Kathryn,+Sammi+and+Kiana

@http://www.livescience.com/21609-self-sexualization-young-girls.html

Abstract:  It's a proven fact that girls are affected by what they see on social media. Girls as young as 9 are worrying about how much they weigh and have an urge to be skinnier. Recently, that age has dropped drastically to the age of 6. Six and seven year old girls want to be sexy and they can see that those who dress sexy are more popular at school. However, the media isn't the only one to blame. Mothers also have an influence on their kids. If they worry about their bodies a lot during the day, girls can pick up on these antics. Young girls play with dolls that are dressed with very little clothing. Girls want to be like their Barbies which leads them to believe that "sexy" means friends and popularity.

Questions -Do you think that dolls such as Bratz and Barbies are appropriate for young girls to play with? Why? -How can we prevent self-sexualization among young girls? -The article says that underexposure to media can also cause self-sexualization in young girls. If that is true, how can we create a healthy balance for young girls? What type of boundaries could be set for them when watching TV shows, movies, etc.? -What are some examples that young girls see that causes self-sexualization? -How might the fathers affect how young girls view themselves? -How does playing sports or participating in any form of athletic arts affect self image? -How are we, as a society, suppose to encourage individuality?

Responses: Kiana It would not have surprised me if it were simply a few girls a young as 6-years old that already view themselves as sex-objects due to media or older peers. However, I am surprised and find it disturbing that self-sexualization can be identified in "most" girls around that age. It makes me think further about media's portrayal of over-sexualized women and its effects on females' view of themselves. I was even more disturbed by the fact that girls that young would view themselves as sexy or want to be viewed as sexy. In my generation and younger ones, I feel as though too many girls feel the pressure, need, or desire to grow up so quick. This article also made me think twice about whether it is appropriate for parents to buy their little girls dolls such as bratz and barbies. I do not understand why the companies would dress the dolls in sexualized clothing when it is targeted to young girls.

Kathryn I found this article to be interesting. It is quite unfortunate to think that body image is thought about as a popularity factor. It was actually sickening to think that the doll dressed in skimpy clothes was the one that the little girls picked to "be". They wanted to have the attention from the short clothes instead of the trendy and not as showy outfit. The fact that they wanted to be sexier at such a young age is a conflicting thought in my mind. It is terrible that they need to even consider that in their age especially. It all plays back to what they see on tv and in magazines. How do they need to act, how do they need to look to be on the cover of the magazines? The part that impacted me the most was the fact that the dancers were the ones who were able to point out that the more clothed doll was popular while they still have extreme awareness of their weight and what they look like. This was the same with the athletes. The way young girls see themselves is so important to their growth into adolescence and adulthood. If they start objectifying themselves as objects from such a young age, they aren't allowing themselves to grow as individuals. Instead, they fall vulnerable to society telling the girls what they have to do to be considered "sexy".

Sammi: Growing up, my mom never let me play with Bratz. She said that they were too sassy and weren't appropriate for a girl my age. At the time I was mad at her. All of my friends had Bratz, so why couldn't I have one? Looking back, I can see why she wouldn't want me playing with those kinds of dolls. When I found this article, to be honest I wasn't really surprised. With media affecting girls that are younger and younger, I knew that it was only a matter of time. However, I found some of the results disappointing. The fact that majority of these girls wanted to look like the "sexy" doll is really alarming. At this rate, future girls will be vulnerable to the pressures of society. When young girls are growing up, there will be times when they don't like their body, it's inevitable. However, something can be done to prevent this from starting at such a young age. It's upsetting and hard to believe that these little girls want to dress in skimpy clothes in order to be popular.