I bite my tongue a lot whenever I’m let loose in public. The other day at a large, upscale mall in Denver, I almost bit it off.
A toddler was dressed in high-heeled sandals, a very short skirt and a camisole. Her curly hair was pulled up in a frilly barrette and her mother was putting gloss on her mouth in what seemed to be an attempt to “tart up” her daughter. Then the woman told her little girl, “Oh, you look so sexy! You look great!”
No, she didn’t. And my whole mouth was on fire.
If the push to dress scantily starts at such a young age, it should come as no surprise, then, that a recent study of 15 major retailers found that one-third of tween and teen clothing is sexualized—that is, it’s revealing, has a sensual print and/or emphasizes certain body parts. Lead researcher and psychology professor Dr. Sarah Murnen says such clothing reinforces sexually objectified roles for girls and women. She calls the marketing of such items “pornification in the culture.”
“Pornification” is an incontestably odious term, yet a casual walk in Anytown, U.S.A., indicates that many people don’t see it that way. I frequently see women, teens, tweens and now toddlers dressed in next to nothing at all. The push to look “famous” and “sexy” is so great in our culture that it supersedes any thought of the consequences—which are considerable. Dr. Murnen and her co-researcher Dr. Linda Smolak found that girls who wear sexy clothes are at greater risk for body image problems. They also found that these girls are perceived as less intelligent and less moral.
Judging from Plugged In’s poll this week, and a burgeoning discussion on our Facebook page, I’m not the only one worried about this trend. So what’s a parent to do?
A good first step is to talk candidly with your daughter about the unreasonable expectations placed on her by Hollywood and, in many cases, her peers. Help her to discern what God says about true beauty and wholesome sexuality. (Hint: passages such as Proverbs 31 and 1 Timothy 2:9-10 don’t exactly promote wearing bustiers on the street.)
Only when we talk honestly, biblically and gently with girls will they be able to fight the cultural war waged against their innocence.
And as a bonus, my tongue will thank you.
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