Sexual Images of Children in the Media: Promoting Pedophilia?

[Words]

These images are creepy.

Could we please though not let this develop into a my image is creepier than your image contest? (We all know that images like these exist. I just wonder about the benefit - potential harm? - of reproducing them here).

Words (personal triggers acknowledged)

[Medusa]

Originally Posted by Words

These images are creepy.

Could we please though not let this develop into a my image is creepier than your image contest? (We all know that images like these exist. I just wonder about the benefit - potential harm? - of reproducing them here).

Words (personal triggers acknowledged)

Not trying to squick anyone out, Words, but I get what you are saying.

I am ok with linking to the page where the images reside (these are all hotlinked to someone else's webspace) so that people will have to click through a link. My intent was so that we could see what different types of media manipulation looks like (for instance, the baby heels? I would have never been able to picture that!)

[SuperFemme]

Isn't it odd that for the most part the sexual media sticks with our girl children?

[Medusa]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

Isn't it odd that for the most part the sexual media sticks with our girl children?

SO true, and do you think that the toys that revolve around motherhood and being a wife and (EEEEKKKKK!!!) a *breastfeeding vest with a doll that sucks* for a 5-year-old to wear is a form of over-sexualization.

I mean, girls receive images and messages just about from the time they are born that they must be a mother, a wife, etc. etc.

Ai. Yi. YI.

[Selenay]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

Isn't it odd that for the most part the sexual media sticks with our girl children?

Not at all surprising! We live in a culture obsessed with preserving youth (think about how many ads you see for a youth regenerating serum/cream or a wrinkle prevention/fixing formula every day.

Children are encouraged to grow up fast, and to seek the benefits that come with age--but they should stay twenty one forever.


Women are socially indoctrinated to be good girls--innocent and pure--while being bad girls--sexually deviant, mischievous, naughty.


It's no wonder that children are being placed as almost the archetypal woman.

[SuperFemme]

From early on girls are encouraged to be in supportive roles. Hence the toy vacuums, kitchens, make up, princess outfits, breast feeding dolls and pregnant Barbies.

I keep waiting for there to be a Child Support Ken or a chefs set for toddler boys.

Instead boys are given trucks, tools, and narcissistic superheroes. They are frowned upon when attempting to engage in what is considered "girl" play.

Which of course takes us to adulthood, where it is perfectly normal for Hugh Hefner the Crypt Keeper to shack up with three twenty somethings...but the media is rabid about Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore getting married and it spawns a series of "Cougar" themed media.

Just blech.

SO.

What the fuck do you say to a Mom who drags a tot to these pageants? I want to slap them. Each and every one of them.

[SuperFemme]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...hion-show.html

[Dylan]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

From early on girls are encouraged to be in supportive roles. Hence the toy vacuums, kitchens, make up, princess outfits, breast feeding dolls and pregnant Barbies.

I keep waiting for there to be a Child Support Ken or a chefs set for toddler boys.

Instead boys are given trucks, tools, and narcissistic superheroes. They are frowned upon when attempting to engage in what is considered "girl" play.

Which of course takes us to adulthood, where it is perfectly normal for Hugh Hefner the Crypt Keeper to shack up with three twenty somethings...but the media is rabid about Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore getting married and it spawns a series of "Cougar" themed media.

Just blech.

SO.

What the fuck do you say to a Mom who drags a tot to these pageants? I want to slap them. Each and every one of them.

Why would a boy get a 'chef's set' to play with, but a girl just gets a stove and pots and pans?

I'm not picking on you, but this shit pisses me off. When boys DO get a cooking toy...he's a 'chef'...but when a girl gets a cooking set, she's 'just a housewife'?


Again, It Just Pisses Me Off,
Dylan...so off topic, I'm sure, and no...I haven't caught up. I'm committing my own pet peeve as we speak

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by Dylan

Why would a boy get a 'chef's set' to play with, but a girl just gets a stove and pots and pans?

I'm not picking on you, but this shit pisses me off. When boys DO get a cooking toy...he's a 'chef'...but when a girl gets a cooking set, she's 'just a housewife'?


Again, It Just Pisses Me Off,
Dylan...so off topic, I'm sure, and no...I haven't caught up. I'm committing my own pet peeve as we speak

Oh. I guess you missed my sarcasm. I thought it was glaring.

[Lady Pamela]

Originally Posted by julieisafemme

As a survior of childhood sexual abuse from a serial pedophile I have to say that from what I know media images do not create pedophiles. They certainly may incite them but they do not entice grown men to abuse children. The psychological make up of pedophiles is complicated. To me that kind of smacks of blaming the media.

I also don't think there is anything wrong with a breastfeeding doll for a child. Breastfeeding is not sexual. Breasts are not the exclusive domain of sexual objectification. A boy could play with that doll just as much as a girl especially if Mom is breastfeeding. Children often want to emulate Mom and if she is nursing a young child there is not a darn thing wrong with a child playing in that way. Being a Mom and a wife is not the only thing girls can do but it is not a bad thing either.

Sorry if I am crabby. I am with Words. This thread is triggering me big time. I don't want to crab puff about it so I'll just try to keep myself away.

I agree with you in the fact that it doesn't create pedifiles..But...I do believe it fuels them .

I as well was assaulted as a child and I believe the more things out there to fule these personalities...The more it is brought to front and acted upon.

In my opinion only.

I also realize that bringing it to front to fight it...may have a duel result at first...But in the end if things work out right...It may slow the result of abuse even a lil.

[always2late]

Originally Posted by julieisafemme

As a survior of childhood sexual abuse from a serial pedophile I have to say that from what I know media images do not create pedophiles. They certainly may incite them but they do not entice grown men to abuse children. The psychological make up of pedophiles is complicated. To me that kind of smacks of blaming the media.

I also don't think there is anything wrong with a breastfeeding doll for a child. Breastfeeding is not sexual. Breasts are not the exclusive domain of sexual objectification. A boy could play with that doll just as much as a girl especially if Mom is breastfeeding. Children often want to emulate Mom and if she is nursing a young child there is not a darn thing wrong with a child playing in that way. Being a Mom and a wife is not the only thing girls can do but it is not a bad thing either.

Sorry if I am crabby. I am with Words. This thread is triggering me big time. I don't want to crab puff about it so I'll just try to keep myself away.

I am also a survivor of abuse, and while I agree that these images do not make pedophiles, this does not detract from the fact that sexualizing a child is beyond wrong. It is just disgusting.

I also find the breastfeeding doll very off. And, forgive me, but I don't understand the logic in the post. I agree that breasts are functional and not necessarily sexual, and yes, children want to emulate their parents...but that does not mean we LET them. It is OUR job as parents to set boundaries for our children...and this includes determining what is appropriate and/or inappropriate for a child. That is the point....there are adult behaviors, mannerisms, clothing, etc...that are not APPROPRIATE for a child! For example...my son would LOVE, I am sure, to try to drive the car. However, he is 10 with neither the judgement, size, or skill to drive...therefore, NO driving. Sorry if it seems like I am oversimplifying...but really, shouldn't it be that simple?

[Dylan]

I don't understand why breast feeding is seen as 'inappropriate'.

I mean, I agree with Juliesafemme. It's not a sexual thing...yet it is constantly sexualized...even to the point of being considered 'illegal' in some places.

So, why is it ok to have a doll that one gives a bottle to, yet breast feeding is seen as 'wrong'?

I don't get it.


Being Serious,
Dylan

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by Dylan

I don't understand why breast feeding is seen as 'inappropriate'.

I mean, I agree with Juliesafemme. It's not a sexual thing...yet it is constantly sexualized...even to the point of being considered 'illegal' in some places.

So, why is it ok to have a doll that one gives a bottle to, yet breast feeding is seen as 'wrong'?

I don't get it.


Being Serious,
Dylan

I think this has to do with the sexualization of women, period. If my only, or primary, value is sexual than anything I'm doing with my breasts must be sexual too.

I breastfed my son until he was 17 months old...and I couldn't even begin to tell you how much crap I put up with about it. I was always modest about it...that's just who I am...and my son was one of those babies who was fine to have a blanket or scarf covering completely while he nursed. I was told on more than one occasion that I should go nurse him in the bathroom...instead of the relatively private quiet spots I would find at the mall, in a restaurant or wherever I was. My reaction was always the same...."really? do you eat your lunch in the bathroom? I don't."

Women's bodies aren't always sexual...but in this culture that's still their primary value. Barf.

[Medusa]

Originally Posted by Dylan

I don't understand why breast feeding is seen as 'inappropriate'.

I mean, I agree with Juliesafemme. It's not a sexual thing...yet it is constantly sexualized...even to the point of being considered 'illegal' in some places.

So, why is it ok to have a doll that one gives a bottle to, yet breast feeding is seen as 'wrong'?

I don't get it.


Being Serious,
Dylan

I actually have much less of a problem with the breast-feeding part than the "shove a young girl into a role as a Mother" part. I wouldnt mind it so much if there were dolls and such to encourage young boys to fantasize about what a good Father they would be.

But I do get that breastfeeding is sexualized. I will admit to being a little squicked by the flower petals on the vest that would cover the part where the breasts should be

[Soon]

Originally Posted by always2late

I am also a survivor of abuse, and while I agree that these images do not make pedophiles, this does not detract from the fact that sexualizing a child is beyond wrong. It is just disgusting.

I also find the breastfeeding doll very off. And, forgive me, but I don't understand the logic in the post. I agree that breasts are functional and not necessarily sexual, and yes, children want to emulate their parents...but that does not mean we LET them. It is OUR job as parents to set boundaries for our children...and this includes determining what is appropriate and/or inappropriate for a child. That is the point....there are adult behaviors, mannerisms, clothing, etc...that are not APPROPRIATE for a child! For example...my son would LOVE, I am sure, to try to drive the car. However, he is 10 with neither the judgement, size, or skill to drive...therefore, NO driving. Sorry if it seems like I am oversimplifying...but really, shouldn't it be that simple?

Sure driving a car and feeding an infant are adult behaviours, and that is why toy companies have developed products that let the child imaginatively participate in them.

A child can drive a pretend car and that is fine--the child wants to emulate the act of driving, so the parents buy a toy car/big wheels (whatever) for the child to scoot around in.

I'm with Dylan and Julie--why is a toy bottle a more appropriate device for the imaginary feeding of a baby?

I don't see this type of doll as contributing to the sexualization of children.

[SuperFemme]

i don't think breast feeding is sexual AT all.
In fact, I think we got around to that by route of ways girl children are taught to be good girls and housewives.
All the toys emulating that geared towards little girls IS sexist and misogynistic when coupled with the fact that not a lot of toys are geared towards girls being masculine and boys being feminine. I use feminine and masculine only in the strictest binary sense as perpetuated by MSM.
(so please don't give me a lesson on what is and isn't feminine or masculine, because trust me...i know).

I have watched my daughter be asked to leave a restaurant due to the fact she was breastfeeding in a corner booth, covered up. Needless to say, Mom was there and we not only stayed, we ate for free. Grrr.

[tuffboi29]

Now, whereas I dont agree, that, this type of media makes a pedephile, I DO strongly agree that the objectification of our daughters and our sons has got to stop.

As a mother of a seven-year old girl, and raising two boys (my ex-wife's children) I am alarmed at the clothing I see being sold in the stores.
My first example: Wal-mart. Have you noticed the clothes they have for little girls, and for that matter some of the boys clothes, too?
My second example: K-mart. My, but, they are just as bad.

Now, raising 3 children, without support from the other "parents", I am left with not as much money as I would like. Even worse are times when I would love to be able to get clothing at a decent price. I will be damned, however, before I will go to some of these estblishments to purchace them. Some of these stores seem hell-bent that I buy a pair of shorts that barely cover MY children decently. Since when do my sons need jeans that show...ahem...ANYTHING? As far as that goes, why does my 7 year old daughter need a top with a plunging neck-line?


These are just my opinions. I'm glad someone had the brains to point this out to others who seem to think this way of dressing CHILDREN is "ok".
As a loving, concerned parent, I don't find one thing "ok" with it.

[The_Lady_Snow]

I and this is Snow coming from Snow space..

I think that these disturbing images do feed the sick fuckhead pedophiles out there. I mean come on, look at the adds parading our children like meat for anyone to look at, release themselves to etc.

If you really can't see that I have to say I am shocked anyone does not.. I am blessed that my soon to be 10 year old still has some innocence left, and that his little mind is still about playing in the park, bowling and not other disturbing things.

We allow the media to pimp out our kids and stay silent. Pisses me off. Our kids don't have a network such as Animal Planet.

I think we should.. I really do, our kids are not advocated ENOUGH.

That is all I have to say about that for now.

[The_Lady_Snow]

Originally Posted by julieisafemme

Lady Snow, I do see that. Pedophiles would exist without the media images though. It is to me more harmful that our children are paraded around and that our culture accepts that. There are many people who would say that queers, just by their very existence, promote pedophilia. The sexual images of children in the media are not viewed as child pornography and I think this desensitizes people to the sexual content in them. By that I mean they don't maybe view it as sinister. The bar gets raised incrementally higher for what people will tolerate.

Um what does queer have to do with the hyper sexualization of our children?

I will be honest none of the queer parents I know, dress their kids provocatively, and I am not saying there aren't queers that do. You don't think that some young kid who has these thoughts about kids isn't going to use these add as a stepping stone to worse images?

really?

I know they are born this way but when they have nothing to get a hold of, magazines, catalogs and a walk in the park become their erotic images. I know for me, nothing could make me accept any of the add put up in this
thread.

It's disgusting and gross that our children are pimped out for the sake of Brand Name clothing...

If I was filthy rich I wouldn't do that to my kids I made sure when with me my kids were kids, not tiny Guess ads.

[SuperFemme]

Sexualized children and pedophilia are so NOT two separate and distinct issues.

Not if you are Jon Benet Ramsey. Not if you are the mother letting your child dress like what she see's in the MMS and sending her out to the playground never to be seen again.

Not if you are the registered sex offender who cannot download kiddie porn but have access to Toddlers in Tiara's and a bottle of lotion.

Funny you mention buying stuff at Lands End, while the people who cannot afford that are stuck shopping at K-mart and Wal-Mart with a vast array of inappropriate clothing but limited stuff any of want to dress our girls in. I wonder if that ties into the fact that a lot of girls disappear from homes of underprivileged parents? If that somehow makes them more susceptible?

Because while sexualizing children doesn't CAUSE pedophilia, it is certainly not a deterrent is it?