How Sex Education Can Protect Against Media Sexualization of Girls

A comprehensive report on the sexualization of girls by the American Psychological Association has been getting a lot of coverage since it was released earlier this week.

The report, which defined "sexualization" as occurring when a person’s value comes only from her/his sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics, and when a person is sexually objectified, e.g., made into a thing for another’s sexual use, looked at messages in a range of media (music, television, web based media, print, video games).

While it's probably not surprising that the report found sexualization of girls to have a negative impact on cognitive, physical, and sexual development, it's great to have such a comprehensive evidence-based document to back up what hopefully seems like common sense to most of us. The report also comes along with tips for parents on combating the negative influence of media sexualization, which are pleasantly un-condescending.

What was surprising to me, and pleasantly so, was the inclusion of comprehensive sex education as one of the important ways to protect your children from the effects of media sexualization. From the "What Parents Can Do" tip sheet:

Educate. You may feel uncomfortable discussing sexuality with your kids, but it's important. Talk about when you think sex is OK as part of a healthy, intimate, mature relationship. Ask why girls often try so hard to look and act sexy. Effective sex education programs discuss media, peer, and cultural influences on sexual behaviors and decisions, how to make safe choices, and what makes healthy relationships. Find out what your school teaches.

This isn't a point that's getting picked up a lot in the media, most coverage favors focusing on how scary sex is and how terrible it is to think about teenagers having it. But it seems crucially important. We also need to educate ourselves. The APA report says you should find out what’s happening in the school your children attend. But chances are your kids aren’t getting any sex education, and if they are, it’s filled with scientific inaccuracies and inappropriate religious messages. I know parents who spend hundreds of hours researching the safest car seat, the best stroller, and the right books for the right age; to say nothing of trying to find a reasonable day care and later public school. If they would take even a fraction of that time to learn what they need to know to raise sexually healthy children, the impact over time would be tremendous.

Read more - Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls

Read more - APA Report: What Parents Can Do

Related - About Teen Sexuality