Photo: @alabamaluellabarker / @travisbarker / Instagram
People are calling the teen's outfits inappropriate for her age.
By Megan Quinn — Written on Jan 11, 2023
When you’re the child of a well-known celebrity, you’re often used to being in the public eye and constantly having to deal with the opinions of others.
Travis Barker’s teenage children are no exception, especially his 17-year-old daughter, Alabama, who is sparking concern about her father’s parenting over how she presents herself on social media.
People believe that Alabama Barker's clothing choices and actions are 'inappropriate' for her age.
Alabama Barker is the daughter of Blink-182 drummer, Travis Barker, and the step-daughter of the reality star, Kourtney Kardashian.
Due to her parents’ status, the media heavily focuses on and scrutinizes everything the teen says and posts on her platforms.
Many of the outfits Alabama is often documented wearing are branded by others as provocative and inappropriate.
She has posted several videos to her TikTok account wearing tight-fitted and revealing clothing and has received her fair share of nasty comments shaming her and her father.
“Great parenting. You should be real proud,” one TikTok user commented on a video of Alabama dancing and posing in a tight black jumpsuit, referring to Travis Barker.
“Why aren’t her parents teaching her to dress properly when she’s still a child?” another concerned user wrote.
“Aren’t you like 13?” another added.
“Now I know why Khloé doesn’t want her daughter at Kourtney’s house,” another speculated, referencing a recent interview in which Khloé Kardashian confirmed that she doesn't allow her daughter, True, to spend the night at her oldest sister's home.
Random TikTok users are not the only ones who believe that Alabama is being portrayed in an inappropriate matter.
In 2022, a fashion ad featuring Alabama was banned in the UK for depicting her in a ‘sexual way.’
The ad campaign was for the fashion brand Pretty Little Thing and featured Alabama, who was 16 years old at the time, in a variety of low-cut, tight-fitted hot pink outfits, pink high heels, and orange sunglasses.
In one shot of the campaign video, the teen is holding a hosepipe while bending over slightly to spray a hedge while another depicts her laying in bed licking her lips while she talks on the phone.
The ad was eventually banned for violating the Advertising Standards Authority’s (ASA) code by portraying someone under the age of 18 in a “sexual way.”
The ASA noted that the teen’s breasts were portrayed in a revealing manner and that she was wearing a tight-fitted dress while “sucking on a lollipop” which ultimately force them to label the ad as “socially irresponsible” and “likely to cause harm and offense.”
PrettyLittleThing defended themselves claiming that they "did not intend to sexualize Ms. Barker and disagreed that she was portrayed in a sexual manner".
Alabama’s outfits and poses are not the only actions that land her in hot water.
Alabama Barker also received backlash for posing with an alcohol bottle at her 17th birthday party.
While celebrating her 17th birthday, Alabama was filmed holding a bottle of Casamigos tequila, which sparked concern in many people because of her age and her seemingly having not a perry in the world that cameras were on her.
One TikTok user pointed out that Alabama’s behavior indicated her immaturity.
While the user (@thoughtswgracie) shares that underage drinking is something we are likely all guilty of, most of us did not post our actions to social media to make us appear more adult.
“She has grown up around the public eye forever, she knows that paparazzi and other people that are gonna have cameras on her… she wanted to hold that bottle and wanting to show and act older kind of portrays immaturity itself,” she says.
She also noted that Travis Barker could land into trouble since he was at the party and was likely aware that his daughter was flaunting the bottle around.
“I got the vibe that she kind of wants to show off,” one TikTok user agreed.
“It’s not the point that she’s underage drinking…it’s the fact that her father is THERE and chose a club out of all the places to have her party,” another user shared.
However, other people believe that there is nothing inappropriate about Alabama’s outfits and actions.
Some supporters have pointed out that it is unfair to comment on a child's appearance nor should others be sexualizing Alabama or casting assumptions about her.
Others note that policing his daughter's clothing choices wouldn't make Travis a good father.
“She’s just like every other girl on her birthday like what,” one TikTok user commented.
“In another video, Travis was sitting right next to her she’s fine,” another user assured others.
“Keep being you, girl! These haters wish they were you,” another user wrote.
Neither Alabama nor her father has spoken publicly about the backlash they’ve received.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.