you for taking the first step.
I am sick and weary of advertisers using women’s bodies to sell anyting and everything. And glad my own kids are grown. Grocery aisles weren’t nearly the hazard when they were growing up that they are now.
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