A "Well Duh!!!" article:
[size=18]Sexualisation 'harms' young girls[/size]The media's portrayal of young women as sex objects harms girls' mental and physical health, US experts warn.
Magazines, television, video games and music videos all have a detrimental effect, a task force from the American Psychological Association reported.
Sexualisation can lead to a lack of confidence with their bodies as well as depression and eating disorders.
Such images also have a negative effect on healthy sexual development in girls, the researchers said.
The task force was set up after mounting "public concern" about the sexualisation of young girls.
Research on the content and effects of television, music videos, music lyrics, magazines, films, video games and the internet was analysed.
Recent advertising campaigns and merchandising of products aimed at girls was also scrutinised.
Sexualisation was defined as occurring when a person's value comes only from her or his sexual appeal or behaviour, to the exclusion of other characteristics, and when a person is portrayed purely as a sex object.
They gave examples of a trainer advert that featured pop star Christina Aguilera dressed as a schoolgirl with her shirt unbuttoned, licking a lollipop.
According to the research identified by the task force, such images and promotion of girls as sexual objects negatively affects young girls in many ways.
"The consequences of the sexualisation of girls in media today are very real," said Dr Eileen Zurbriggen, chair of the group and associate professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
"We have ample evidence to conclude that sexualisation has negative effects in a variety of domains, including cognitive functioning, physical and mental health, and healthy sexual development."
The task force called on parents, school officials, and health professionals to be alert for the potential impact on girls and young women.
And it advised that schools should teach pupils media literacy skills and should include information on the negative effects of images portraying girls as sex objects in sex education programmes.
Governments also had a responsibility to reduce the use of sexualised images in the media and advertising, they said.
[b]Teenage magazines[/b]
Dr Zurbriggen added: "As a society, we need to replace all of these sexualised images with ones showing girls in positive settings - ones that show the uniqueness and competence of girls.
"The goal should be to deliver messages to all adolescents - boys and girls - that lead to healthy sexual development."
Professor Andrew Hill, professor of medical psychology at the University of Leeds, said it was hard to disagree with any of the reports conclusions.
"If you look at teenage magazines, it's all about sex.
"We are a visually absorbed society - our views of people are dominated by how they look."
He added that the use of women as sex objects in the media and advertising was a difficult issue to deal with.
"Only 18% of children's television viewing is in their designated viewing time and legislation can't be the answer for everything.
"One of the key things here is social responsibility - advertisers and other media need to be aware that the products they produce and images associated with them have an impact and it's not always a good impact," he said.
[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6376421.stm]BBC News[/url]
Ditto.
i blame them brats dolls.
radio five covered this a few days ago. Fathers were calling in saying one of the negative effects was eating disorders. one father had a 6 yr old daughter coming home saying do i look fat? All coz some girl who was considered chubby was bullied. She was considered chubby coz the girls were getting their perception of beauty from teen magazines like "sugar". The girl was slim of course but not a stick. Well this father blamed the magazines but he didn't take any responsiblity. How about reducing your childs' pocket money, or watching what she buys? She's only 6 for heaven's sake not 16. Teen magazines encourage children to have sex, to dress up like women, create eating disorders etc etc. This is not my idea of a healthy upbringing. Why are the parents of such young kids complaining do something about it!
As for TV same thing monitor what they watch. Most ppl have parental controls on remotes which they never configure...why? Quit complaining parents. The media will always be around their biz is to create money, yes they have to take some social responsibility, but so should the parents.
My sister who's only 8/9 has the same complex about her weight.
She's a skinny kid, but I think she picks up on the way her sisters/family talk....so cos she's surrounded by comments such as "Does this top make me look fat"..or "So and so uncle/aunty has gained a few pounds" etc
She's picked up the vibe that being fat is not a good thing.
And as a result one of the games that she plays with her friends is that she takes them upstairs pulls out the weighing scale and weighs them??!!
To be beautiful is to expect nothing in return.
i've heard of 8/9 year olds who have body image problems
but we are moving towards a more obese/unhealthy world
fatness amongst kids never used to be an issue before
fat kids fascinate my shallow baby sister
did any1 watch The 34 Stone Teenager yesterday on BBc1 :shock:
To be beautiful is to expect nothing in return.
no.
but i did watch a programme today on sky called "child anerexia"
Yes snoop saw it quite a while back , it was on a couple of months back. She was overweight due to a lot of insecurity and depression she seek to "comfort eat".
I hate it when people get bullied because of their size. Especially those people who are quite big in another words fat. Fat people are the nicest of people.
Although saying that they also motivate me to loose weight and get a lot fitter.
A rose protects its beauty with thorns..a woman protects hers with a veil
you can;t always blame parents, especially if the child is ill i.e thyroid problems can cause excessive weight gain. However when i see obese children like under ten years old then the parents arm in arm just as big it makes me think something went wrong with parenting. Aren't parents the ones who first introduce food to their kids? Shouldn't they be making sure their kids get a healthy balanced diet?
The problem today is a lot of parents give their kids too much pocket money, on the way to school in the morn u see them cramming into the bakeries for pasties, baguettes, and pizzas. I remember when i was in school i saw this girl eating crisps first thing in the morn followed by choc..i said doesn't that make u feel sick in the mornings? She said no i've not had breakfast. That hit the nail on the head. Parents are too flipping busy going to work getting up late or whatever excuse they don't even have breakfast on the table? Something is majorly wrong.
Without meaning to sound like my mum breakfast is the most important meal of the day..it's my fave meal. I have a big breakfast i need no snacks in between lunch. So listen to ya mum she knows best
So worrying. I have a daughter. I'm really worried about what might happen
live and let live!!!!!!!
I always remember the things my mum used to say when I was a kid. And now I say them to my kids!
"keep your room clean"
"have you done your homework?"
"eat half of your dinner at least"
Mums only say what is best!!
live and let live!!!!!!!
How young are they?
You're already negotiating.
Start of a slippery slide which will end up with a loss fo control.
What is the world coming to?
:twisted:
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Salaam
I'm inclined to agree with admin on this. At the age of about 6 I was so drilled that at a party having dinner with my cousin, he said I don't like this. I stared at him and automatically replied "you'll eat what you're given!"
Can you imagine a 6 year old kid saying that?
Gentleness and kindness were never a part of anything except that it made it beautiful, and harshness was never a part of anything except that it made it ugly.
Through cheating, stealing, and lying, one may get required results but finally one becomes