I am becoming increasingly aware that a growing number of articles are occuring in the press around the over sexualisation of children, actually that's wrong, the sexualisation of children full-stop. I'm sure its a hate of many, but obviously not enough else it wouldn't be happening. Well, post riot time when people are beginning to review and cross examine the problems endemic within society, i hope that this is one that comes under scrutiny.
For me this issue with making children sexualised, starts with making children adult. Often accompanied by the usual cries of, 'oh its harmless'. The daily mail ran an article on a french company which is making lingerie for children aged 4 and upwards. Interestingly some of the advertising photos which were in the article were already removed (one particular one of a girl in knickers and a shirt tied up to reveal her stomach lounging backwards on a chair pushing the focus on to areas that are not even developed yet on little girls): Suggesting to me that it is against our laws to put that photo up on the web, because some others less offensive remain.
The company has named/shamed itself as, 'Jours Apres Lunes', and written a defense which composes arguing that little girls like to dress up like mummy. However, children like to do many things which are not good for them, it doesn't make it right. But why are some mothers seemingly encouraging this one? Seems to me that many parents want their children to grow up and be like them for several reasons, I'd guess at 1) wanting to re-live their childhood again through their daughters, 2) finding that girls copying them validates themselves and boosts their self esteem, or 3) really wanting their children to grow up as soon as possible.
I'm not a parent so i cant really condemn these parents as much as I'd like as i haven't been there, but then these riots got me thinking. For too long have people got away with things, and perhaps even mistakenly thought that society agrees (since it doesn't ever say anything otherwise). I feel its now time i stopped 'going along' with this trend and instead of doing what i think is politely ignoring said problem, i feel challenged to be more vocal, and the next time i see a child made up in an adult way, sitting in the beauty salon at aged 5 getting her nails done or taking a child's pole dancing class (yes these exist in several places) I'll say something. Its a risk to offend a parent, but ultimately it is the child which will lose out if we don't help them. Its time society stopped 'keeping its nose out' and started to get involved.
1 comment:
A few days ago, a woman was allegedly rude to a man (who was clearly not "all there", if you get what I'm saying) on the bus. I didn't hear the whole thing, just the end. The part that caught my attention is when the man said something to the effect of "You don't have to be so rude." A lady across from me got up, told the woman that she was, in fact, being rude to the man & to leave him alone. The lady allowed the man to sit down in her seat while the woman, who was on the phone talking loudly during the whole thing (that may have been what got my attention in the 1st place - she was probably talking louder than my music), kept talking loudly on the phone, complaining to whoever she was on the phone with about the lady who intervened and the man.
Assessing the risk first is always key. Aside from that, more people do need to speak up about issues , whether as small as the man on the bus or as big as early sexualization.
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