Whether we want to or not, let’s face it: sex is ubiquitous. We find it at the movie theaters and on the television, in the works of various members of the musical industry, and on the web. It permeates popular culture as an integral element to fuel comedy, to incorporate drama, to attract higher ratings, and to sell products. The fact of the matter is that sex sells.
Recently, this issue received renewed attention with a focus on the clothing company Abercrombie and Fitch. A retailer notorious for often selling sexually suggestive clothing, the company recently came under fire with the marketing of a product initially called the “Ashley bikini”, an article of underclothing for females designed to function as a padded push-up bra, to preteen girls on the Abercrombie Kids website.
The magnitude of outrage was such that the product can no longer be seen on the site. In the aftermath, though, there seems to be no end to the publications condemning Abercrombie’s deliberate sexualization of such young females. A comment that appears to be manifest in virtually all of such writings is the detrimental influence such premature sexualization potentially poses to targeted individuals as they mature into adolescents and adults. Concerned parents and experts alike have argued that promoting promiscuity from such a young age carry serious repercussions in regard to self-esteem, self-image, and encouraging predators.
The website for the American Psychological Association Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls reports that, “Ample evidence testing these theories indicates that sexualization has negative effects in a variety of domains, including cognitive functioning, physical and mental health, sexuality and attitudes and beliefs.” Furthermore, they add that, “Research links sexualization with three of the most common mental health problems of girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression or depressed mood… evidence suggests that the sexualization of girls has negative consequences in terms of girls’ ability to develop healthy sexuality. Self-objectification has been linked directly with diminished sexual health among adolescent girls.
Arguably most vocal of them all, however, is the CNN columnist LZ Granderson. In his article entitled “Parents, don’t dress your girls like tramps”, Granderson argues that this issue ultimately begins with the parental unit, as they stand to be seen as the individuals responsible for dressing their child. He writes, “It’s easy to blast companies for introducing the sexy wear, but our ire really should be directed at the parents who think low rise jeans for a second grader is cute. They are the ones who are spending the money to fuel this budding trend. They are the ones who are supposed to decide what’s appropriate for their young children to wear, not executives looking to brew up controversy or turn a profit.”
In many ways, this returns to the idea that sex sells (figuratively). Abercrombie, as well as the countless other clothing retailers throughout the world, sell this particular type of product because there is a significant demand for it. To put it into perspective, this product is available to the public for same reason that McDonalds still sells its food and Jersey Shore still airs its program on television: people want it.
For those looking for a quick solution to bring an end to further sexualization of young girls from the clothing industry, past instances indicate that such a thing does not exist. As with the campaign against the tobacco industry, the fast food industry, as well as various other industries that concerted citizens have sought to reform, change is slow in the coming, and often unsuccessful.
We can, however, vote with what industry will inevitably listen to: our dollar. Just as Michael Pollack promoted the idea of voting with your fork in campaigning for healthier eating habits in America, the same can be said of the sale of Ashleys.
The problem, as you may have guessed, is that a significant number of individual elect to eat fast food, smoke cigarettes and buy Ashley bras over what may seem more desirable in the eyes of some. And keep in mind that they have the right to eat whatever they want, smoke whatever they’d like, and dress their children however they may please.
The only viable option it may seem, then, is to begin at the level of the individual and convince those members of society who vote for to vote against, at which point the endeavor would reveal its social implications. At that point, we may as well ask Granderson to cordially reiterate his rhetoric “Parents, don’t dress your girls like
