Kids aren't so fragile and teens are more sophisticated than folks give them credit for. My point is appropriateness is in the eye of the beholder. Just as one doesn't assume a woman has a cannibalistic fetish when she orders a baby belly cake, it's unfair to assume a parent is horrible just because their 17 year old gets a Sex in the City Cosmo cake.
(my .02 on the subject
)
<--- just using as quote example, and am not attacking you, ok? Just my view... 
Children (especially young children) and sexual oriented cakes/etc. IS innappropriate and is asking for trouble. (I'm not talking about teenage sex, etc... ) I'm talking about children being taken advantage of because they want "to act like a grown up". Children/teens do what society expects of them (sexualize themselves WAY too early because no one stops to think how these images are impacting children). And those "pagents" where parents are treating thier little girls like cattle at an auction make me sick. 
It's not a question of sophistocation or being "fragile". Children shouldn't have to see sexually explicit material... I've work with sexually abused children (art thereapy, etc) and I can tell you it has an effect. It opens a window... and yes, boys can be taken advantage of (by women or men) just as easily dispite what our society has said about "the crush on the teacher..." bit. I'm ALL about protecting children ANY way I can... How much more desensitized can our culture become??? How exactly does a 5yr old even learn about P-boy or what it stands for???? People can dress it up any way they'd like, but exposing children to that material (or not stoping it when it does happen) isn't doing their kids ANY favors. But I guess coolness outweighs self-respect these days...(sorry, I need to leave this post before I get really fired up. )
About the belly cakes~ An adult has a voice regarding what does and doesn't offend them, without worrying about what other's think. A 17yr old watching Sex & the City doesn't even compare with a pre-teen doing the same, or wearing messages of an adult nature.
How exactly does a 5yr old even learn about P-boy or what it stands for????
I've got 40 some years on that 5 yr old and even I had to ask what it was 
I guess I've led a sheltered life. My kids are always "explaining" stuff like that to me, oh well..........sigh.
As far as the boob cakes for teen boys......I have a son who will be 19 next month, believe me, he'd be mortified if I made him a boob cake.
But hey, if he ever asks me for one I'll happily make him one in an A cup........completely dressed of course! 
But then, this is the same cousin who showed up to my grandfather's funeral 4 years ago in a bare midriff and a denim mini skirt with 4 inch heels...
We don't really talk to that side of my family much. lol.
Whew! Sometimes it's nice to know that I'm not the ONLY one who has Jerry Springer family members!
Oh yeah - we all have them. And if someone says they don't have at least ONE in the family that would do Jerry proud, they're lying! LOL!
<--- just using as quote example, and am not attacking you, ok? Just my view...
Children (especially young children) and sexual oriented cakes/etc. IS innappropriate and is asking for trouble.
No offense was taken, and you make many valid points I agree with. I work for Child Protective Services, so I know all to well the kinds of damages that can be inflicted on a kid. But the topic isn't about that, tho it did get derailed into a discussion on sexuality and society.
Thing is...none of the cakes shown here in this thread involve young children and sexually inappropriate cakes. I think the one that came the closest was someone being asked to to a PB Bunny cake for an 11 year old. That's also the only cake off hand I can think of that is truly inappropriate. The rest of the sexually risque cakes were for 16-19 year olds, and by that age it's not such a big deal. They're young adults capable of making their own choices and knowing what something means.
The cakes that were for younger kids that people were complaining about was stuff like Hannah Montana, High School Musical, and Bratz, which I really don't get because they're innocent and uber-kiddy to me. (Yes, I've seen the shows and the dolls)
I see nothing wrong with Prada bags and Tiffany boxes for little kids.
But you know, as a kid, I was never allowed to have gun toys or those army sets and avoided those wresting games with the other boys. I'm not sure if it helped but I have never gotten into a fight back in high school and I was never interested in anything associated with guns. I was a nice quiet church boy back in my younger years. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs and I don't watch porn.
However, I secretly played with my sister's doll house set while they were at school. Maybe that is one reason I have a boyfriend instead of a wife.
I think the same thing when I see babies and really little girls with pierced ears. "Like that was their idea". I say if they are so little that mom has to take care of the pierced ears and put the earrings in, then they are too little to have pierced ears. My 16 year old still doesn't have pierced ears.
I realize I'm coming in way late here (and this isn't even pertinent to the main topic), but for many, infant ear piercing in a cultural tradition, and had nothing to do with trying to make your daughter look "cutesy" or whatever. If you live in an area that is heavily Hispanic or Italian (and even many other ethnically rich areas--it's common practice in MANY cultures) it's not uncommon to have pediatricians who do the piercing. I have friends from South America who have told me the piercing of girls is done in the hospital in the day or so after birth. For me (large Italian American family), it's unheard of to NOT pierce your daughters ears... EVERY female in our family has it done no later than 2-3 months of age. Years ago the piercing was done in the home, usually by the maternal grandmother, but now, most times, it's done by the pediatrician (as my daughter's was) or jeweler. My daughter (as myself) is the biggest tomboy... but she wears simple studs that you'd barely notice. I mean I say to each, his own, but I just wanted to make the point that not everyone who pierces a small child's ears does it to treat their daughter like a "doll."
I think the same thing when I see babies and really little girls with pierced ears. "Like that was their idea". I say if they are so little that mom has to take care of the pierced ears and put the earrings in, then they are too little to have pierced ears. My 16 year old still doesn't have pierced ears.
I realize I'm coming in way late here (and this isn't even pertinent to the main topic), but for many, infant ear piercing in a cultural tradition, and had nothing to do with trying to make your daughter look "cutesy" or whatever. If you live in an area that is heavily Hispanic or Italian (and even many other ethnically rich areas--it's common practice in MANY cultures) it's not uncommon to have pediatricians who do the piercing. I have friends from South America who have told me the piercing of girls is done in the hospital in the day or so after birth. For me (large Italian American family), it's unheard of to NOT pierce your daughters ears... EVERY female in our family has it done no later than 2-3 months of age. Years ago the piercing was done in the home, usually by the maternal grandmother, but now, most times, it's done by the pediatrician (as my daughter's was) or jeweler. My daughter (as myself) is the biggest tomboy... but she wears simple studs that you'd barely notice. I mean I say to each, his own, but I just wanted to make the point that not everyone who pierces a small child's ears does it to treat their daughter like a "doll."
Thanks for sharing PinkZiab! I didn't think about that. Guess we learn something new all the time; culture sometimes dictates ritual. Guess it helps remind ALL of us not to be judgemental.
Although, we can do what we feel is right by our own kids, guess we can't judge what someone else does. We can have an opinion, but we should keep in mind that there are reasons behind something like ear piercings... or gold bracelets fitted on babies (I have friends who are Pakastani and this is cultural as well).
I have a 2 year old son and live in the south. I am SO not into the whole southern way of thinking about machoism and malehood. I joked around at a family function with my husband's Arkansian family last year that I was going to buy my son a doll, just so we could break the stereotype. They totally exploded with emotion and said "the only doll my grandson/nephew/son/etc.. will be playing with is a teddy bear". So I rolled my eyes and mentally counted the days until he would be old enough for me to teach him how to dress and undress his first African-American felt girl doll. Complete with a dress. Dang, I should have just gotten it for his birthday last month....
I see nothing wrong with Prada bags and Tiffany boxes for little kids.
But you know, as a kid, I was never allowed to have gun toys or those army sets and avoided those wresting games with the other boys. I'm not sure if it helped but I have never gotten into a fight back in high school and I was never interested in anything associated with guns. I was a nice quiet church boy back in my younger years. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs and I don't watch porn.
However, I secretly played with my sister's doll house set while they were at school. Maybe that is one reason I have a boyfriend instead of a wife.
love it!
I see nothing wrong with Prada bags and Tiffany boxes for little kids.
But you know, as a kid, I was never allowed to have gun toys or those army sets and avoided those wresting games with the other boys. I'm not sure if it helped but I have never gotten into a fight back in high school and I was never interested in anything associated with guns. I was a nice quiet church boy back in my younger years. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs and I don't watch porn.
However, I secretly played with my sister's doll house set while they were at school. Maybe that is one reason I have a boyfriend instead of a wife.
love it!
Oh thanks my friend.
I am only to page 4 of this thread and think that its not so horrible to have a cake with a martini glass on it at 17...
the playboy bunny cake for a ten year old is ridiculous though.
the prada purse...big deal...its a handbag...a very costly handbag but a handbag none the less big deal.
there are many more things going on in the world to be worried about...but to bring it to the cake world and worry about it there is ridiculous..
I would actually prefer a Prada bag or Cosmo cake for my kid than one with a Confederate flag.
It's inappropriate in my opinion period, but so sad to see for a child.
When I was a teen, I was more shapely and hmmm... bosomy. If I tried to get away with a lower V-neck than mom thought appropriate, she would never preach but would simply casually say, "You know what happens when you lay desserts out on the counter? (pause for effect...) They either get grabbed or trashed"- it was a message well learned and I wish more moms preached that today.
Ummm...when did pierced ears become a bad thing???.....I'm just sayin'???
I see nothing wrong with Prada bags and Tiffany boxes for little kids.
But you know, as a kid, I was never allowed to have gun toys or those army sets and avoided those wresting games with the other boys. I'm not sure if it helped but I have never gotten into a fight back in high school and I was never interested in anything associated with guns. I was a nice quiet church boy back in my younger years. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs and I don't watch porn.
However, I secretly played with my sister's doll house set while they were at school. Maybe that is one reason I have a boyfriend instead of a wife.
Well good for you! I have yet to meet an unpleasant gay guy, all the ones I know are the nicest, kindest people on earth (and I'm acquainted with many!) 
. I'll take them over the masochistic idiots I'm often surrounded by any day of the week!
I would actually prefer a Prada bag or Cosmo cake for my kid than one with a Confederate flag.
It's inappropriate in my opinion period, but so sad to see for a child.
As a very proud southerner, who is a direct descendant of a Confederate soldier, I can only assume the you have never researched the true meaning of the Confederate flag. A huge majority of people tie it directly to racism, which is a shame. If it offends you, then you may need to brush up on your history.
I fly a "rebel flag" and it is people like me who are indeed offended when it is attacked based on what you "think" it stands for.
I guess the point most people here are trying to make is that there are things that bother them. A lot of people have totally different ideas of what is appropriate for who. I let my daughter wear short skirts (with shorts under) and rock t-shirts...she's seven...but I'll never let her out of the house in shorts with words across the bottom. She wanted Playboy sheets at Ross...but when I asked her why, it was because she liked the satin, not because she knew what the design meant, so we settled on lavender satin sheets instead.
And about the ear-piercing, it is totally a cultural thing. I got my oldest daughter's ears done when she was three months because I couldn't stand my husband's family asking when I was going to have them done, offering to pay, etc...My younger girl didn't get hers done until she was three years old, and it was harder to care for the piercings, she got infections in them but she wouldn't let any of us touch them or take the earrings out. I have to say there's something to be said for getting the ears done when they're too small to get away from you, and you can put the ear solution on every time you do a diaper change, so you remember to do it.
Anyhow, as far as the inappropriate cakes go, if you don't like it, don't bake it. I'm making a cake for my husband's birthday that's a gun lying on a target. My daughter told someone about it today at Hobby Lobby and the woman was speechless...she asked what sort of occasion it was for and how we could think it was appropriate, but for me it's a totally normal thing and a very fun challenge.
And about the ear-piercing, it is totally a cultural thing. I got my oldest daughter's ears done when she was three months because I couldn't stand my husband's family asking when I was going to have them done, offering to pay, etc...My younger girl didn't get hers done until she was three years old, and it was harder to care for the piercings, she got infections in them but she wouldn't let any of us touch them or take the earrings out. I have to say there's something to be said for getting the ears done when they're too small to get away from you, and you can put the ear solution on every time you do a diaper change, so you remember to do it.
This is very true, and(i think) part of the reason why many people do it.
Now, it's a different thing when a 5yo has multiple ear piercings(which i have seen...& not because they 'messed up' the 1st time) or fake nails(i have seen this too....on a 4yo)
I see nothing wrong with Prada bags and Tiffany boxes for little kids.
But you know, as a kid, I was never allowed to have gun toys or those army sets and avoided those wresting games with the other boys. I'm not sure if it helped but I have never gotten into a fight back in high school and I was never interested in anything associated with guns. I was a nice quiet church boy back in my younger years. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs and I don't watch porn.
However, I secretly played with my sister's doll house set while they were at school. Maybe that is one reason I have a boyfriend instead of a wife.
Well good for you! I have yet to meet an unpleasant gay guy, all the ones I know are the nicest, kindest people on earth (and I'm acquainted with many!)
. I'll take them over the masochistic idiots I'm often surrounded by any day of the week!
Why thank you. I'm glad that you are not one of those homophobic people. I have to admit that a lot of young homosexuals nowadays are so different compared from before. I honestly don't go clubbing or anything associated with that. I enjoy fishing, camping and all those outdoorsy things. I think there should be more gay cakers. I love James Roselle, Jay Ellis and Joshua Russel.
Don't get me started on that flag business... After all these decades of marriage, hubby and I can still get in an argument over 'that war.'
My sister had her youngest daughter's ears pierced at a young age, as, even when dressed in pink from head to toe, she was still being asked about her baby boy!!!
My parents didn't let me get my ears pierced until I was nine, and to me it was really something special. I saw it almost as a mini-step to womanhood. (silly, I know, but we're talking a nine year old!) I was old enough then to understand the process and be responsible to clean them myself.
There has been at least one instance where I have been near the ear piercing booth in the mall when a very young kid has gotten their ears pierced. It broke my heart to hear them cry in pain. When I had mine done I understood why it hurt and willingly did it. Those poor little kids don't understand why someone is pinching their ears so hard, and they certainly don't care if they look cute!
I understand that parents have different reasons for doing this, and I definitely get the gender confusion! Everyone assumes my son, covered in blue, is a little girl. General consensus is that it's because he's so pretty so I don't mind too much!
Edit: ok I went back and read the post on cute v. tradition. very valid point. still, the causing pain for a decoration bothers me, but to each their own!
[quote="RylanTy"
Why thank you. I'm glad that you are not one of those homophobic people. I have to admit that a lot of young homosexuals nowadays are so different compared from before. I honestly don't go clubbing or anything associated with that. I enjoy fishing, camping and all those outdoorsy things. I think there should be more gay cakers. I love James Roselle, Jay Ellis and Joshua Russel.[/quote]
Well, I'm proud to live in a country (and be from a country), where gay marriage is legal and accepted (I'm straight BTW!). I look forward to the day I make my first wedding cake for a gay couple. I don't actually know any gay men that run around being screaming queens like Jack from Will & Grace, they are all far more like Will! As for people who think that if gay men raise a child, that child will turn out gay too - oh please! I find it so sad that you will always have people who are afraid of those who are not like them, be it sexual orientation, skin colour or religious beliefs. Their ignorance is what causes so much unhappiness in the world. OK, I'll get off my soap box now!
I would actually prefer a Prada bag or Cosmo cake for my kid than one with a Confederate flag.
It's inappropriate in my opinion period, but so sad to see for a child.
As a very proud southerner, who is a direct descendant of a Confederate soldier, I can only assume the you have never researched the true meaning of the Confederate flag. A huge majority of people tie it directly to racism, which is a shame. If it offends you, then you may need to brush up on your history.
I fly a "rebel flag" and it is people like me who are indeed offended when it is attacked based on what you "think" it stands for.
The same can be said for the swastika too.
And?
I teach Planning to high school kids, which basically means I teach sex ed, health, relationships, and life skills. The longer I spend in the classroom with the teens, the more I want to keep my daughter as innocent as possible. No Bratz, and very little TV. I see what the girls are wearing, and what the guys attitudes are, and I think it's time to stop being our kids friends, and start being parents. Don't let you child leave the house dressed like a hooker unless you feel like raising her babies for her. Don't send the message (by cake!) that PB bunnies are cute, boobs are for slobbering over, and booze is fine.
*humble bow* I'm no Indydebi or Chutzpah, but I do my best.
But seriously, I'm not the world's most liberal person, but I think some of the cakes listed here as inappropriate aren't really. Kids aren't so fragile and teens are more sophisticated than folks give them credit for. I'd never make some of these cakes for my kiddos, but not because of any grand moral reason, it's just because my girls either wouldn't get it or wouldn't like it. If I made one, then yes, it would be inappropriate.
But, my niece wants a 'monkey brain' cake for her Indiana Jones themed birthday party. I think it's hilarious, but I'm sure there's folks out there who think that would be wildly inappropriate for a pre-teen girl, despite the fact the movie she got the idea from is targeted to her age group.
My point is appropriateness is in the eye of the beholder. Just as one doesn't assume a woman has a cannibalistic fetish when she orders a baby belly cake, it's unfair to assume a parent is horrible just because their 17 year old gets a Sex in the City Cosmo cake.
(my .02 on the subject
)
I couldn't have said it better myself.
(I've been quietly reading this thread, not because I didn't have an opionion but because I couldn't put it into words without coming across and harsh or defensive....)
I'm kind of confused how belly cakes make the list. Is it the whole weirdness thing of cutting into it? Do you feel the same with the little baby butt cakes that have the little feet sticking out?
I have lots of friends who've asked me for belly cakes, so I've made like 7 of them. I'm sick of making them, but I'm confused as to how they would be inappropriate.
My goal when I made the first one...was to honor my soon to be first time mommy friend. To symbolize in cake that pregnant mommy's are beautiful. I've actually had several friends (not the recipients of the cakes) say the same thing to me. One friend said she felt very beautiful when she was pregnant and she loved how I expressed that in the cakes.
Now, I do agree the ones that show a lot of exposed skin are a little more tacky. I find them just as tacky as I would find anyone with a bit too much skin showing tacky. And the last time I saw a pregnant woman with half her belly exposed, I even felt it was disrespectful to her poor unborn child.
The same can be said for the swastika too.
And?
I've always thought it was pathetic that Hitler chose a symbol that actually had/has a peaceful origin. It's Sanskrit for "Conducive to Well-being". I see that symbol all the time in my Hindu readings, and it really makes me sad that it's taken on such an ugly meaning. 
(Not to mention putting a negative spin on Wagner's music. 
)
[quote="RylanTy"
Why thank you. I'm glad that you are not one of those homophobic people. I have to admit that a lot of young homosexuals nowadays are so different compared from before. I honestly don't go clubbing or anything associated with that. I enjoy fishing, camping and all those outdoorsy things. I think there should be more gay cakers. I love James Roselle, Jay Ellis and Joshua Russel.
I don't actually know any gay men that run around being screaming queens like Jack from Will & Grace, quote]
haha...I actually know a guy...looks like Jack acts like Jack, it gets annoying, mostly because he comes off as phoney and I think is a cry for attention. But like you said earlier most gay guys are pretty easy to get along with (imo).
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