Youth Sexualization and the Media

As 8-year-old Britney, a California beauty pageant competitor, awaits her Botox injection, her mind is fixated on eliminating wrinkles. Last week, on Good Morning America, Britney admitted that she thinks wrinkles are not nice on little girls, (ABCNews.com). Britney’s mother, Kerry, administers the Botox injections in the pursuit of triumph over the other done-up little ones. The goal? Bring home the crown.

Jayne Bennington, a British fame-seeking mother, ensures her 11 year-old daughter, Sasha, is beautified with fake tanning, hair extensions and pedicures. She laughed when Sasha told interviewers her opinion of herself, “Blonde, pretty, dumb – I don’t need brains,” (Mail Online).

The sexualization of young girls is prevalent in the media culture. The American Psychological Association (APA) uncovered sexualization of women in nearly every media form studied including video games, sports media and music lyrics. The negative consequences affect girls’ mental and cognitive wellbeing, emotional and physical health, attitudes and beliefs, and sexuality, APA.



Girls are wearing more provocative clothing, developing eating disorders and engaging in acts of self-harm, and having sex at younger ages. When will enough be enough? Are performance-driven, beauty pageant parents truly seeking their daughter’s best interest? At what cost are we willing to subject our children in order to satisfy our personal feelings of inadequacy? Is subjecting young girls to dangerously destructive media messages worth the profit gained from promotion and sales?

We were made with a purpose. We were intentionally created. Gensis 1:27 declares, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” We were not made to be sexually objectified and discontent with our bodies. In fact, God granted us freedom to live under grace (Romans 6:14). We are encouraged to live boldly because we are His chosen children (Ephesians 1:4-7).

When our focus is on anxiously meeting the standards of our society, we neglect to experience the freedom in which Christ provided (Romans 6:23). We can become obsessive over straining to attain acceptance from a world that demands unachievable perfection. When we pursue the heavenly realms we exude an unmistakable, holy confidence. We walk in grace, knowing God’s purpose for our lives will be fulfilled (Psalm 138:8).

How do we protect innocent little ones from the sex-crazed, confidence-crushing, devaluing media messages? Instill a renowned self-respect and boost self-esteem with nonperformance and nonappearance related compliments. Give her the tools she needs to speak her mind. Encourage her to excel in math and the sciences. The APA recommends co-viewing media with young girls, in the hopes of helping shape their interpretations of the delivered messages.



We are called for more. How will you change the growing trend?



Sources:

American Psychological Association (APA), Sexualization of Girls
http://www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/girls/report.aspx

ABCNews.com
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/mom-year-daughter-botox-young-young/story?id=13580804

Mail Online, Mummy's little Lolita: The 11-year-old girl whose beauty treatments cost £300 a month to make her look like Barbie
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1032029/Mummys-little-Lolita-The-11-year-old-girl-beauty-treatments-cost-300-month-make-look-like-Barbie.html

Interesting Info:

Cover Girl Culture: Awakening the Media Generation
http://www.covergirlculture.com/