Is sexual imagery in magazine advertizing, and music videos corrupting our youth?

Question

What do you think about designers using models who are under 17 to wear clothing and advertize their products for adult women who are over 35?

Does fashion have any responsibility to uphold morality or social decency, or is fashion immoral by nature?

Is it morally right for models who are teenage girls between the ages of 14 - 17 to pose in sexually provocative ways to sell a product to an adult audience?

Does sexually suggestive advertizing contribute to an eager audience of teen and pre-teen girls wanting to emulate the images they see in magazines, and music videos?

Do you think this imagery leads to early experimentation with sex among teens, and an increase in pedophilia in our culture?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=396637&in_page_id=1879

For Steven and everyone else: Click the link to read the article attached to this question.

Here is an exerpt:

On one occasion, I went to Germany for a shoot with the singer Ricky Martin, and booked the Brazilian model Fernanda Tavares to be on the cover with him.

In front of the male photographer and team of male assistants, we stripped the poor girl down to her G-string, poked and prodded her within an inch of her life, put her in a Versace frock and finally wrapped her legs around the pop star, asking for an expression on her face that could only be described as post-coital.

Only during a break did I notice her sitting on the floor cross-legged, reading a comic book. She was 16.

Answer 1

#1. The fashion industry has been using teen models for decades. Brooke Shields in her Calvin Klein days was under 17 when she said, "nothing comes between me and my Calvins". It's not right, it does invite teens to be looked upon as sex objects by adult men. Jon Benet Ramsey was dolled up to look like an adult and was sexually abused and murdered.

#2. Fashions' only responsibility is to sell clothes. Although, fashion dictates what style is in or out, what should be worn to be "fashionable" and how you are to look. The waif fashion of the '90's destroyed a lot of self esteem in women and forced many to become weight conscious to the point of starvation. It's not right, and women should stand up to the pressure and say NO. There is a huge desire to "look" a certain way, plastic surgery is a superficial indulgence that many have performed because they have a desire to look a certain way. Superficial people are everywhere, and the desire for acceptance because of the way you look is a strong impulse in American society.

#3. Music videos with superstars simulating sex acts for ogling teens are responsible for young girls acting provocatively. I remember reading something about a 4 year old girl twisting her top high to emulate Britney Spears. The solution is to turn off the t.v., all parents need to have more control over what their kids are exposed to, I'm afraid most don't really care.

#4. All you have to do is look at half the questions coming from teens and younger people on this board to know that something has gone wrong with parenting, and also socially. My space is full of teens flirting around the web.

Its unfortunate that all of this does feed pedophilia because if it wasn't easily accessible it wouldn't show up in society as a dysfunction.

Answer 2

On one hand, I think you ask questions that deserve real thought. Like I'd never want my 17 year old girl to pose in a sexually provocative photo.

On the other hand, I don't think the fashion industry has any responsibilty but to give the people what they want. The media is a reflection of the people, not the other way around.

And as far as the increase of pedophilia in the country, we are a all historically quite into pedophilia. Men are wired to naturally be attracted to women that are most furtile. Those women are happen to be the early teens. I don't condone it, but its what people are like. The media hold that mirror up at us.

Answer 3

I think that sex is part of human nature, part of our culture, and an immutable part of our lives. We can't sweep it underneath the rug and pretend it doesn't exist. Teenagers are going to experiment and have sex no matter what, and it's best if we address the issues of safe sex, rather than forbidding them to experiment at all. The more that sex becomes so taboo that people cannot talk about it, the more it gets driven underground. It won't disappear.

As for your other answers, does the fashion industry have a moral responsibility? It does to a point. I don't think they should model underage girls in sexually provacative poses, but how do we define what is too sexually provacative. As for the rest, parents should take more responsibility in raising their children. If the media ends up corrupting their children, then they are to blame--not for exposure to media, because exposure is almost guaranteed--but for not instilling as strong sense of morals and self confidence in their children.

And I truly think that the girls that tend to have sex way too early lack self confidence. Sex tends to validate these young girls who can't fit the images instilled in the media.

Answer 4

I think teens who have a good relationship with their parents turn out ok. While people don't openly condone the image presented to teens, you can't really block your children from seeing it. The best you can do is let your kids know that it is not acceptable to you. Ignoring your kids until they do something you don't like won't cut it. You need to constantly build a relationship with them. Pedophilia is a distinct social disorder. The acceptability of dressing children in sexually provocative clothes does ecourage the pedophiles to be more open, but it can't 'create' new ones.

Answer 5

Regardless of whether it's "corrupting" our youth or not, I feel it strikes on a much deeper problem. The fact that companies believe that such advertising will result in an increase in sales points to the stodgy, up-tight, overly conservative and prohibitive society America houses. Look at how sex and nudity is portrayed in practically every other nation that concerns itself with such things and you'll see a pronounced lack of this problem. Personally, I blame the Puritans.

Answer 6

To properly answer your question, I think it would be helpful if you could provide the links to several websites that contain pictures of girls between 14 and 17 posed in sexually provocative ways.

That way I can carefully consider your question and give you a reasonable answer. Thank you in advance.

Answer 7

No... I'm 27. Yea remember us? Generation X? we weren't supposed to do anything with our lives, all the rap music and video games, and teen sex were going to melt our minds... Well everyone i know is doing fine... Just like Elvis's hip shake was supposed to be sexually explicit and AC DC and KISS were for Satan worshipers and now they're played on every major rock station and wedding across the U.S.

Answer 8

The answer is a resounding YES!
It cannot be blamed solely for corrupting our youth, but it has made a definite contribution.
It has put the emphasis in the wrong place, and done so purposefully, making it immoral.

Answer 9

No to all of these.

What matters most, is that parents talk to their kids about these things and helps them understand how to interpret them so that the child doesn't use them as a guide or example for their own behavior.

Answer 10

Yes