Just received the brand new book by Melissa Wardy of Pigtail Pals: Redfining Girly: How Parents Can Fight the Stereotyping and Sexualizing of Girlhood, from birth to Tween.
I am so excited to read this! I am a huge fan of Wardy’s company PIgtail Pals and Ballcap Buddies, and of her excellent blog, so I know this is going to be good.
From the prologue:
I believe that the sexualization of childhood will soon be seen as the children’s right issues of our time. Sexualization affects both boys and girls of all ages but is especially focused on our girls. Sexualization affects all races, economic classes, and geographical areas. It robs children of their right to childhood and to reach psychological developmental milestones fairly, and it affects their self esteem, body image, and performance in school. Sexualization interferes with kids right to develop a healthy sexuality and understanding of intimacy.
I love how Wardy succinctly differentiates between sexualization– sexuality as performance– and real sexuality. I just skimmed the book and it looks like it is full of practical tips about how to raise healthy, strong girls, how to help keep them connected to their minds, hearts, bodies, and deepest dreams.
It makes me so sad when I see how kidworld and parents project such different expectations on boy children versus girl children. I am looking forward to reading a book about how to confront and challenge bias and help change the world.
As long as it isn’t the insidious “Make sure to dress your daughters like the world is Little House on the Prairie,” I can get behind this.
Ha! You can’t do much in a long dress and bonnet.
Hey, now, Laura Ingalls really got around. A skirt didn’t slow her down.
Don’t say that in front of my rural Kansas friends! 😉
(Yeah, I know they’re not socially supported in wearing things like bonnets this century, but they’re too darn artsy to care.)
Meant to leave that on the previous post about toys. Not that this isn’t a great post too. 🙂
Great post. Have you seen this: http://www.pajiba.com/film_reviews/a-conversation-with-a-six-year-old-boy-about-frozen-princess-movies-and-female-heroes.php#.Uqo8AXDkvDs?
Fascinating how the kid focuses on the snowman as central just as the marketing meant him to.
Oh you know, not child labor or horrible conditions?
Some countries no longer have major problems in that area. When I was a tween, I was affected much more personally by sexualization than the threat of sweatshops.