AN INFORMATION & RESOURCE PACK FOR PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS

A
FOREWORD
There is a growing concern about the commercialisation and sexualisation of
children and young people (CYP), accompanied by the pornification of our
mainstream culture. The two processes are closely linked and increasingly the
messages put across in all forms of the media are that women are judged and
valued on their appearance and sexual attractiveness. Children of younger ages are
put under pressure to take on narrow gender roles and increasingly evidence shows
that this is having an impact, particularly on girls and young women (GYW). These
impacts have been well researched (see section G for fact sheets) and there is
growing concern on how we can push back the boundaries to allow CYP to develop
ideas of healthy sexuality and relationships at a time and pace that is appropriate.
The commercialisation of childhood has meant that adult messages are being
directed at and forced onto CYP in order to sell more commodities.
One result is that GYW view themselves as objects to be assessed against other
people's standards and expectations. In the mainstream culture women are
increasingly presented as sexual objects in very narrow ways. GYW are therefore
pressurised to look and behave in sexual ways that reflect their sexual desirability to
others. This happens at a time when they are trying out identities and working
towards a firmer sense of themselves. These additional pressures and cultural
messages can affect self-esteem and aspirations. The objectification of women
teaches GYW that all they have to offer is their body and their physical appearance
should be their number one priority.
Boys and young men (BYM) are also affected. There is increasing evidence to show
that sexualisation is affecting how they view themselves, sexual relationships and
GYW. BYM talk of the pressures they feel not just to be sexually active but also to
recreate what they have seen in pornography. Many BYM are viewing pornography
at a young age, long before they have embarked on any physical sexual relationship
and are seeing and hearing skewed messages about what it takes to be a man in our
culture. They have to find their way through a sexualised minefield to understand
notions of trust, intimacy, pleasure, respect and consent, none of which is
supported by the near constant barrage of messages which show men as
aggressive, predatory and powerful. Whilst they do not face the same pressure as
GYW to look certain ways, they are also presented with narrow ideas of men's
bodies and eating disorders amongst BYM are on the increase.
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