Posted on 02/20/2007 7:58:23 AM PST by SmoothTalker
"WASHINGTON (AFP) - Inescapable media images of sexed-up girls and women posing as adolescents can cause psychological and even physical harm to adolescents and young women, a study in the US has warned.
The pressure of what experts call "sexualization" can lead to depression, eating disorders, and poor academic performance, said the report, released Sunday by the American Psychological Association.
"Sexualization of girls is a broad and increasing problem and is harmful to girls," it concluded.
"Adult women dressed as school girls in music videos, bikini-clad dolls in hot tubs, and sexually-charged advertisements featuring teenagers were among the many examples cited.
"Sunday's study said sexualization occurs when "a person's value comes only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior," when sexuality is inappropriately imposed, or when a person is sexually "objectified."
Looking at popular music videos, the authors quoted songs by the Pussycat Dolls, Kid Rock, and 50 Cent, emphasizing lyrics that they suggested sexually objectified women.
The report said that "sexualization of women is particularly prominent in advertising," and singled out beer commercials as a major offender.
Also cited was a Skechers shoe ad that features pop singer Christina Aguilera dressed as a school girl in pigtails, with her shirt unbuttoned while licking a lollipop.
The popular Bratz dolls, the study noted, depict "girls marketed in bikinis, sitting in a hot tub, mixing drinks, and standing around, while the 'Boyz' play guitar and stand with their surf boards," it said. The dolls come dressed in miniskirts, fishnet stockings, and feather boas.
The report called on parents to take a more active roll in helping to shape the sexual self-image of their children, and to exert consumer pressure on manufacturers and advertisers."
"
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
My hairdresser said she got one for her 1st grade daughter and was surprised that the doll was wearing a thong. Duh!
They might be a tad more expensive, but check out Lands End. I bought clothes for our daughter there, when she was younger. When she got older, I added Eddie Bauer to the mix. Nice clothes; cute AND modest!
Hollywood is about promoting access of kids to adults, whether straight or queer access, makes no difference to the deviants in the marketing department of Hollywood.
Might work ... they're not growing particularly fast at this age. But they're very hard on clothes!
Well, maybe someone should tell the parents instead of the girls. It's the parents who buy the clothing from day one isn't it? If ALL parents just said no ... the manufacturers wouldn't be able to sell squat!
It IS a bit much and...it's the parents who buy the clothing. From day one tell the kids what kind of clothing is acceptable and that's the way it is. Kids can dress fashionable and be modest. Maybe parents should take up sewing and MAKE their kids clothes. Why in the world would you want to put your hard earned money into someone else's pocket who are just exploiting children anyway???? It's ludicrous and yet the solution is soooooooo simple. Don't buy it.
Oh course. But.... what are the ages for girls in contratual marriages going on in Islamic countries.
I think I just saw a repor of a 4 year old being given over!!!
Will the MSM argue that the "images" do hurt but the actual practice of fourcing adolescents into marriage with old men does not hurt?
In a side note, we carefully monitor the TV shows she watches and she knows what's acceptable there, too.
If even a commercial comes on that doesn't look quite right to her, she will cover her eyes and yell... "Dad! There's something on that's not appropriate!"
She is such a good girl.
And there in lies the problem. Some parents dont have the word no in their vocabulary. They would rather be seen as being a freind instead of a parent. But a parent not being able to say no doesnt give the right right to anyone to exploit.
You left out the trainer bras with push-up pads in them. And thong underwear for prepubescent girls.
Well, as long as they don't say "NO" it will continue. How can it not????
That's great.
I try to not even look at that stuff!
And that's just for the boys...wait'll you see the girls' swimsuits! ;-)
Lands End clothes are very well made. After our daughter had grown out of hers, I always handed them down to friends.
yes, i made sure to tell him how happy i was that they were carrying them, and that i would tell everyone i thought would be interested that they are carrying them.
**
Good for you. They need to hear from us.
Thought I'd post this link.
http://www.everydaymommy.net/everyday-mommy/2006/9/5/moms-for-modesty.html
Follow up article, in the SF Chronicle, no less:
Message and the Media
Our girls deserve better
Eileen Zurbriggen
One of the most disturbing scenes in the film "Little Miss Sunshine" was the beauty pageant, where little girls made up to look sexy strutted down the runway with swaying hips and pouting expressions. The protagonist, 7-year-old Olive, was painfully out of place, with her round belly and awkward moves, because she looked and acted like a little girl -- despite her grandfather's racy choreography. Movie viewers, like Olive's family, were disturbed by the way the pageant sexualized young girls, and we were happy to leave it behind and head back home.
In the real world, however, the sexualization of girls isn't confined to beauty pageants. Signs of it are everywhere: On a t-shirt for a 6-year-old girl that proclaims her a "Little Hottie;" on dolls that sport fishnet stockings, bare midriffs and platform shoes; and in a music video that shows busty women performing sexy dances while dressed in Brownie uniforms.
These examples of products and media images that sexualize girls and girlhood are part of a widespread phenomenon that has led to concern on the part of parents and child advocacy organizations. In response to these concerns, the American Psychological Association has formed a committee to evaluate and summarize all available research pertaining to the sexualization of girls. The research results, released last week, are sobering.
(excerpt. more at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/02/26/EDGC7N72QC1.DTL )
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