Sex Sells!
There is a fine line between love and sex. And while trying to decipher the two is a matter of morals and individual perspective, and preaching in that regard is a lost cause much like trying to teach a monkey calligraphy. It must be said that while freedom of speech and behavior are at the forefront of civilization, are we all losing our minds? And is the ‘do as you please’ norm getting out of hand?
From the countless frames of booty in music videos to the pages of magazines and other teen worshipped platforms, the message that discreetly creeps into the minds of girls is you have to be thin and sexy ‘arm candy’. Rather than the message of being intelligent, beautiful people! And this is the stuff of eroding self image and an even faster deterioration of self worth. Thus leading to regrettable backseat sex, date rape, eating disorders and failing grades amidst depressed teens struggling to fit the clique and selling a part of who they are in an attempt to be ‘hip’ like the much talked about ‘idols’. And in trying to fit into this hyped mould many teens loose their right to self discovery, choice and uncovering the real makings of who they are, ought to be and want to be.
The element of sexy is a marketing ploy to grab attention, it is a commodity, and while ad campaigns may manage to procure more sales if a product accompanies a bikini clad model, young girls see that as a mirror of who they are meant to be, who society wants them to be. And things like adorable pudgy 11 year old ‘baby fat’ become tear induced issues of self loathed body image. Consequently tweens, teens and shockingly even a younger crowd obsess over calories and list plastic surgery on their wish lists rather mundane yet charming knickknacks.
Thus young girls already struggling through a weave of an overwhelmingly confusing web are further perplexed, frustrated and threatened by what is expected of them, and what they perceive as acceptable as opposed to little girls growing up to be strong, intelligent young women who have the courage to ‘dream’, to realize their aspirations and transcend their strengths to the people in and around their lives. Women who grow up to be leaders, CEO’s, teachers, Scientists, mothers and so forth as opposed to nameless, faceless bodies shakin’ it up to appease a two second consumer ‘itch’.
Women, the mothers, sisters, and daughters among the species are people, with beautiful souls and spirits. They have the capacity to be generous, intelligent, loving, confident individuals. Yet the message fed to young girls is anything but. The message young girls hear is not getting good grades in school, or being successful individuals rather they hear, be superficially gorgeous or be left behind, put out or be forgotten. So what the heck are we selling anyway to the generation that will shape tomorrow?
In other words the notion of sex sells is embraced at the cost of young impressionable, keen observers losing sense of self and crippling their potential.
So yes, platinum record sales soar, cars at auto shows zip out as sales roll in or another six pack passes a checkout counter at the corner gas station, all with a little nudge, a little consumer interest peeked by images objectifying woman — the mothers, daughters, sisters…
Sex sells, it sells products, sells dignity and self respect. It shelves the rights of little girls and future women to have a chance to grow up to be respected, loving individuals who have purpose. ‘This’ image on the screen, in pages, on posters, etc robs and often adversely influences young women trying to figure out the multitude of confusions the world presents and it ends up affecting their future relationships, choices and lives.
Now ask your self was the ‘sell’ worth it?
posted by SAM at
10:53 AM
