Where Did Our Little Girls Go?

The sexualization of girls is becoming increasingly more mainstream. Girls are growing up way too fast and in all of the wrong ways. It could start with clothing or with toys but it all ends with an overarching sexualization. This branches into the idea of Lolita. The Lolita effect has to do with men's sexual fantasies of young girls. Whether young girls are dressed to look older, or women are dressed to look like children. Little girls often play dress up wanting to look older--that's fine. But when a ten year old is dressing to turn men on, something is way off. And I don't feel like attacking the parents is the way to go either, since a lot of this is done behind their backs, or without their knowledge. In some regards it may seem innocent until something bad happens. If a child doesn't look twelve, they are not going to be treated as if they were twelve and that can end up being a bad thing if it gets out of control. Not every man is checking the id's of the girls he is hitting on, and if the girl is participating willingly in the flirting, why would he question?

Let's Take a Little Trip
This is not just happening in America. Actually it is happening in other places of the world quite worse. Little girls are sold into sex slavery to pay for food for a family, or because her father cannot afford alcohol and often does not support his own family. Mothers may never see their daughters again and not know of their sale. Sometimes the traffickers will lie and tell them that they will be maids or nannies and then take them to the brothel, where they have to earn their keep as well as make up for what they lost in buying them. Girls and even boys as young as five could be performing sexual acts on middle aged, often American men. This happens because of our culture's value on youth and the sexual attractiveness of young women. To a point pedophiles are made by our culture, they are not always born that way. With this focus, even in modeling, on the uber-thin flat-chested woman could insinuate a sexual desire for adolescent or prepubescent girls. It also could lead many young girls into bad body image, self-hatred, eating disorders and unhealthy sexual relationships. If a girl doesn't feel she measures up, she might just take the first guy who shows her any "positive" attention. This is also not something that these girls can walk out of, and some do not survive because of abuse or diseases. If they are not profitable, then they get killed.

For Children And Why?
There is a growing demand for girls to break out of their prepubescent identities and enter adulthood is blurring the lines between right and wrong. Society is opening doors for pedophiles by encouraging young girls to wear provocative clothing and to dance in ways that signify sexual acts. But where is this need to grow up coming from? Girls are conditioned since infancy to want to mother. They are given baby dolls and playing house so much it becomes second nature.
Some argue that this has to do with girls physically developing younger, but I can't believe that that is true. Women have gone through puberty at varying ages and it does not guarantee, when you will start being sexual. I still feel the need to put the pressure on society and media influence. Girls are told to act more mature, they are given responsibilities mirroring adult tasks, and clothing manufacturers are making sexual clothing. A child may not even know what insinuations that a tee-shirt is making but an adult man might assume that she does.

Padded bras and Thong underwear for 10yr olds?
Young girls think that it is a right of passage to be able to wear a bra, even better if it is padded. And for my own personal research, I ventured into the little girl's section of Target, where I had much difficulty locating bras for children that were not padded. A girl who is a 28AAA does not need a bra, but alas, that is what I found and those sizes seemed to be the most prevalent. And yes, they were padded. Once graduating past the padded bra stage comes the desire for a thong. It has the appeal of being able to wear anything without the fear of the dreaded panty-line. While the eternal wedgie quality of it does deter some, others embrace it and find the fashion freedoms outweighing the discomfort. Those who embrace the dreaded thong are more likely to pull it up high and then wear lo-riding pants to show it off. This is an obvious attempt to gain sexual attention which is seen as rewarding to girls. And a way for girls to feel that they look mature and experienced. In high school I witnessed many guys talking about what color thong a certain girl was wearing that day. Is that really the message that we want to send to men?
Recently Miley Cyrus's little sister, Noah has come out saying that she is starting a lingerie line for children. This ended up not coming to fruition, but it's obviously something that could happen. And from what she wears as a major celebrity and a nine year old is still rather Lolita.

Trick or Treat?
October comes around the corner and candy corn and goblins come out waiting for the 31st. But Halloween isn’t as innocent as it once was. I’m not claiming that the overzealous Christians have a point or anything because for them pumpkin pie could be a sin. But kids costumes are no longer a sheet with two holes in it. For screaming 6 year old's there is the “sexy witch,” the “naughty nurse” and the scarecrow from Wizard of Oz that has a very short skirt. If I remember the movie correctly (and I should, it’s my favorite) the scarecrow never wore a skirt. For boys they can still be a Power Ranger or a Ninja Turtle, or whatever the latest popular cartoon is. Girls are supposed to be Princesses at last resort. And why cant a girl be a doctor or “the Scream,” it seems kind of ridiculous that girls are never supposed to be scary but always scared.
Now add the predatory portion of the holiday. Kids are coming up to doors, many times without parents or even a large group. A pedophile’s dream--kids coming to him, willing to do anything for candy. Plus who’s going to miss a couple kids for a hour or so? And most likely the kid wont remember where he/she was or what the guy looks like. Sometimes depending on the nature of the pedophile, what the kids or what he does wont register to the kids as wrong, especially if they are young or think its okay.

In regards to the Matrix
Women are often objectified to keep them oppressed by men. The men may be perpetuating the Lolita Effect to teach young girls their submissive role. But the girls then oppress themselves by carrying out these sexualized requirements. It is a watchtower concept, where after a while girls start to police themselves and no longer need men to dictate their sexualization for them. If women are oppressing themselves, many believe it is not a problem, but it is more of a problem because this internalization of oppression is harder to fight than the societal oppression.