WUNRN
HOW SEXUALIZATION CAN HURT YOUNG
GIRLS
FULL ARTICLE: http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/en/news/newsandfeatures/pages/sexy-babies-how-sexualization-hurts-girls.aspx
Clothing stores sell thongs for
seven- to ten-year-old, some with slogans like “wink, wink” or “eye candy.” In
child beauty pageants, girls as young as five wear fake teeth, make-up, and
hair extensions, and are encouraged to flirt with the audience by batting their
false-eyelash-laden eyes. The 2005 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on prime time
television featured models made up to resemble young girls dressed in sexy
lingerie. Magazines, television, and the internet abound with images portraying
girls and women as sexualized objects. There is growing evidence that this
sex-saturated culture harms healthy psychological development among both boys
and girls. ........
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High
Glitz
is a close-up and intimate look at America’s child beauty pageants, and in
turn our society’s obsession with youth, beauty, fame, and fortune. Susan
Anderson’s vibrant portraits of pageant contestants twist notions
of sexuality and identity, with a new perspective on this uniquely American
subculture.
“High Glitz” is a subgenre of child beauty pageants characterized by
couture “glitz” costumes and a broad array of cosmetic preparations
including, among other tricks of the trade: glamour makeup, elaborate
hairstyles, and “flippers” (false front teeth veneers). Anderson’s
stunning visuals are complimented by a “High Glitz Style Guide,” defining
and providing examples of the following categories: Beauty/Formal Wear,
Western Wear, Sportswear, and Swimwear, with a special section on hairstyles
such as “the Barbie” and the “Up-do.”
Each year as many as 100,000 children under the age of 12 participate in
U.S. child beauty pageants, and it has recently become a billion-dollar
industry. Parents invest thousands of dollars on costumes and private
coaches to give their children a competitive edge. Countless hours are
spent by professional hair and makeup artists on each child
in preparation for the competition. The girls are
spray-tanned, made-up, and groomed to a glossy perfection.
Anderson captures the results of this time-consuming
transformation process in exquisite detail.
In seeing how our society’s values of beauty, glamour, and celebrity are
reflected in the hopes and dreams of thousands of young girls, we come to
see that these pageants are a reflection of American culture itself.