The Sexualization Of Early Childhood

Media and advertising are a huge factor in the sexualization of early childhood and this is not because children are learning about sex at a very young age, it is because of the particular lessons and messages they are receiving about sex and sexuality (Derman-Sparks, Edwards, and the NAEYC, 2010).  These messages also impact how parents perceive the nature of sex and sexuality for their children.  It seems that the expectation to wear the right clothes (which have become sexier and sexier at a much younger age), play with the right toys for your gender, and have the right technology in order for children to fit in (accepted by peers) is prevalent for children at a younger age every year.  I am more surprised at how many parents are buying into the expectation and giving into it.  I can only think that this is to ensure their children are included in the harsh click that is childhood.  Parents are the first line of defense for their children to develop healthy positive self images without all the hype, sex, and violence they are surrounded by from day to day.  This is not an easy task when every doll is in a pink box giving messages that boys shouldn’t play with dolls because pink is a girl color or dolls are only for girls.  But then how are boys to learn how to be the nurturing fathers they can be?  The double standard of sexism in early childhood trickles down from the surrounding grown-up society.  Girls can wear pants, but boys cannot wear dresses.  If boys enjoy taking care of their skin or like to dress nicely they are considered metro-sexual.  And if a girl is rough around the edges she is a tomboy. WHAT? All of these examples potentially lead others to question gender and sexual orientation.  Societies expectation of gender to match sexual orientation is drilled into all of us at a very young age through media and advertising who have gone one step further in making “sexy” part of childhood (Derman-Sparks, Edwards, and the NAEYC, 2010).  All of this provides very negative experiences for early childhood and identity development.  Fitting into the narrow categories that society sets for sexuality excludes young children that enjoy exploring their environment by setting a standard and rules that don’t allow girls to play with blocks or don’t allow boys to dress up during PLAY.  Have we been a society of adults so long that we have forgotten that play is play, play is using our imaginations, play is how we learn and understand the environment we live in?  As an early childhood professional, this thinking has only inspired me to play more with the children I work with.  I like to play characters the children wouldn’t expect me to play as a woman or girl…and I explore with them.  Not only that, I tend to provide non-traditional experiences for gender in our imaginary play and activities and challenge the children to think.  I hope this inspires them to become critical thinkers as they learn, grow, and develop.

References

Derman-Sparks, L., Edwards, J. O., & National Association for the Education of Young Children (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.