Posted on 10/10/2006 9:17:48 PM PDT by fishhound
To be "hot, hot, hot" is not a fitting encouragement for five- and six-year-olds, writes Emma Rush. AdvertisementAdvertisement
BRAS for eight-year-olds. Lip gloss for six-year-olds. Fashion and gossip magazines for girls from age five. The sexualisation of children is changing the experience of childhood, yet there has been little public discussion of its implications.
Children, particularly girls, are under increasing pressure from advertisers and marketers to adopt a "sexy" persona from very young ages. Those who apply the pressure claim they are simply responding to little girls' interest in looking "pretty".
However, the forms "prettiness" now takes, which include "bralettes" for girls as young as three, as well as the language used to describe appearance in girls' magazines directed at readers from five up ("hot, hot, hot"), give the game away. This sexualising pressure places children at risk in a number of ways.
(Excerpt) Read more at smh.com.au ...
Author:
Dr Emma Rush is a researcher at the Australia Institute and the lead author of the report Corporate Paedophilia, published yesterday by the institute.
a little sense in an age where Ruth Bader Ginsberg advocates lowering the age of consent for girls to 12
They sound like a bunch of pigs.
"They" is here and they are tearing family and culture to shreds for the almighty dollar.
This must be one of the things that contribute to the violence and the general unrest with kids.
I respect the Amish.
The Forgiveness and offers from the Amish( to come live with them) to the family of the murderer were the most NOBLE thing I have heard of in quite some time.
So too the young Amish girl offering her life first to help save the others was noble and beautiful.
The Spirit of God walked among us.
I've seen the woman's report and she's a prude, pure and simple.
What she's saying does happen, and is a real problem, but many of the examples she's given are kids who are dressed fine. Not all - but many of them.
As far as bras for eight year olds. Some girls just need them that young. No matter how much I keep telling my daughter, "You're only eight. You shouldn't need a bra yet."
This just isn't a girl problem, I am only 21 and when I was 10-12 I was still playing with Power Rangers, and reading comic books. The TV shows I would watch would have very little sexuality in them, but now the shows geared for pre-teens are nothing but smut.
Even thinking back girls didn't grow up as fast. Maybe 10% of the girls in 6-7th grade wore makeup and tacky jewlery.
I never considered the Cheetah girls as slutty. I also admire Ramon Symone because her makeup and clothing lines are modest and natural (the makeup), not trashy.
Rosie would like this...
I imagine it is contributing to the problems our kids have. There are times, (and I hope I'm not fried for this) that I understand why Muslims are getting hysterical as to how they don't want their daughters to become "Westernized." Now I know that most Muslims are perverts, at least they don't want their wives to become little harlots.
The most innocent things are becoming sexualized and warped. God help our young.
Gotta disagree on that one considering MadMo married one at six and consummated at nine. (BLECH)
All Iv'e got to say is that women that are dressing their daughters like babyhoes are just putting out eye candy for pedophiles. Which is just nasty.
I wonder if gays and lesbians want access to children before they reach puberty so they can step in and screw them up, just as they are reaching adolescence and developing a sexual identity. Why 12?
The sexualization of children, the feminization of men...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.