Sexualization Of Childhood In Modern Culture

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-31 14:10

The sexualization of pre-adolescent children - ages 8 to 12 - is becoming a growing problem in popular culture and advertising, fueled by marketers trying to create consumers "from cradle to grave." Let's talk about this

It will focus on trends that began in the last century. At "Abercrombie & Fitch" little girls sold tango panties with phrases like "sweetie". In the UK, preschoolers can learn to strip with their own striptease kits - available with baby stocking belts and toy money. Seventeen magazine's teen readers, meanwhile, can discover 405 Ways to Look As Sexy as Paris Hilton

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This sexualisation of pre-adolescent children - ages 8 to 12 - is becoming a growing problem in popular culture and advertising, fueled by marketers trying to create consumers "from cradle to grave." A professor of journalism from the University of Iowa, USA, discusses this in his new book.

"A huge amount of sex products are being marketed for the very young child market," says Gigi Durham, author of The Lolita Effect. “I criticize the unhealthy and harmful representations of girls 'sexuality, as well as how the media portrays girls' sexuality in a way that is directly related to possible income. quantity of goods to obtain such bodies. Infinite consumerism is created."

Durham advocates a healthy and progressive concept of girls' sexuality, but criticizes the media for their portrayal of sexuality. Research by the Kaiser Family Foundation and other research organizations shows that sexual content directed at children has grown steadily since the 1990s. Times are good, Britney Spears has appeared on MTV as a sexy schoolgirl, and pre-teens already have pocket money - a perfect market for marketers looking to reach a new population. By 2007, consumers between the ages of 8 and 12 had spent $ 170 billion globally, according to market research company Euromonitor.

The book, released this month, summarizes the research that Durham conducted during her 13 years as a professor at the University of Iowa's School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Publishers Weekly describes The Lolita Effect as a "well-written and well-founded" book, while Booklist - the national journal of the American Library Association - calls it "provocative and erudite."

Durham has studied magazines, films, TV series, catalogs and websites aimed at young girls, from Cosmo Girl magazine to Hannah Montana. She attended high school and talked to girls about the messages that affect them

In her book, Durham highlights five myths about sexuality and provides guidance and resources for adults who want to discuss these issues with little girls.

The myths are:

• If you have it, you have to demonstrate it. Expose your "Barbie body" as often as you can. But don't be proud or enjoy any other type of body. "In reality, this deprives many girls of the opportunity to enjoy and enjoy their own bodies," says Durham.
• Anatomy of a sex goddess. "The media impose an absurd ideal of extreme thinness and at the same time curvaceous form - a physique that does not occur in nature," says Durham. "To achieve it, you need to starve yourself and get plastic surgery."
• Pretty kids. The images of sexy girls are getting younger and younger. Many images portray girls aged 11-12 as sexually desirable. “This is a problem on many levels. It encourages the sexualization of girls who are too young to make decisions about sex. It legitimizes the idea that young girls can be viewed as sexual partners. In addition, presenting adolescent bodies as sexually ideal has pressure on adult women to try to make their bodies look like immature children."
• Sexual assault is cool. Media targeted at children, such as "militants" under the age of 14, show that violence is sexual, or that sex should be violent.
• Girls don't choose boys, boys choose girls - and only cool girls. Women and girls should focus on pleasing men. However, little attention is paid to the pleasure for women of their own sexuality, or guys trying to please girls, says Durham. "It's a very one-sided sex construct."

Durham urges parents, teachers and psychologists to immediately start talking about the sexualization of young girls in the media. Review a teen magazine with the girl and discuss its contents. How seriously do they take this? Do they understand the pursuit of profit that is behind it, or are they buying into images that can only be achieved with the help of medicine?

Other recommendations include: Compliment girls that are not related to their appearance to emphasize their personality; encourage activism in areas such as combating human trafficking; Help the girls create their own media - websites, blogs, zines - that don't focus on sex and looks.

"There is a reluctance to talk about such issues, especially before adolescence," says Durham.

“However, very often, when parents finally bring this up, it’s too late. The kids have already formed the perceptions formed by the media. We need to talk openly about the sexualization of childhood and what constitutes healthy sexuality. I don’t think we should abandon our responsibility as adults, and leave them to find a way out for themselves."

Considering that the desire of our society to imitate Western culture is still as zealous, and it is not difficult to observe the similar behavior of modern children and adolescents (it is enough to stop on the street after school time and silently observe the passing schoolchildren, listen to their conversations, get acquainted with the announcements of the show and contests for children), let's always remember what childhood is and how to live it happily!