6358. Week 6. The Sexualization of Early Childhood

The sexualization of early childhood is a situation I was aware of even before getting involved in this educational field. I remember when I realized that children’s clothes were no longer of light colors, decorated with sweet images of flowers, clouds, or animals. Instead, it was more and more usual to see clothes in black or red colors, with images of dolls, which did not look like dolls for children, but for adults due to their physical characteristics –wearing mini-skirts, lipstick and excessive eye makeup. Sadly, the only thing I used to do, was just to thank God for letting me grow up playing with sweet baby dolls, and wearing clothes of light colors. Certainly the messages that media –and maybe myself, may be sending to children about their integrity as persons, have not been the right ones; especially if I have not done anything specific to avoid this sexualization.

As an early childhood teacher, I have been able to see how children act in ways that match the sexualized environment in which they are immersed (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). I remember when assisting in an Early Head Start classroom, having witnessed two three-year old girls singing in front of a mirror in the dramatic area, Justin Bieber’s song Baby. While singing, these two girls were shaking their hips, going up and down, and making other body movements with their mouth wide open when not singing.  I also saw many times how the girl wearing tank tops, with Hannah Montana or iCarly images, and mini-shorts was the leader when playing outdoors, and how the girls with more age-appropriate and plain clothes were excluded of the game. Another experience I had, was when a girl refused to eat breakfast and lunch because she had lipstick on her lips –the girl’s mom allowed her to wear it.

The messages and images that constantly bombard children in a sexualized environment can affect their development by sending them wrong messages about their gender roles, e.g. girls have to look “beautiful, thin, ‘hot’, and sexy” (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 2), while a lack of sensitivity is expected on boys besides macho behaviors. Children who are exposed to sexualized media can develop pathological sexual behaviors like sexual abuse, pedophilia, and prostitution (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). When these children grow up, girls may think there are only sex objects, and have eating disorders or depression, while boys can become “men who re unsatisfying and sometimes even dangerous partners for women” ((Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 5). As an early childhood professional, I can build trustable relationships in which children can express their ideas without being judged, while asking them why they are doing or saying those things, thing to find out their feelings and thoughts, but in a conversation that make them feel not embarrassed, either punished (Levin, 2009). Because it is important to create appropriate classrooms circumstances that have positive impact on the ideas children develop about themselves (Lee, 2008), I can also promote activities in which boys and girls play together, and others in which both can express their emotions (Levin, 2009). Reading books in which girls are strong and confident, and boys are sensitive is a good way to reduce negative impacts on children (Levin, 2009). In order to reduce the impact of sexualized environments on children, I can also invite organize parent meetings and explain to families the harm our children are being affected by.

This week’s resources have helped me to change the previous ideas I had about the sexualization of early childhood, instead of just thanking God for the childhood I had, I can give children an environment free of sexualized messages. Now, I know I can talk to children about their misconceptions related to sex and gender, but in a level they can understand, like addressing the similarities girls and boys have –feelings or skills.  I also learn that, because children have their unique home environment and in order to create a link between home and school, talking to families about the sexualization and how it affects children, is fundamental in helping children dispel social assumptions and biases they may have and express, or not express.  

References

Lee, L. (2008). Understanding gender through Disney’s marriages: A study of young Korean immigrant girls. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(1), 11-18.

Levin, D. E. (2009, October 1). Dealing with the impact of today’s sexualized childhood on young children. Teaching Young Children , 3(1), 8-10. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/tyc/file/TYC_V3N1_Levin.pdf

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf