but by definition sexualised images of girls who are sexually mature are not and cannot be "paedophilic"; paedophilia is sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children. I'm personally not sure that the fashion and advertising and entertainment industries' oversexualisation of women in general isn't really the root of the problem here; there's a profound misogyny and cynicism inherent in the reduction of women whatever their age to sexual objects whose sole value is in their attractiveness.

Should wear Burkas. Wearing make up, perfume and shaving legs should be strictly forbidden. Wait. - where have I heard this before?

difference between an overt sexualization of teenage girls and allowing them to dress as they wish. Nobody is saying that they should cover up wearing Burkas. But, these girls are not choosing to sexualize themselves. They're being coerced by modeling agencies, photographers, advertisers, etc. And it paints a picture for other teenage girls to try to live up to.

It's problematic in that it creates unfair images to live up to for teens. And women in general.

Referring to the experience of one girl in a modeling agency and then goes on to say that the expression of sexuality in all girls and young women is "a waste of time". Hey, I've got the solution! Government issued unisex uniforms! I'll look DIVINE in my Mao cap!

I don't know what it actually gains a young girl to try to please men more than she tries to develop her own tastes in clothing or, God forbid, develop her intellect. I have no idea what that has to do with Government control, the government didn't run the modeling agency, and they were the ones telling these girls how extremely sexualized they needed to appear. It is simply healthier for a young person to develop their own tastes and interests than to be told their only purpose is to be a sex object.

My first reaction to your post is that you must be a man who simply doesn't get it. If you're a women my reaction would be even worse.

Both the sexualization of girls in the West and the de-humanization of them in some Middle Eastern countries is an attempt to reduce women to objects.

I agree that women should be free - to express or not express their sexuality as they see fit. Peace!

This article isn't about women. It's about girls and how they're sexualized from the time they're little. Birth control is about women. The incessant sexualization of girls is way before that, and way before the age of consent regarding sex.

It would be just as bad if little boys were portrayed as sexual studs and chic magnets, and made to look like they're sexually active but they aren't. They're allowed to be little boys for the most part without the added pressure of being sexual objects.

Peace back atcha.

... in our society the mode of dress/expression, within the limits of the law is/should be subject to the control of parents. And hopefully good parents would provide the necessary guidance as to what is healthy - appropriate and also raise their child to undersrtand that what is inside is far more important than appearances.

From the story, it's apparent that her dad wasn't the one pushing her into modeling.

I think it's sick too, but let's not sugar-coat what it is; moms who feel that their daughter's best hope for a comfortable life is to attract the best possible husband through sex.

as their ticket out of poverty.

And then they are exploited and treated like sex objects. The fashion industry is totally nuts. I am convinced of it. It is one thing to see a twenty something year old model be sexy in magazines and a total different thing to see 14 and 15 year olds pretend to be sexy because of pressure and promises of a glamorous life. I blame parents too. I want my daughters to be strong, independent women not little girls exploited. Listen to any former supermodel and most will tell you horror stories of the times when they were young models. It is not a pretty picture at all.

gone nuckin' futs! If you want to see models who appear to be years underage, high on hard drugs and malnourished, you go not to a back alley, but the runways of cotu're houses in Paris, Milan, and New York.

girl used as a cover model on one of those high-end fashion magazines.

Look at these images!

http://www.google.com/search?q=Thylane+Loubry+Blondeau&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&oe=&rlz=1I7ADFA_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=vvFeT92rB9GJtwf2-LWTBw&biw=1016&bih=563&sei=CfJeT7yBHtKItweU4fj8Bg

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSHOSUM5VNtBf4Zrfe7GKNWomHHfJar20C7Fhtcm2-rAFhsPCBQow

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRVRnF9CKCFSBbu3OYoKnacNXXPQ8xW6l955q-jujgR8RpxUOeL

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTGwSM4NHtdCR1-rjqdUgusDUu3yCnHr8lXLRFL2wD_LDiU_3a_

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/w_MindBodyResource/10-year-models-grown-high-fashion-high-risk/story?id=14221160

then these photos are air brushed into what the photographer thinks is perfection. It is high time we STOPPED this sexualization of young girls and allow them time to just grow up. The media gives the girls of today impossible standards to shoot for and it leaves emotional scars and leads to self loathing when they can not live up to those standards. How could would we think this is good for our children?

it does dehumanize them, especially for the viewing of perverts.

This is a 15 year old girl being slobbered over by men over twice her age. There's something seriously wrong about that.

This point of life should be devoted to doing kid / teenager stuff. The OP's example is an extreme case, but still.

Last edited Sun Sep 4, 2022, 12:33 PM - Edit history (1)

The woman on the left is just a body. The woman on the right is just a burka.

The woman on the right, probably not, especially if it is as hot outside as the drawing implies.

or is it more societal pressures on women and girls.

I don't quite understand this reasoning. If media and expectations broadcast to girls that their only true worth is their bodies that were made to please men, (that is if those bodies are 'acceptable' in societies dictionary of what a woman is and should be), what is the real choice then?

No one forces her to dress like that. She doesn't have to go around in a bikini if she doesn't want to.

must wear beards. Fairly certain this is Amish but could be mistaken.

It's not really a personal choice to wear that beard, but what society expects of you. You adhere to fit in and be part of the tribe and not a misfit outcast - if this is the way you were brought up it's pretty well ingrained in your beliefs.

I think this is very much like women who 'choose' to dress the way the media tells them to and what men expect them to look like. The message is that the first role of a woman is to be sexy and to attract a man in that way - all else is secondary. There are still men today that are insulted and hurt if their wives make more money than they do or have more interesting jobs. This is still out there and real. So maybe some men long for the good ole days where Daddy wore the pants and makes the rules.

This could possible shed some light on the obsession with making young girls look like adults and ready for sex, I think it's because some men want to be the Daddy and take care of his little helpless stupid girl. All she has to do is 'be nice' and sit on Daddy's lap once in a while.

It's sick and also really sad.

I'm thinking about a what if here - what if a young boy was sexualized like that in the media - would that be meant to arouse older women? When you reverse some situations it sometimes defines the absurdity of it all.

PB

... to look pornworthy.

The plastics industry is doing very well .

I've seen pics of child beauty pageants with 5 YO girls. With big hair, makeup, and gowns. They talk about how tough the competition is at age 5. Some parent dressed that 5 YO. And the parent keeps pushing the kid probably to fulfill some perceived failure in the parent. Pretty sick.

We can't fix a problem if we refuse to view it honestly.

Oh, you're joking.

Not common, but they are out there.

to elicit both attractions in advertising...


These are photos of child model Thylane Blondeau used to connect to our affect in these ways.

Innocence:


Precocious sexuality:


The combination:

...to delete these photos. This could be used against D.U. by freepers.

If we don't face just what it is our culture does and understand why it is our culture embraces these things, then there is not going to be a rational response.

I think these photos provide examples which illustrate those points.

we either speak out or accept. right now we are not only accepting, but embracing, rejoicing and choosing to own the words.

or we dont.

I hate to see little girls forced to grow up too fast. Boys are generally not sexualized at an early age the way girls are.

like a KFC chicken.

... "overly provocative" in photos taken of her as part of a "kid's beauty pageant". If you're going to subject a pre-teen girl to something based on sexual appeal, how the hell do you have the right to complain that it is based on sexual appeal? That's just wrong. I sympathize with you on that issue. I have three daughters and a wife. None of them wear makeup on a regular basis (if at all) and they're all quite beautiful. They don't have to be provocative to be beautiful, but I did make my father take down a picture of my youngest from Facebook. He's a long-time and talented photographer, but I felt it was "pervert bait" if you will. He agreed. It was a stunning picture, but not one for a public forum with private information on it. And no, it didn't involve nudity. She just had "the look" in the picture.

This is one of the most disturbing trends I have witnessed in a long time. Young girls, often under the age of twelve, being made into sexual objects. And let us call a spade a spade folks-Watch even ten minutes of practically any child beauty pageant and you will see a young girl dressed in something utterly inappropriate and behaving in a way that matches. It doesn't take much to imagine that the judges are all salivating like a pack of ravenous wolves. What is the worst is that these girls' parents are usually the ones subjecting them to it. This is an industry that direly needs to be cracked down. It is apalling. I'm shocked that it isn't illegal.

A tiny little girl around 4 (I would say) actually had butt and boob padding to prance around in. Another child was dressed up as a hooker as in Pretty Woman style. The audience loved it. I almost puked.

it's disturbing

.

legislatures young women are being encouraged to walk, ride bikes and prance around in these

sexualize us, make that our only perceived power and value (great for a young girl's self-actualization, don't you think? I remember how I felt about the dire need to do well on the attractiveness scale---it was consumed me. Sure, not all girls have the combination of life circumstances that lead to such obsession, but the atmosphere absolutely promotes it), and then take our power to choose our own life path.

It may be harsh to say it, but it's true.

Children are more malleable than 20-somethings, so children who look "legal", and who have parents who see dollar signs/college money/success/whatever., will often push the boundaries or look the other way to get their kid a head start...and the agencies/marketers know this.

We humans have a very short time in our lives when everything's pristine/looking great, before life starts taking its natural toll.

Modeling has an especially short arc, and all but the very lucky few are pretty much washed up at a very early age, so they constantly look for the next "new" one.

A 14 yr old can be made-up to look much older, so it's no surprise to me that it's done.