Sexual Images of Children in the Media: Promoting Pedophilia?

[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

[Dylan]

Originally Posted by Medusa

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

Yeah, I agree..shoving girls into mothering, cleaning, cooking, secretarial, shopaholic, hair dresser, hooker, stripper, sexualized, etc roles grosses me out and pisses me off sooooooooo bad.

And I have to admit that I had a bit of a problem when you mentioned the breast feeding vest (and I'm trying to figure out why, because I know know know it's not a sexual thing...I'm still trying to figure out *why* my initial reaction is what it is...I mean, I don't know if I would buy my kid a breast feeding vest, and I don't know why or why not...maybe because it IS so sexualized. I just don't know...still trying to figure out what triggered the initial 'ew' reaction when I know logically it's not a sexual thing)

And yanno, even if you're the coolest, most enlightened parent in the world...your kids are still going to gravitate towards gendered toys, because their peers are playing with gendered toys, and no kid wants to be left out


Dylan

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by julieisafemme

I wouldn't buy the toy because it is yet another useless thing that the kid will break, bury under 100 other toys or ignore 10 minutes after you buy it. Kids don't need that stuff. Their imaginations are plenty! My daughter used to just put the dolly to her chest and say her baby was having "nursies".

I don't know why breastfeeding is gross to people. I know for sure it is but I don't know why. Is it because our culture so sanitized or is it just sexism and misogyny? Also I am curious if anyone thinks breastfeeding sexualizes the child who is nursing? I don't but I have heard people say that about boy children older than a year nursing.

I think what squicks *me* is not the fact that there is a breast feeding doll.
I think it is the fact that little girls don't have breasts yet, and everywhere they look there are breast-centric messages being thrown their way.
I just want them to relish the years they have being KIDS, and it feels like they are pushed to be older almost right out of the womb.

The really weird thing about people grossing out over breast feeding IS the fact that breasts are basically the passport to the universe according the the MSM. It is the norm for women to get implants and big boobies are everywhere. Strange to be so puritanical about the thing that actually de-sexualizes breasts.

[Selenay]

Originally Posted by Medusa

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

I'm sorry, I just had a flashback to my childhood...

Marlo Thomas is there...

And that guy from MASH...

[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.