Sexual Culture and Childhood essays

Sexual Culture and Childhood essays As it is often said in the media Sex Sells, in fact sex sells so well that television media has deposited sexuality into virtually everything. A problem is incurred when the vulnerable are touched by these societal norms that should only impact adult or at least those who are able to reason and choose if they want to portray sexuality. Through this is an effective marketing tactic; boundaries are pushed when television sexuality enters girlhood. There is a sense of loss when the sexualization of girls is used as to gain profit. They are faced with vulgarities on television and sometimes dressed identical to teenagers as young as five. The effects of this are all too familiar. Little girls grow up believing that they are, in fact, their abilities lay in their sexuality. Preoccupied with making profit television, through advertising and sexual portrayal of girls have contributed to the loss of childhood. The commercialization of our culture has resulted in use of children as profit. During the last two decades, the childrens market has exploded in North America, and children are increasingly taking on the role of consumer. The Pew Research Institute reports that children have more money to spend than ever before. With this knowledge market leaders and business analysts believe that the 50 million under the age of 12 that exist within our communities must be targeted (Dill 143). James McNeal author of The Kids Market: Myths and Realities explains, the consumer embryo begins to develop during its first year of experience. Children begin their consumer journey in infancy and they certainly deserve consideration as consumer of their times. He calculates that direct expenditures rose from $6 in 1989 to $24 billion in 1997, to their current level of $30 billion dollars. As a result, our economy is heavily dependent upon the advertising market for children. How our childrens identitie...