So Sexy So Soon: Girls & Tiaras

TLC will debut another reality show capitalizing on the state of our culture with a snapshot of pageant for toddlers. Now that Kate & Jon+ 8 has become a rating disaster, it's time to find the next ploy to draw an audience. How about a showcasing little girls being conditioned to become beauty obsessed ? I saw a news story that reported that an infant as young as two weeks old has been entered in a pageant. Two weeks! This child is just discovering her environment and a parent decided the best way to build her child's imagination and place in the world is through pageantry.
Many of these parents, mostly the mothers, have also been part of pageants as young beauty queens. The cycle continues but now it's starting earlier on the premise the girls want to do it. Many parents have stated the kids wanted to participate and they're simply being supportive in helping them reach their dreams. One of the mothers interviewed stated, "small towns, big dreams." Regardless of where a girl is growing up, a happy childhood is more important than winning pageant trophies. At four years old, a little girl is parading on stage with loads of makeup, coiffed hair, in heels and smiling at the judges for votes. What is wrong with this picture? It all depends on who you ask.
A few months ago, I interviewed Dr. Diane Levin, co-author of So Sexy So Soon, about the sexualization of childhood in our culture. Little girls are growing faster and being objectified in the media for profit disguised as cuteness. This is a dangerous trend as some of these girls will become celebrities through reality TV and get scrutinized about their looks. There is also the possibility that other girls watching will see these participants as potential role models. What's next? Extreme makeovers for babies. The network will probably get a pass because the parents grant them permission to use the images of their children. Who should be held accountable?
Everyone should read So Sexy So Soon to learn about ways to raise media savvy children and teach them critical thinking skills. If toddlers are now part of the reality TV landscape, it is clear parents and others must take a proactive role to counter these packaged messages about girl/childhood. Don't thinkg that boys are exempt from these images, Dr. Levin reminded me that they're negatively affected as well. Drs. Levin and Jean Kilbourne offer some great tips in their book. Here are some examples from the website:
• Encourage a broad range of interests and skills in both your girls and your boys.
• Choose toys and play materials that allow for a broad range of play activities instead of narrowly scripting it.
• Encourage girls and boys to find common ground for engaging in meaningful activities with each other, including play.
• Point out examples of males and females who are doing a broad range of activities, not just the limited range that children so often see in the media.
• Help boys and girls find appealing role models that provide alternative images to increasingly influential celebrity culture with its superstar icons.
I encourage you to add the book to your reading list. It's a must have companion guide to complement your parenting and teaching.



Media Diva