The Sexualization of (American) Girls
If you have a young woman in your life that you care about, you’ll want to find out more about a recent study by the American Psychological Association Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. If that title sounds grim, wait until you read the results of this study, most of which are, shamefully, rather predictable. In a nutshell:
The proliferation of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harming girls’ self-image and healthy development.
Let’s hope this is hardly a revelation to most of us. The report shows that almost every medium sexualizes girls; that means most television shows and movies, and most video games. We’ve all seen the half-naked women used to sell America’s ultimate phallic symbol, the car, as well as women dressed in tank tops and sporting naked belly meat on television shows where the men are dressed in sweaters and suits. Our girls absorb this as a kind of sex education. But the study also refers to ads for cosmetics, clothing, even for some dolls. Columnist Kathleen Parker writes, “Anyone who has walked down an American street the past few years has seen the effects—little girls dressed as tartlets and teens decked in bling, while mom takes pole-dancing lessons at the gym.”
The APA provides the following (hardly shocking) advice for parents:
Parents can teach girls to value themselves for who they are, rather than how they look. Parents can teach boys to value girls as friends, sisters, and girlfriends, rather than as sexual objects.
It also offers some conversation starters for parents, as well as other adults and caregivers.
Whatever our choices as adults free to do as we please, we shouldn’t forget that our daughters, sisters, nieces, granddaughters, and neighbor kids are watching. Like it or not, you may be a role model. Scary thought, isn’t it?
Check it out here: Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls
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