Sexualization of young women

[lightningandsnow]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6376421.stm

Interesting article.

Here's the thing, though, and I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of flak for saying this.

I'm 16, and fairly mature for my age. I occasionally like wearing clothes which are considered a little more "revealing" or provacative.

I don't wear them because they're provacative. I own a miniskirt or two. I have fishnet stockings. I bought this really awesome vintage corset yesterday. (Granted, I'm not wearing all three things at once!) I don't wear these things to attract male attention (I'm queer, it would be kind of pointless), to try and look "older", or because I have low self esteem and need people to validate me through me appearance. Or whatever.

I just happen to like how the stuff looks. I mean, I'm kind of into the whole burlesque look. And if I show a little skin, so what? I mean, I have stuff I wouldn't wear to school or a family dinner, and I'm not prancing around in my underwear or anything.

Plus, nobody can say that this is just happening now - I'm at my full adult size, and most of the stuff I buy is vintage anyway, so it's not like they're trying to delibrately market it to teens.

I find constant allegations that I'm being "sexualized" for dressing how I want offensive. I'm an intelligent young woman, and I can make my own decisions.

However, I find thongs made for 10 year olds and stuff like that kind of creepy... does that make me a hypocrite? Because I do think there's a difference between an 8-10 year old wearing something, and a 16-17 year old wearing the same thing.

What do you think?

[ismnotwasm]

1. Well

I believe female fashion-- even avant garde stuff-- is mostly geared toward male sexual stimulation ala the patriarchal system we live under. I mean, Where do these "choices" really come from? The history of fashion is kind of interesting.

That being, said, like you, I've had my day wearing, or not wearing, what I choose under this system, although I tended toward ripped jeans and cleavage. Leather and lace. Or see through shit. I never was very modest.

I dislike miniskirts for a couple of reasons, but the one I think of first is I can't DO anything in 'em. Have to sit a certain way, can't run, can't walk fast, can't stand in the wind. (I'm in very good shape, and have very muscular calves that look great in high heels and short skirts, but those days are long gone for me)

Anyway, there is a huge difference a 16 year old decides to wear vs. what Parents ALLOW a 10 year old to wear. So I don't feel you're a hypocrite in any way.

It's kind of like sexuality. I have a lesbian friend who is also in the alternative sex community. She dresses pretty wild, she likes the "vintage" dominatrix look. We've had long talks about what's appropriate for kids, both of us feel kids need to be taught how to make decisions with good information, in a timely, age appropriate way. To come to understand their own sexuality with good information. Letting a little girl wear a thong panty is not good information, and it sends a shitty message. When does the child get to make an actual choice, as you've done? The short answer is she doesn't.

[blondie58]

2. Interesting article, AspieGrrrl

There is definitely a difference between a 10 year old and a 16 year old dressing certain ways.It bothers me that girls are made to feel like this, subconciously or not, at such an early age. They should be playing with dolls or climbing trees. They don't last in their childhood very long. They also look much older and mature much faster, which probably contribute to this. Now a 16 year old is practically a woman and if she is careful with where she wears her attire, the more power to her.

What really bothers me is how accepted sex is. My (just turned) 17 year old feels like a misfit because she is a virgin. And she tells me that the new rules are that you give it up to a guy by date #3. Who makes these rules? Of course, I can remember feeling the same way ...gulp... thirty years ago, but I had to follow my own set of honorable conduct, yep, I was one of the oldest virgins in my graduating class. Why do we make girls feel like something is wrong with them if they are still a virgin?

[lightningandsnow]

8. There's a difference between something being accepted and being encouraged.

I think the pressure to have sex is definetly unhealthy - if you must know, I'm a vigin myself, but that's more a function of my absolutely sucking at relationships than actively trying to abstain from sex, but if someone decides to abstain from sex, more power to her (or him).

I think an ideal world would be one where everyone gets to make up their own mind with regards to sex, and no one is pressured one way or another, whether they want to have a lot of sex, or none at all.

But... I'm an idealist.

[noamnety]

3. I would question this line:

"I just happen to like how the stuff looks."

There are reasons why we find certain things attractive - and that has to do with cultural messages we get.

We internalize fashion trends, and those fashion trends come from corporations, marketing departments, and the patriarchy. I don't think anyone can really look at a corset, for example, and not understand how it relates to oppression of women - the history of the garment is one that isn't so different from foot binding. Women's internal organs and rib cages were damaged from wearing them in attempt to gain male attention. They are a symbol of physical and psychological oppression, and myself, I can't find them attractive or liberating to wear because I can't just divorce myself from that history and say "oh, well, it looks nice."

Women during Victorian times engaged in a practice known as tight-lacing, which involved cinching the corset to extreme degrees, in order to achieve a fashionably tiny waistline. Any corset use (but most importantly the practice of tight-lacing involves some degree of compression of the internal organs and soft tissues of the abdomen and chest cavity, and children were often given training corsets to prepare the body for later corset use. If the corset is tightened over time, the bottom half of the ribcage (usually hanging free and separated by a space in the middle) comes together and will eventually overlap if tight-lacing continues. This can cause serious health problems to a woman, since her lungs cannot properly inflate and her organs cannot function as usual. Furthermore, here the idea of a cyborg comes into full focus, since the woman's body could not longer adequately support itself without a corset once the ribcage became remodeled. In this way, women's clothing actually became an indispensable part of them. Here is an example of the effect of tight-lacing on internal organs:




http://traumwerk.stanford.edu:3455/MichaelShanks/1071

To me, it's like looking at photos of slaves and saying "well, okay, slavery was bad, but you know they look cool." The fact that you aren't a slave doesn't dismiss the history of slavery, anymore than you being a lesbian dismisses the history of the garment and why we are raised to view hypersexualized hourglass-figures that portray women as "the sex class" as attractive.

[noamnety]

4. hmmm, I sound really cranky there.

sorry about that.

I am sick here, and my rib cage is sore as hell from coughing. While everything I said there expresses my beliefs, I think the tone reflects my pissed offedness about not being able to take a full breath without wincing, and the corset thing just set me off because of the association.

(it's not you, it's me)

cough cough cough

[mrreowwr_kittty]

5. No worries. You didn't sound cranky at all.

Interesting pics of the corsets.

As a feminist, I feel it's important for me to critically examine the choices I make in the context of the patriarchy. I also feel it's important to share my consciousness with other women whenever I can, and learn from what they can teach me. That doesn't mean beating myself or anyone else up for not adhering to some standard of feminist "purity". There are some trappings of traditional femininity I go along with, others I don't. I know it's the same for most women and it all depends on your individual situation. Basically, we're all just trying to muddle through life the best we can, and help our sisters along the way.

I hope you feel better for the New Year! :hi:

[lightningandsnow]

7. Don't worry.

You didn't sound too cranky... and I suppose you do have a bit of a point! All I can say is... ouch!

And... I hope you feel better really soon!

[mrreowwr_kittty]

6. Thanks for the article!

As for what you like to wear, it seems that you have a good head on your shoulders and don't require other people to validate you. If you're having a good time and aren't taking it too seriously, enjoy!

As for your point about finding some of the allegations in the article offensive, I agree with you. Yes, it's incredibly disturbing to see thong underwear marketed to 10 year olds. But the tone of these media scare sheets is very paternalistic toward young women in general. What's needed is for dirty old men to leave young people the hell alone and let y'all explore your sexuality on your own terms. Safely, of course. ;)