My reaction to the topic of sexualization is one of sadness and disgust.
I have heard stories of children at my school who have said sexual things to
another or acted in a sexual way. I have watched students dance provocatively
and girls harass other girls because they are not “pretty” or “sexy”. It is not
a surprise to me because I have heard and seen these things.
As I have watched TV I have seen commercials for children and teen
Halloween costumes and clothing that were very provocative. For example the
Bratz Halloween costumes for young girls have short skirts and low cut tops
with stockings and heels.
In the movie “Mean Girls” the little sister of Regina, the “Plastics”
leader, dances and lifts her shirt up to a Girls Gone Wild Video on the tv. The
mother of Regina is also very sexual, and so are the four main teenage girl
characters in the movie.
At school last year, one of my former students told a girl in his
class that he wanted to have sex with her and touch her “boobies”. He was a
student who seemed so innocent and hearing of this completely shocked me.
At school, the students would get a reward called a Wii Dance
Party. Someone brought in the Just Dance dvds to use. As we scrolled through a
song, many kids yelled to stop at a particular song, I think it was by Nicki
Minaj. As we started to dance to it, we suddenly realized the dancing was not
appropriate at all. It was very sexual and provocative, with gyrating and touching
the body. We made it a point to let admin know about it, but it amazed us how many
Kindergarten girls already knew to dance like that. One girl in my class was
singing the song, with the “bleeps” and everything.
I think that sexualization in early childhood teaches children to
hold unrealistic expectations of themselves and of others. I think it also
makes children more aware of appearance, and attributes to lower self-esteem
and self-worth. “These lessons can seriously harm their ability to grow up to
have healthy attitudes about themselves and their bodies and to have caring
relationships in which sex is an important part” (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009).
I think children also learn to identify themselves more with sexuality rather
than other good qualities, and it becomes part of their identity. Some girls
are probably more likely to solicit themselves to have a boyfriend, for sex, or
any kind of partnership that makes them feel better about themselves in a
sexual way. This could result in poor choices in relationships and future
mates. Some girls may even end up having eating disorders, depression, or take
a path into drugs and alcohol or other illegal activities. “In the most extreme
cases, the media’s incessant sexualization of childhood can contribute to
pathological sexual behavior, including sexual abuse, pedophilia, and
prostitution” (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009).
This article and discussion of this topic has helped me to realize
what young girls and boys are seeing, hearing, and trying to understand in
their growing minds and bodies. It has made me more aware of the harmful messages
that are being sent to these young children and to pay more attention to
materials in the classrooms and schools, on videos and websites that we show. I
have also realized the importance of helping children develop that healthy
self-concept in terms of gender and confidence in their appearances,
personality, and everything that makes them the individual they are. I am
interested in finding a way to help parents realize the same, so that they can
help their child understand and work through any confusion/issues they have. I know
that some parents play music videos and songs in front of their children that
are not appropriate, and it would be interesting to hear their take on this as
well.
Levin, D.
E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon:
The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York:
Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf
You mentioned great examples relating to the topic. I also find it quite shocking when young children know explicit dance moves and song lyrics, which they may not be aware of the meaning of yet but can develop a particular vocabulary pattern and persona due to the early exposure. It is important that parents become wary of what they watch and listen to in front of their children, censoring themselves in a way to reduce inappropriate exposure to children.
ReplyDeleteHello Caitlin thank you so much for your detailed and insightful post. This issue really needs serious attentions. Like you said, I am also finding ways to help parents to help their children in this issue. I found out that some of our parents are too busy to know what their children do in their absence. We just have to continue to help children by being vigilant and stopping anything that will send sexual signals to them. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAloha Caitlin,
ReplyDeleteI amazed at your clarity and detail in that post. I made me think about how society and most of all the media objectifies our children. "Your too fat, not cute enough, too skinny, wrong color, etc.. It's no wonder kids want to shock us. Sex is a common denominator in a world that defines so many things as good or bad.
I've always taught my kids to embrace who they are and that their sexuality is a part of that. Their part to express with dignity and responsibility.
I agree with you that the messages children are receiving sets the stage for unrealistic expectations. It seems to be all around us from commercials toys to movies. I believe it's important that we do our part in making sure children really understand who they are and how to respect themselves. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete