Sexualization of Girls and Young Women - Essay Example

In comparing the results from past decades on the trends in advertising there has been a considerable increase in the the sexualization of women and young girls in various media platforms, ranging from television advertisements, to print and other visual media. Negative consequences of these attitudes on sexualization affect young girls the most such as decreased mental and physical health, along with cognitive and emotional problems (APA Task Force on the Sexualisation of Girls). 

About this topic, the increased sexism observed in the male population has also been observed to increase significantly, wherein the behavior has also been normalized as the result of a loose screening by publishers such as those that market men’s magazines or “lads’ mags” (Horvaath 467). What is even more disconcerting is the fact that despite recognizing the signs and attitudes of sexists as well as correlating these with how convicted rapists think regarding female sexuality, due to the insistence of lads’ mags publishers that their publications must not be taken into face value, many still consider these to be authoritative sources of information in dealing with the opposite sex.
This kind of attitude further pushes the boundaries of what counts as sexist or not, and in conjunction with the sexualization of young girls or women, these actions may well contribute to the decreasing impact of gender equality and feminist movements by demeaning the values and contributions of women and merely delegating them as men’s objects for sexual gratification. Read More