My topic is about how girls and women are sexualized and how it affects them later in life. I feel that young girls and women are sexualized and that is a problem to me. Boys and Men are sexualized too but not to the same effect as girls and women. I cannot keep count on how many times one of my friends have mentioned to me that they felt sexualized in some way, whether it be by a random stranger or someone they know and that just does not sit right with me. It is not a great feeling to be sexualized in any way it can make a person feel like they are less of a person.
From a young age society puts out expectations of what girls and later women can wear and what is deemed acceptable or appropriate. For example, if a younger girl wants to wear a crop top her parents might tell her not to cover up because she might attract negative/unwanted attention or the interest of a pedophile. The girl simply wants to wear a crop top she is not asking for negative/unwanted attention but because she has been sexualized for wanting to wear a crop top she decided to listen to her parents and “cover up.”
I have no problem with following a dress code. What I have a problem with is how girls and women are sexualized by the dress code. For example, girls are told not show their shoulders because it might distract boys. On the other hand, boys can wear muscle tees. Why is it okay for boys to show their shoulders but girls cannot? Girl shoulders are not any different from boy shoulders. I will tell you what the difference is, it is that girl’s shoulders are sexualized. It is ridiculous that simply because we are girls and women that we are not allowed to show our shoulders.
Receiving compliments is one thing but getting catcalled is downright disrespectful. Especially when the man says a nasty remark such as, “You look sexy in those leggings.” What about my plain black leggings is sexy to you sir? I just want to be able to wear leggings and not be harassed. I should be able to wear whatever I want without having to think about the possibility of being creeped out and harassed by a man much older than me. It is Creepy and feels demeaning to be disrespected because of some creep who wanted to let me know that he thought I looked sexy for wearing leggings.
I was wearing a dress and my friend automatically assumed I was going on a date or that I was trying to impress a male. Is it too much to want to wear a dress and not be questioned about it? My friend thought since I decided to wear a dress it meant I was trying to attract the attention of a male because she was taught that when a girl wants to wear a dress or something a little more appealing that it means that she wants the attention of a male.
I love Christmas and most of the songs associated with the holiday, but I hate Santa Baby. When I was in the sixth grade I had a Christmas concert that I had to participate in and Santa Baby was one of the songs. Singing the lyrics made me feel uncomfortable, and I felt sexualized in a way. Why did my teacher think it was okay for a bunch of sixth grade girls to sing about Santa hurrying “down the chimney tonight?” That sounds like a sexual innuendo to me. The whole lyrics of her asking for stuff makes her sound like a sugar baby wanting gifts from her sugar daddy.
Social media has had a big impact on how girls and women dress or want their appearance to look. For example, my girl cousins started social media at a very young age and some of the things they would wear would be a bit too revealing for someone their age. They thought since some of their idols on social media or in one of my cousins' case her mother that it was okay to dress revealingly at a young age. They sexualized themselves because of what they saw their idols and mothers wearing. There is a difference between an adult woman dressing in revealing clothes versus a child.
Girl’s and women’s breasts are sexualized. Women’s breasts are intended for feeding their babies, not the sexual pleasure of men. Men can walk around with their shirts off and no one finds their nipples or breasts sexy. For example, my friend was at the gym the other day, and she had a sports bra on and some workout shorts and a man would not stop looking at her cleavage. That is disgusting. My friend and any other woman should be able to wear a sports bra and not feel creeped out.
I feel that the sexualization of girls and women is not talked about enough. I also think that awareness of when a female is being sexualized it is important to let females know that they are not alone and can speak up when they feel uncomfortable. It is important because problems are not going to be solved if the problem is not addressed. The problem being that some girls and women might not know how or when to speak up. Girls and women also might not be aware that they are being sexualized. Those girls not being aware that they are being sexualized is a problem because then they might think that being sexualized is okay, and it is not.
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