The Sexualization of Early Childhood

In today's society children have too much exposer to sex and violence.

Children growing up today are bombarded from a very early age with graphic messages about sex and sexiness in the media and popular culture (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). Children are not longer being kept away from adult images and adult languages. It has become such an issue that children are having sex and having children at younger ages then we may have during our youth. Children are encountering these issues before that are fully able to understand and deal with them. Children exposed to images of sexual behavior devoid of emotions, attachment, or consequences. They learn that sex defines relationships and friend ships. They also learn that sex is often a direct correlation to violence. Young girls get the idea that their physical appearance and the right products with being sexy and successful. Such lessons will shape their gender identity, sexual attitudes, and values, and their capacity for relationships, for love and connections, that they take into adulthood (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). Children are being robbed with the ability to just be kids and enjoy age-appropriate task.

 

Learning about this topic has made me more aware of how it effects children and their development. It has opened my eyes to how big of an issue this is for children and focus on my role in correcting the wrong that's being done.

 

Its amazing how many videos you can find that promote sex and encourage inappropriate behavior in little children.

 

 

 Reference
Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf