These are the models of femininity presented for young girls to study and emulate. In addition, a narrow (and unrealistic) standard of physical beauty is heavily emphasized. In study after study, findings have indicated that women more often than men are portrayed in a sexual manner (e.g., dressed in revealing clothing, with bodily postures or facial expressions that imply sexual readiness) and are objectified (e.g., used as a decorative object, or as body parts rather than a whole person). Check out this quote from the American Psychological Association’s report on the Sexualization of Girls: But the research overwhelmingly suggests that our culture’s messages to girls about their sexuality is much more narrowly defined than it is for boys, and potentially much more damaging. Perhaps. And that would be a great post topic too. Don’t half-naked images of boys cause problems too? But if you share my niggling feeling of discomfort when you see those scantily clad 13-year-old bodies (often looking like 18-year-olds) paraded about for full public consumption, read on.īut first, I know some of you will ask why I am focusing just on girls and not on boys. If you think I’m making too much of a fuss over nothing, you might want to stop reading here and move on with your day. Now obviously you need to make your own decisions for your family, reflective of your personal values and beliefs. Perhaps you have resigned yourself to this new normal in a social media age. They are undeniably beautiful and as parents we are proud of how they have grown.ĭoes it make you a little uncomfortable? Do you have a vague sense it’s not OK to distribute these images of their bodies, but you aren’t sure why? Perhaps you keep quiet because “everyone is doing it” and you don’t want to get into a fight with them. Several months into summer, how many of you have newly minted teen daughters posting pictures online of themselves looking adorable in their bathing suits? The images are (mostly) innocent, showing how much fun they are having in camp, on vacation, at the local pool. Most parents of pre-teen and teen daughters can relate. So embarassing, right? What was she thinking? She requested that a picture of her 13-year-old daughter in a teeny bikini be taken off Facebook. What horrible thing did mom do this time? Just had an interesting discussion with another mom upset over yet another argument with her teen daughter.
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