BS: The Sexualisation of our Children

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Emma B
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 07:56 AM

Lizzie, if you are any kind of feminist then I am truly the brother of Chongos dad!

As for respecting men!
You have posted on the rape thread they they are little better than slaves to sexual arousal

You have a knack for espousing both misogenous and misandrous sentiments but certainly, I agree, enjoy a ladette snigger or two while criticising the young women who ape the worst kind of blokeish behaviour.

I'm quite aware that you have stated on many occasions that you hold 'dreaded' feminists responsible for almost everything except climate change

The author of the independent report to the Home Office, as one small part of their strategy in looking at Violence against Women and Girls, places a great deal of blame for the sexualisation of YOUNG PEOPLE on the media in its many forms - I have been unable to acertain in any part of her report - or anywhere else other than your constant allegations - that this has anything to do with feminism or any backlash except that orchestrated by the nedia.

You respect a woman for her brains - but disdain 'facts' but warn fellow posters against the 'feminist fact finders' on their midst!

Please - jump on any popular media campaign you want but do not diminish those who have been discussing the objectification and sexualization of adult and young women for much longer than you have jumped on this bandwagon.

Lizzie I will say one thing in your favour

You are like a stopped clock

You will be right at least once for one short moment in every 24 hours :)

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 07:30 AM

Emma, I am against the sexualisation of children.

I am NOT againt naughty or flirtacious humour amongst adults...and to be honest I hold **some** feminists, with their unbending, humourless attitudes to be part way responsible for the backlash that has now turned so many young girls into pervert's fantasies.

I would actually regard myself as more 'feminist' than many on here who choose to believe that a woman has rights to dress like a tart if she should so want. I would rather a woman was respected for her brain, rather than her boobs...

The fact that I am a Feminine Feminist who loves and respects men and doesn't mind having a naughty chuckle now and then, obviously gets up the noses of some, but...heyho. :0)

And thank you to those who have said kind things on this thread. I appreciate it very much.

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Emma B
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 07:06 AM

As a (dreaded) feminist - could someone please tell me why that is considered by our resident ranter to be a compulsory prefix - should I start describing anti feminists as demented damsels?

Anyways, as one of the above feminists, I have long been concerned about the increasing objectification of women both in society and how I sometimes see that reflected here on a forum, in fact I have commented on it more than once here, and still wince when I see casual 'jokes' that objectify women and girls like -

"From: Lizzie Cornish 1 - PM
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 05:02 PM

"Lizzie, I love threepenny bits as well. Especially in the Rhyming slang sense. "She's got a lovely pair of threepennies!!"

Oh, you Boys! ;0) "


As a consequence I was anticipating the much advertised, in the recent week, report commissioned by the Home Office with some interest as there has been a growing concern amongst womens groups in recent years that the Government should take some action to address the growing sexualisation of women in the media and popular culture and should use the opportunity of Violence Against Women strategies to rectify this

As recently as last May, the Home Office was in consultation with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, as a leading education union, and many other organizations with expertise in the field to look at the issue of ending violence against women and girls


On 25th November, the Home Secretary launched the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.

To -

Prevent violence and change attitudes
Provide the necessary support to women and girls
Protect victims of violence


As just one part of this strategy an independent review into the sexualisation of young people, conducted by psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos was also commissioned to examine if there was any evidence for a link between sexualisation and violence.

I'll admit that I was a little surprised at this choice of a psychologist who is familiar face on British and American TV and more usually associated with reality television series, such as Big Brother, Double Cross, My Big Breasts and Me (UK documentary), Celebrity Fit Club

Despite her stated intention that
"I wanted to ensure that this was not an opinion piece, but a review based on real data and academic research which will help generate further debate and inform decisions about how to address these issues going forward."

It is hardly surprising that the Telegraph was quick to undermine some of her argument by jumping on expressions such as

'it is perhaps not too much of a leap to posit' … 'the very real possibility that' etc …

and describe this as the language not of a social scientist, but of a journalist and sum the whole report up as

"it posits a link between that violence and various things that Dr Popadopoulus disapproves of — such as lad mags and airbrushed photographs — in a spurious attempt to either ban them or regulate them on grounds of public safety."

I personally regret that the media - and the OP of this thread - devote so much attention to this single (from an over exposed media favourite) and quite possibly flawed contribution to the Home Office Strategy rather than to other less publicized ones which have received none - I think it hinders rather than helps an equiry I care very deeply about.

End of rant :)

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: mauvepink
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 06:25 AM

Little girls dressing up in teir mummy's high heels and scarves has always fone on. =

Little girls dressing up in their mummy's high heels and scarves has always gone on.

Stupid typos. Apologies.

(I would also like to add that, even if it was a Lizzie rant, she is entitled to do so. She is not the only one who is capable of ranting here. I rabbit rather than rant but... let they who are without sin cast the first stone. Please don't condemn the thread just because Lizzie started it. She is entitled to her beliefs too)

mp

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: mauvepink
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 06:21 AM

I am with Lox and Lizzie on this one so far.

Little girls dressing up in teir mummy's high heels and scarves has always fone on. Little girls want to be grown up girls. When you see children's lingerie and some of the clothing for them and other products, you just know it's already gone too far.

The whole 'schoolgirl' thing kind of edged it for year but now it is blatant sexualisation fo children themselves. The idea of making it as abhorrent as racism, etc., seems a sound one.

Parents should just point blank refise to buy the stuff. The argument from the manufiacturers is that there is a market for that kind of thing. Consumers make the market succeed or fail.

I do not see this as a Lizzie rant. It's a fair point I think. I never let my daughter have stuff like that (though there was not a lot of it about back then) and she does not let her daughter have sexual merchandise. The responsibility here rests on the edaults to kill it.

mp

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 06:09 AM

Any normal person would agree with Lizzie Cornish, one has to ask why Richard Bridge does not.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Lox
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 06:00 AM

In addition, i would note that the sexualization of children and young women contributes to the objectification of women that causes some to see them as sex objects to be used or abused at will.

It also prevents social observers from remembering that young girls are people and not sexual stereotypes, with the result that they may judge yong girls for being to blame when they are victims of assault.

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Lox
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 05:51 AM

The report referred to in this thread concerns the bombardment of children with sexual images through media and advertising.

I also recognize this problem to be real and serious, and I hate the whole corporate propaganda thing that goes with it, which says that unless you are young and sexually attractive according to the definiton implied by advertisers trying to sell their product, then you do not fit in with cultural norms as prescribed by advertisers.

Advertisers add to the many pressures faced by young girls and young women today in a cynical and cruel way, by playing on their already bombarded insecurities.

I agree that children being used to advertise pornography, as is the case when a 12 year old wears playboy promotional merchandizing, is offensive on the deepest, most subterranean level.

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 05:38 AM

The BBC news video of teenagers talking about how they feel

Richard, LISTEN to what one of the girls says about 'the race against time' how she feels that you HAVE to lose your virginity as fast as possible, get it 'over and done with' to keep in with your mates and the pressure.

It ain't just coming from me you know. I've been trying to tell you this, to get you to understand what IS going on 'out here' for so very long.

This is NOT a joke. It's impacting HUGELY upon an entire generation!

We have let Sexual Predators take over our society and not said a word about it, for fear of being labelled prudish or being referred to as Mad Lizzie, or whatever other name you choose to put there.

I have no fear of names, nor bullying posters who seek only to undermine what I have to say.

Whether some of you like it or not, this IS now out of control and people are finally starting to wake up to the fact that society has to change, and that we, the adults, have to once again take on the responsibility for our behaviour and for protecting our children.

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 05:32 AM

Thank you, Richard.



The younger lady's name is Dr. Linda Papadopoulos, who is the author of the official report, not the auther of a book about sexualising our children, as I mistakenly stated above. Still trying to find the older lady's name.

BBC Breakfast News - Sexualising our Children

Dr. Linda Papadopoulos - Wiki

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 05:22 AM

I have finally come to agree with what many have long said. Please boycott all of Mad Lizzie's rantings.

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 05:19 AM

Well, Acorn, she...and the other lady who was there, a Professor, said that you have to make the sexualising of our children become as abhorent as racism.   They said that Society itself has to pull together to turn it around in the same way that racism has been turned around.

I agree with that entirely.

Of course, it will mean that we have to become 'judgemental' again, but in my book, doing away with saying "Nope, I'm sorry but this is just plain WRONG!" has been the biggest mistake of all. It has allowed those with weird agendas to move in uninhibited, under the guise of anyone who dares to stand up and speak out is an old fuddyduddy who should be chased out of town.

I am proud to be an old fuddyduddy!

Subject: RE: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Acorn4
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 05:06 AM

It's true what she says but Lord knows how you put all that into reverse?

Subject: BS: The Sexualisation of our Children
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 04:53 AM

FINALLY they are waking up to it! FINALLY the media is taking on board the terrible damage we are allowing to happen to the most vulnerable souls in our society.

Today BBC Breakfast News is talking about the 'official' report into sexualisation of our children. Yesterday BBC Radio Devon opened the airwaves to listeners about it and were swamped with anxious and angry calls. And also yesterday, the Bishop of Exeter came out to add his voice to the concern that is now starting to raise its head above the parapet.

There are calls to ban explicit music videos on TV until after 9pm (just ban 'em completely, imo)...there are calls for parents to say NO! over and over...for all phones and computers to automatically come with Parental Controls turned ON when you buy them, so that children cannot access goodness knows what on the net, calls for adverts to change, for society to change...

The BBC presenter on Radio Devon spoke about women dressed as 'tarts' in the music industry being presented to our children as some kind person to look up to...   Well, well, well....

Yesterday, in the rain, I saw a young girl, about 12, on her way home, underneath her 'cute' little Playboy Umbrella, the pink bunnies shining out against the black, in the darkness of the rainstorm...

I've spoken so often of little girls who are way too knowledgeable about how they move their bodies, without really understanding what message their bodies are sending out. They're just copying what they see on TV.

On the television this morning, they were talking with a woman who's just written a book on this whole thing, a very glamourous, young and pretty woman, (can't recall her name I'm afraid) who was dressed impeccably and elegantly. She was highly intelligent, and deeply worried about what is happening to young girls, boys too.

She spoke about how girls are being almost brainwashed into feeling that the only thing they are now valued for is...their bodies. How bulimia is on the increase, how boobs jobs are top of the plastic surgery list now. She told of how many very young teenagers have already experienced sexual assault. She also spoke of how boys are being brainwashed into seeing girls as sexual objects and treating them accordingly. Of how they see what's 'on offer' and they want it, take it.
The girls feel as if that's what they should be offering too....and so many of them want to be models or lap/pole dancers.

So, now that it's 'official' are people finally going to admit it's happening?