tweenage wasteland
Did you see the
new ad for Beyoncé's Deréon Girls Collection? Little girls, for lack of a better phrase, "tarted up" in adult-ish cropped and embellished jean jackets, purses, lip gloss and blush. Oh, yeah, and that one kid is wearing heels. They
appear to be adult sized heels that she is just trying on, as kids do, but... Sigh. According to a report (issued last year) by the American Psychological Association, sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls' self-image and healthy development. You're thinking:
Duh. And yet. It exists. And persists. Eileen L. Zurbriggen, PhD, chair of the APA Task Force says, "The consequences of the sexualization of girls in media today are very real... We have ample evidence to conclude that sexualization has negative effects in a variety of domains, including cognitive functioning, physical and mental health, and healthy sexual development." Eh, people are just making a big deal out of a
photo. Right? Consider this:
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