Sexualisation

Anyone see this on the BBC news last night?

A 100-page report into violence against women and girls recommended the publications should be placed on top shelves and not sold to anyone under the age of 15.

Anyone else say "DER"

Now don't get me wrong I am all against violence to women and children as well as the bullying of men by women. But this report has a few glaring flaws in it.

I'm not going to go into the whole parents having access to these filter's and warnings and not bothering to do anything about it on mobiles, gaming and PC's thou there is plenty of ways currently out there for parents to maintain control over what there kids see and play with. But like the idea of them already being "on"

Now this report mainly covers the "lads' mags" and placing them out of the reach of young boys and the news-agents age checking the buyers. Which they should of been doing from the start. But then what do you do with papers like "The Sun" who have naked women in them as well?

Sorry diverting.

Back to subject. Something I want to touch on that this article doesn't have but what the BBC reported last night. There was a couple of interviews with young women and what they see when they look at the depiction of women in these magazines. These magazines effect women as well.

The report said this "drip-drip" exposure was distorting young people's perceptions of themselves, encouraging boys to become fixated on being macho and dominant, while girls in turn presented themselves as sexually available and permissive.

One outcome had been the rise of sexual bullying in which girls felt compelled to post topless or naked pictures on social networks, it added.

BBC report

 As a women myself I can only comment from that side. The report emphasized what I have been feeling for a while. There is a lot of pressure for women (And I am sure men as well) to mimic or become this perfect image as represented in these magazines. Even I have considered posing topless just to feel sexually desirable.

Now I know they are all Photoshopped and airbrushed but even with this knowledge I still feel I need to obtain this perfect look. Even now I am on a pretty severe diet just to lose 7lbs of fat gained over Christmas, and looking in the mirror I severely judge myself, like not having the perfect teeth, my hair isn't golden blonde, I have the odd blemish and it's very demeaning and often have thoughts of forever being alone and living with 50 cats all called "Tiddles". The search for perfection and the pressure of becoming sexually available and losing virginity because these magazines are depicting it's OK, is very destructive.

I know deep down I will never get this perfect look yet still fight to get it. And will this perfect look make me a target for rape and violence, a sexual object or will it make me confident about myself?

Most first impressions made are visual, even in TV shows and films the 'Look at her' attitude is constantly used, and judgements are made on how easy or desperate someone is by there wardrobe of attitude. I don't want to be seen as an object to be judged but it seems that is the only way of attracting someone of the opposite sex.

Secret Virgin