“Children growing up today are bombarded from a very early age with graphic messages about sex and sexiness in the media and popular culture” (Levin, Kilbourne, 2009, p. 2).

                     

I couldn’t agree more with the words of Levin and Kilbourne in this article. I have 3 little boys myself so do not often look at girls’ clothing. In South Africa we wear uniforms to schools to all the children are dressed appropriately and the same. I was in a children’s clothing store a while ago and walked through the girls department, I was horrified to see hot pants and crop tops. The clothes were very sexy and I feel that if it were my daughter I would not want her to attract that type of attention to herself. I had this discussion with my Dutch brother in law who sees it very differently. He feels that by forbidding it and seeing it that way we are over sexualizing it, that it is merely fashion and we cannot think that everyone has that type of mind and intentions. I must disagree. I feel that children should be children and there is no need for provocative behavior. Even the way the girls dance and the role models that our children idolize. When I was growing up things seemed so much more innocent. In Holland the songs are not censored and often we would drive in the car and have the latest hits play full of inappropriate language. Here in South Africa I am happy to say that television and radio is still censored.

When watching children's programs on television often the language is precocious and with a sexual undertone. When I question my friends with daughters they say that “all the kids dress that way and they don’t want them to feel left out”.

Magazine covers that all over the shelves are sexualized and mostly woman in little clothing or made to look sexy.

I feel that this type of exposure can alter the way children feel about themselves and how they should present themselves to the world. By encouraging the exposure to a sexualized culture we are teaching our children that this is the way you need to look, dress and act in order to be successful and to be accepted.

I have always been very aware of this and also concerned. When I taught in Indonesia at an International school I noticed that children would come to school with small and skimpy clothing on (due to the heat as well) but I did not agree with it, we were visitor in a Muslim country where this type of dressing for woman is forbidden and even though we may not be Indonesia we need to respect the laws and traditions and be aware that people will be fascinated and curious to see young children dressed like this.

As adults and educators we need to be good role models to children.

 Reference

Levine, D.E., & Kilbourne, J.  (2009).  [Introduction].  So sexy so soon: The new sexualization childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books.