• Salt Lake City: Partly Cloudy 54°
partlycloudy
Deseret News
Home
  • Login/Register
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Site
    • Text Version
    • Mobile Apps
Powered by YAHOO! SEARCH
  • News
  • Sports
  • Moneywise
  • Opinion
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
    • Cars
    • Jobs
    • Deals
powered by ksl.com
  • Marriage & Parenting
  • Family Media
  • Movie Guide
  • Calendar
  • More Family
    • TV Listings
    • Family Life Wire
Advertise with usReport this ad

Toddlers and Tears: The sexualization of young girls

  • Print
  • Font [+] [-]
  • 16 Comments »

By Mandy Morgan

For the Deseret News

Published: Saturday, Nov. 17 2012 10:40 p.m. MST

Photos
  • View 9 photos »
Summary

The sexualization of girls is happening earlier because of marketers for children, reality shows and expositions of "true beauty" through child beauty contests. Shows like Toddlers and Tiaras are just one way self image for girls is influenced.

More Coverage
  • Toddlers and Tears: A positive look at child beauty pageants

“They should be out being creative and imaginative, and when they focus on being sexy women it takes away learning opportunities. It takes away the beauty of childhood.”

Melissa Wardy

Little girls wanting to be sexy, which can interrupt the natural flow of age and social development, warps and compromises the girls' psycho-sexual development, according to Kendrick, which can lead to problems in later stages of child and adulthood.

Parents pitting girls against one another and saying "May the prettiest win" sets them up for a future where they believe success, prizes and positive attention will only come if they are the prettiest and act in a sexy manner, Kendrick said of child beauty pageants and their effect on young girls.

"At its core it is teaching girls that the best thing (they) can do, and the most attention they can get is to view (themselves) as an assemblage of body parts," Kendrick said. "And that you will focus on drawing attention to those body parts sets them up for all manner of problems in their lives — self-esteem, eating disorders, relationships they enter into."

Of those involved in reality shows about the world of child beauty pageants, like TLC's "Toddlers and Tiaras" Kendrick said, "Unfortunately these kids are not at all being helped by being filmed ... they are not only just pageant girls, they are TV stars and the pressure is excessive."

The role of parents

"Pageant society focuses on flaws and our society builds on that. We have to teach girls they can own their strength and adhere to their standards," Silverman said. "It is important to teach that kind of language ... if you are trying to teach them to feel good about themselves, you can not be cutting yourself down. We have to watch the negative terms we refer to."

Silverman believes there are a couple of ways in which parents can help children develop healthy self-esteem and worth, including media literacy and rules on communication in the home.

"I think it's really important that kids get involved in media literacy, at an early age for girls. You can look at catalogs and point out positive images and negative images," Silverman said. "They need to have the language and understand what is in the media has been altered by a lot of different vehicles."

Silverman has noticed when girls are informed about deceptions in the media they often become angry and want to fight back against it. Understanding the messages media is sending often leads to healthier views of self and worth for young girls.

"It's important for girls to be able to speak about themselves in a strength-based manner so they are saying what they are good at and what others are good at," Silverman said.

EMAIL: mmorgan@desnews.com

Related Stories
  • Toddlers and Tears: A positive look at child beauty pageants

  • «Prev
  • Page:
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

Featured Comments

See all 16 comments »
NeilT
Clearfield, UT

Scary stuff. I find beauty pageants for adolescent girls disturbing. To be honest I have never been a fan of beauty pageants for any age group.

  • 7:40 a.m. Nov. 18, 2012
  • Top comment
aceroinox
Farmington, UT

This article seems to miss the point. No, we shouldn't be sexualizing young girls with tight, revealing clothing and "glamour shoot" makeup and hair. But the real problem lies in the fact that adult women are also being dragged into that More..

  • 1:10 p.m. Nov. 18, 2012
  • Top comment
CP
Tooele, UT

I think the picture with this article says it all..this little girl is not happy and it seems to me that these poor little children who have to endure this don't have a say. It's all for the parent. Let little children be just that..little More..

  • 3:52 a.m. Nov. 18, 2012
  • Top comment
Comments
Leave a comment »

DeseretNews.com encourages a civil dialogue among its readers. We welcome your thoughtful comments.
— About comments

Advertise with usReport this ad
What You May Have Missed
  • Wives of LDS Church's First Presidency honored by children (+videos)
  • Disney's 'Brave' makeover sparks fury from fans, director
  • Mitt Romney to live in Utah — at least some of the time
Sample morning edition email
Advertise with usReport this ad
Most Popular
Across Site
In Family
  • Viral photos encourage moms to 'set aside the...
  • Early diagnosis may be key in slowing...
  • Fly a flag for Cody: Army confirms Utah man...
  • Taking back family dinner: A healthy,...
  • Men experience the pains of labor through...
  • Hundreds of volunteers tackle service...
  • Disney reportedly pulls new 'Brave' image of...
  • A crash course in 'Star Trek' for non-Trekkies
  • Photo gallery: Tornado rips Oklahoma suburb
  • Search for Susan Cox Powell is over, West...
  • XanGo co-founder accuses partners of...
  • Funeral services for Sister Frances J. Monson...
  • Utah State runner Brittany Fisher gaining...
  • Huge tornado hits Oklahoma City suburb, kills...
  • BYU football: Fan-developed software gives...
  • Amy Donaldson: LDS boxer B.J. Flores hopes...
Get The Deseret News Everywhere

Subscribe

Mobile

Facebook

Twitter

RSS

Email

Most Commented
Across Site
In Family
  • L.A. filmmaker tries to re-brand... 10
  • New app helps consumers purchase... 9
  • Disney reportedly pulls new 'Brave'... 9
  • Fly a flag for Cody: Army confirms Utah... 9
  • Utah lawmakers look to regulate child... 8
  • Men experience the pains of labor... 5
  • Reactions to abortion murder verdict... 4
  • Former middle-class moms choose new... 4
  • Utes football recruiting: Polynesian... 86
  • USA Rugby: 'What BYU won ... was a... 78
  • Mormon NFL safety Eric Weddle:... 68
  • Ryan Teeples: Ziggy Ansah's story... 68
  • Frances Monson, wife of LDS prophet,... 66
  • Mitt Romney talks IRS, AP records,... 65
  • Letters: No welfare, ever 52
  • High school baseball: 5A, 4A state... 52
Advertise with usReport this ad
Advertise with usReport this ad
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Moneywise
  • Opinion
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Obituaries
Home »
  • Blogs
  • Topics
  • Lists
  • Movies
  • Columnists
  • Watch It
News »
  • Utah news
  • World & Nation
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Education
  • Salt Lake County
  • Utah County
  • Davis County
  • Police/Courts
  • Legislature
  • Weather
  • Immigration
  • News Wire
Sports »
  • Utah Jazz
  • Sports Picks
  • BYU Cougars
  • Utah Utes
  • Utah State Aggies
  • Real Salt Lake
  • Salt Lake Bees
  • High school sports
  • Rock
  • Harmon
  • Watch It
  • Scores and Stats
  • On TV
  • NFL
  • MLB
  • Weber State Wildcats
  • Grizzlies
  • Utah Valley Wolverines
  • Southern Utah University
  • Sports Wire
Opinion »
  • Editorials
  • Op-Eds
  • Letters
  • Political Cartoons
Faith »
  • Featured Faiths
  • Mormon Times
  • LDS Church News
  • Mission Reunions
  • Faith Wire
Family »
  • Marriage & Parenting
  • Family Media
  • Movie Guide
  • Calendar
  • TV Listings
  • Family Life Wire
Special Sections »
  • Education Week
  • LDS General Conference
  • Mormons in America
  • Olympics
  • Outdoor Retailer
  • Rugby
  • Sports Picks
  • Sundance Film Festival
  • Utah Blaze
  • Utah Grizzlies
  • Print Subscription
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • FAQ
  • Feedback
  • Jobs
  • RSS
  • E-Edition
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Legal notices
  • Advertise with us
Advertise with usReport this ad
Connect tracking