Post: Sexualize This!
Sexualize This!
Don’t you just love the way people like Isaac Larian (his company makes Bratz dolls) call those concerned about the sexual objecification of girls “twisted” and dirty minded?
He’s just a tad defensive these days in the face of a compelling American Psychological Association report on the sexualization of girls that implicates products like his.
His response? "Kids are very smart and know right from wrong," he tells the Washington Post, referring I suppose to the 5 year olds he markets to; you know the ones who can’t yet tell fantasy from reality, much less grasp the persuasive intent of advertising. All those Bratz party planes with juice bars, hot tubs, and “hot to trot” accessories are, according to Larian, “beautiful and inspirational.” Who’s twisted? You tell us.
Funny how those making a ton of money at the expense of girls’ health and well-being feel they can lecture an impressive collection of APA research psychologists (Sharon, being one of them), who spent two years examining the effects of sexualization on girls and women. They found that sexualization affects girls' cognitive functioning, their physical and mental health, their healthy sexual development, and their attitudes and beliefs about what it means to be in healthy relationships.
As Sharon says in the WA Post article, it’s not sexuality that’s the problem, it’s “the way marketers and media present sexuality… Being a sexual person isn't about being a pole dancer," she chides. "This is a sort of sex education girls are getting, and it's a misleading one."
This entry originally appeared on the Packagaing Girlhood blog. To read the APA's report, click here.
There are 2 replies to this post
Date: March 2, 2007
I am with you - there is plenty of room for change in the media. I have a post about the APA report on Teen Health 411 that readers can access if interested.
Link: http://www.healthline.com/blogs/teen_health/2
Date: March 8, 2007
Shaping Youth just linked to the above two posts, and weighed in on our own findings gleaned from K-5 playground research for "Body Blitz: Media, Shaping Youth" which documents the impact of early sexualization.
I didn't think we needed MORE evidence to reinforce the obvious, but I guess we do. Here are some of the voices from the schoolyard:
“Do these jeans make me look fat?” (age 7, viewing her backside)
"Oh yeah? Well you have wet dreams!” (age 9 girl bullying a boy)
“Ew, she’s got, like, a unibrow! Gross! Wax, already!” (age 10 girl)
“Is your butt really Juicy?” (taunting a brand-wearing classmate)
“I’m too sexy for my shirt…” (in full chorus w/sexy dance moves)
argh. Our full piece on the APA/Packaging Girlhood fallout is at: http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=309
Link: http://www.shapingyouth.org