"Generation of Damaged Girls"

[solidground]

TweetThe generation of 'damaged' girls

Sarah Womack
London Telegraph
Tuesday, February 20, 2007

A generation of very young girls is being psychologically damaged by inappropriate "sexy" clothing, toys and images in the media that are corrupting childhood, leading psychologists warn today.

They say marketing takes unfair advantage of children's desire for affection and the need to conform, leading to eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression.

Their report echoes a warning by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and follows a United Nations study last week saying that British children were the unhappiest and unhealthiest in the developed world.

The American Psychological Association's report says inappropriate marketing is leading to the sexualisation of children by a consumer society.

Apart from clothing for five- and six-year-olds, with old-fashioned frilly frocks replaced by mini skirts, plunging necklines and sequined crop tops, the report specifically criticises "Bratz dolls".

These outsell Barbie dolls in Britain by two to one and come dressed in miniskirts, fishnet stockings and feather boas.

Disney's Little Mermaid or Pocahontas "which have more cleavage, fewer clothes and are depicted as sexier than characters of yesteryear" are also picked out.

"The consequences of the sexualisation of girls in media today are very real and are likely to be a negative influence on girls' healthy development," said Eileen Zurbriggen, the APA's task force chairman. "As a society, we need to replace all these sexualised images with ones showing girls in positive settings. The goal should be to deliver messages to all adolescents — boys and girls — that lead to healthy sexual development."

Her comments were endorsed by Dr Jean Kilbourne, the co-author of a forthcoming book So Sexy, So Soon: The Sexualisation Of Childhood, who said clothing, toys and adverts were shaping a child's gender identity and values in the wrong way.

She saw a direct link between what was happening and the rise in under-age sex.

Dr Kilbourne told The Daily Telegraph: "You see these clothes everywhere, tight T-shirts for little girls saying 'so many boys, so little time', that sort of thing.

"Parents think it is clever but they cease to think that when their child becomes sexually active at 12. There is huge pressure on girls to look sexy and dress provocatively at a younger and younger age and boys are getting graphic sexualised messages. But parents can say 'no' and refuse to buy this stuff."

Recently Asda was condemned for marketing black lacy underwear to nine-year-old girls.

Last night Sue Palmer, the education consultant and author of Toxic Childhood, said: "The same mothers that dress their daughters up like tarts are probably the mothers going on demos against paedophiles. They don't make the connection between how they are dressing children and what they are so frightened of — paedophilia." A Bratz spokesman said its dolls were bought by over-eights. "The Bratz brand, which has remained number one in the UK market for 23 consecutive months focuses core values on friendship, hair play and a 'passion for fashion'."

The spokesman quoted Dr Bryan Young, a psychologist at Exeter University, as saying "parents may feel awkward but I don't think children see the dolls as sexy. They just think they're pretty".


I came across this article today..I hate what marketing in the media is doing to our society..It doesnt just effect girls though it effects everyone. I think this is one of the biggest downfalls of our society today, and with the addition of sports, its why our youth doesnt pay attention to politics and whats going on in the world. For example look at what the media is doing with britney spears, we should be paying attention to, and interested in more important things

[daved150]

Tweeti'm guilty of the brat doll thing...but, i dont let her wear tight clothes...i know, one day she will...one day, there will be all kinds of guy's sniffing around our door...thats why i'm working out now!!! might as well scare the crap out of them early!! lol

[solidground]

Tweetwell some of it is harmless..but as a whole i think the idea of being "perfect" looking etc messes with alot of peoples heads..including probably alot of us on this board. I cant stand jappy girls..and on Long Island thats pretty much all there is, its a direct result of our media.

[SpyWizard]

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i'm guilty of the brat doll thing...but, i dont let her wear tight clothes...i know, one day she will...one day, there will be all kinds of guy's sniffing around our door...thats why i'm working out now!!! might as well scare the crap out of them early!! lol

it works, but the trick is, you have to make your daughter believe you are crazy enough to show up in a parking lot and pull the guy out of the window and beat him till he can't walk..

you only have to do this once..

i love this saying as well..

"you'll have my daughter back inside my house by 11:00 tonight... (not a question) because i'm not afraid to go back to prison"

[Testify]

TweetGood article. Mine is young right now, but this kind of stuff really worries me. Conformity is such a big thing to kids, and the desire to be accepted by peers and "society" as defined by the media and marketing firms conflicts with normal healthy development. I guess I need to prepare for my daughter to dislike me for just about her entire adolescence. Which sucks because Daddy is currently the greatest thing in the universe.

[daved150]

Tweet

it works, but the trick is, you have to make your daughter believe you are crazy enough to show up in a parking lot and pull the guy out of the window and beat him till he can't walk..

you only have to do this once..

i love this saying as well..

"you'll have my daughter back inside my house by 11:00 tonight... (not a question) because i'm not afraid to go back to prison"

lol...i'll deff. use that one!!! she already thinks i'm nuts...the phone rang at 9:15 a couple nights ago..my kids are not allowed calls after 9. all their freinds know this. so, the caller hangs up. my daughter came running downstairs when she heard the phone, so i know, she knows who it was. i *69 the call...it's this kid kyle (her "boy friend")..so i said, "kyle?, this is jessica's dad....did we not have the conversation about calling after 9 yet? oh, we did....so, you want me to drive to your house and have the conversation with your parents about NOT calling after 9?...oh, you dont. so i can trust that you will NEVER call my house after 9 again, right?...good enough this time"
my daughter was just standing there wide eyed..ahhh, it's all about the little pleasures in life!!

[trip]

Tweetagree, really don't know what can be done

imho, the cat was let out of the bag 15 years ago, ie, i was saying to friends this was going on etc., and it's just progressed

imho, some aspects of the "openness" is good, yet, opposite side is that there seems to be NO boundaries anymore, and thus more opportunity for trouble in the short run

[pigmeat]

Tweeti have 2 daughters and i dont think any boys will be coming by for awile...they are all scared of me already...the "big biker" guy,lol..they dont even look towards the house when they ride their bicyles by,lol

[kite]

TweetI have 3 girls and I dread the day that they start dating! I'm gonna be the biggest prick those little bastards ever heard of!

[SpyWizard]

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lol...i'll deff. use that one!!! she already thinks i'm nuts...the phone rang at 9:15 a couple nights ago..my kids are not allowed calls after 9. all their freinds know this. so, the caller hangs up. my daughter came running downstairs when she heard the phone, so i know, she knows who it was. i *69 the call...it's this kid kyle (her "boy friend")..so i said, "kyle?, this is jessica's dad....did we not have the conversation about calling after 9 yet? oh, we did....so, you want me to drive to your house and have the conversation with your parents about NOT calling after 9?...oh, you dont. so i can trust that you will NEVER call my house after 9 again, right?...good enough this time"
my daughter was just standing there wide eyed..ahhh, it's all about the little pleasures in life!!

yep, same rule here... no calls after 9:00.. kid calls me late, i'm all nice and here is how it goes

"Hello"

"yea... is jenny there"

"Sure, let me go get her... who's callin??"

"Tom"

"Tom, this is her father, she isn't allowed calls after 9:00, and certainly not at 12:30 at night, that's not how ladies are treated, so unless you want me to walk over to your house and make sure you and your mother knows this don't call again... ok?? "

"Yes sir, i'm sorry"

Kid never did call again.. funny how that works out..

[Klash]

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The generation of 'damaged' girls...

I don't like this whole princess crap either. I mean seriously, Cinderella has got to be one of the most abused, dependent, meek, spineless people to ever be looked up to. Cinderella needs a shank, a spine and some dead step family members and then you have a heroine.

[solidground]

Tweet^ so true man..we call them japs in NY..its nice if a girl looks good but im more attracted to a girl who is independent and can hold a convo about important things, not shoes.