Posts
Photo by Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated
Parents tell their children that it is what is inside them that counts:
their compassion, their sense of humor, their courage.
Then, they see covers like the above,
and they see what the world really values:
"Don’t think about what lies underneath, just focus on appearance. Being sexy is what’s valuable."
Research tells us that when young boys see women in this way,
they begin
to think of girls and women as objects
instead of complex people with
whom they can develop mutual relationships.
Children are wet cement:
striking images make deep impressions that harden over time and repeated exposure.
But we can't lecture: that turns children off.
Saying that SI cover girl Davis is a former Caribbean National Tennis Team champ,
and was valedictorian of her high school class will mean little.
They see for what she is valued.
Children respect honesty.
You might say:
"These sexy photos are a campaign to make money
and you are
going to have to make a decision
about whether such images value
people’s feelings and self worth.
And if you want to put money into the pockets of those who use girls as objects."
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
And young women who see this and similar images make comparisons and find themselves wanting.
ReplyDeleteHollywood does make young girls too sexy too soon, but so do advertisements, and so do we. If we continue to buy products sold this way, the trend will continue. Your words are correct, but I worry about the effect of essentially saying do as I say - not as I do.
Elephant's Child:
ReplyDeleteMarilyn Monroe would be considered not slender enough in today's beauty climate. None of us who are not photoshopped look like cover models.
We must make sure we walk our talk when it comes to sex with our children and our own private lives. Hypocrisy is the mantra it seems of modern times, right?
Thanks so much for visiting and commenting as often as you do. It means a lot to me as I work horrendous hours, writing posts like Steinbeck did his war correspondence, always in a rush and never feeling as if he had done it well! :-)
The woman negated her many accomplishments by posing for the cover. No one forced her. Her choice reflects her parenting. Having said that, did the cover go too far? Yes, of course it did. But SI is one part of a Wall Street conglomerate designed to make money. It's not politically correct to bash Wall Street these days.
ReplyDeleteKittie:
ReplyDeleteThe model grabbed for the brass ring, forgetting that brass tarnishes very quickly. That cover is merely symptomatic of a lust for money and success that over-rides all sense of propriety.
Like my hero, McCord, I have never been politically correct, erring on the side of intelligent compassion. Thanks so much for visiting and staying to chat! It means a lot.
What's really sad is the one they are promoting as the first plus-size model ever in their swimsuit issue. And one look at Robyn Lawley will make you wonder what they consider plus size...
ReplyDeleteAlex:
ReplyDeleteTruth is what the media says it is, didn't you know? :-( I sometimes despair of our modern society.
Photos like this promote poor treatment of women and image problems in young girls. She's not very different from VS models or Hugh's Bunnies. As a sellout, she negates any prior accomplishments. Didn't they call them PBs (Public Beauties) in an older time? There to be admired, not necessarily respected.
ReplyDelete