Mass Media & the Sexualization of Young Girls

I included a link to an essay, which is an introduction to M. Gigi Durham’s book, "The Lolita Effect." Although I recommend reading the book, this excerpt includes the main points of the book I'll be discussing. I thought many of Durham’s arguments connected well with a few of the blog posts, especially the Abercrombie and Beauty post by Andrea, as well as many of the discussions we’ve had in class.

Durham points out many examples of how the media influences the sexualization of young girls, at increasingly younger ages. For instance, Abercrombie and Fitch making thong underwear for “pre-teens” with the words "Wink, Wink," and "Eye Candy" on them. Another example she points out is the toy manufacturer Tesco, which began selling a "Peekaboo Pole Dancing" kit in 2007. The “toy” also included accessories such as a garter and play money.

Durham explains that while the media may not directly cause the behaviors of these young girls, the media are “culture mythmakers,” they supply them with ideas that seep into their consciousness and over time lead to a distorted view of their own desires. In effect, the media reinforces certain social patterns and trends and invalidate others. The media shapes the way we think and accept certain behaviors and ideas, which are so prevalent in TV and other forms of popular culture today.

I added a video too, sorry for the bad quality but I think it connects well with Durham’s arguments as well. The video focuses on the effect of the mass media and the distorted image they sell to young girls based on the ratings and profitability of provocative pre-teen idols like Miley Cyrus.

Here's the essay on The Lolita Effect:

http://etc.dal.ca/noj/articles/volume2/14_Durham1.pdf

The video on mass media marketing sex to young girls:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtJMdXM5oIk&list=PL5C4544C8DA299D97

-Nicole Munzer