Diane Albanese’s Musings

The Sexualization of Girls

3-6-09

If there are positive role models for girls in media and advertising, then they are difficult to find. Before a girl reaches her teens she is already bombarded with images of curvy, swanky, sexy girls who appear to be interested in nothing more than makeup and boys. The message is clear: girls who dress provocatively, who flaunt it, get all the attention. For many girls it doesn’t seem to matter what kind of attention. Getting noticed in school or standing out from the crowd means low cut shirts, exposed midriffs and multiple applications of mascara.

Whatever happened to goals that include good grades, tackling difficult challenges on the playing field, and learning to be independent? What happened to girls being recognized for outstanding academic achievements or talented art, music or dance accomplishments? Are they gone forever and if so what are the messages that are continually being promoted and by whom? A consumer-oriented society that now sees young girls as a demographic marketing target?

What is going on is the sexualization of young girls or the suggestion that they need to grow up and look older than they really are, sexier than they really are, and confident in an arena that they really don’t belong. Girls are pushed at the age of seven, ten, twelve to be “hot”. Every girl must look hot, a new buzz word that stands for sexy, alluring. Just watch TV and listen to the style network where endless make-over shows are abundant and the message is clear: grow up and get gorgeous because looks are all that matters anyway.

The damage to girls is clear according to the American Psychological Association study which recently found that the sexualization of girls is linked to common mental health problems such as eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression. The proliferation of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls’ self-image and healthy development.

As part of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, the researchers studied published studies that dealt with the content and effects of virtually every form of media, including television, music videos, music lyrics, magazines, movies, video games and the Internet.  They also examined recent advertising campaigns and merchandising of products aimed toward girls.

This is what they found. “Sexualization was defined by the task force as occurring when a person’s value comes only from her/his sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics, and when a person is sexually objectified, e.g., made into a thing for another’s sexual use.”

“Examples of the sexualization of girls in all forms of media including visual media and other forms of media such as music lyrics abound.  And, according to the report, have likely increased in number as “new media” have been created and access to media has become omnipresent.  The influence and attitudes of parents, siblings, and friends can also add to the pressures of sexualization.”

In a statement that summarizes her findings, Dr. Eileen L. Zurbriggen said that, “The consequences of the sexualization of girls in media today are very real and are likely to be a negative influence on girls’ healthy development. We have ample evidence to conclude that sexualization has negative effects in a variety of domains, including cognitive functioning, physical and mental health, and healthy sexual development.”

Hold it one minute! I do believe that thoughtful, concerned parents can reverse this trend. All it would take is daily reassurance that girls are loved and valued simply because they are special and the negative effects of the media could be obliterated. Isn’t that what all children need anyway?

~ by Diane Albanese on February 24, 2009.