Houllie

"What model do you propose?"

Any sexuality that suits the person without hurting others too much.

Most teenagers are interested in sex. Some teenagers genuinely don't care. Ariel Levy cited American research that suggested that, for most women, their early sexual experiences were consentual but unwanted. They had sex to please others and prove that they aren't a prude or frigid. Whatever the case, some people want to have sex with as many people as possible. Some people aren't into casual sex. Some women like to look sexy. Some aren't comfortable with their boobs half out. Some like the attention that a short skirt and a reputation will give them. Some hate going to parties and having to endure sleazy men and their well rehearsed routine.

No matter which sexuality genuinely suits women, they are under pressure to have the same type of sexuality as these popstars, because it is the fashion. Ironically, much of the peer pressure to have this sexuality is assuming that those who don't are letting others tell them what to do. Why assume that all women, given complete freedom, will choose the same sexuality?

I think that's the closest I've come to agreeing with one Melinda's articles. The script does look very much the same and I have no doubts that it's all down to nature.

On the other hand as others have pointed out Melinda is not in the target audience for this stuff (nor am I) and kid's in general may be somewhat more robust than some give them credit for. For the most part they get that most of what they see is staged, they enjoy the fantasy but that does not mean they run their own lives to the same script.

R0bert

So benk given that kids choose to conform to peer pressure by your rationale there can only be one model, i.e. the model the kids choose as the coolest. So no matter what 'diversity' is shown in the media, kids will pick one. I'll bet you're 'rooting' for the chastity model.

There are many sub-cultures that kids have. The recycled Goth culture of emo has the kiddies wearing dark make-up and predominately black clothes, more often than not showing any flesh, even at the beach. Some marketeers have responded to this by giving them My Chemical Romance and Placebo etc. See, the kids are driving this stuff. It just so happens there are more American Teen Cheerleader disciples than Goths.

There is also a quite prominent Hillsong feel good nice Christian sub-culture where they go to raves to get high on the Lord! I'm sure that would have been your cup of tea when you were at school.

See, the consumer makes the market. The market feeds on the pulse of the consumer. Why do you think they are obsessed with researching us so much on Facebook. Kids join whatever sub culture that suits them. The marketeers respond to the culture that is most popular as it makes the most money. Always on a winner with sex and teenagers.

I agree with Houllie's last post.

We are underestimating our teens yet again. For example, there are still those who have their knickers in a knot over Jessica Watson's successful voyage and clear maturity with which she handles an over excited media. I love how she countered Rudd's "you are a hero" B/S.

So Miley Cyrus gets it on all sexy.

I have more problems with Rap videos where the women are depicted as "bitches" and the men clearly in control.

Melinda what do you think of Justin Beiber? Too sexy for ya?

Severin
I agree those rap songs are degrading to women and feed into America's gang culture - more extreme = more profit.

Houlley
"No, but censorship and guilt about sex and the body doesn't either"

Not arguing for more guilt - evidence shows that did just as much harm and certainly did not stop unplanned pregnancy.

Is there no middle ground? It is possible to allow the natural progress of childhood and the need to be informed about sex. The music industry's new raunch culture targets very much the tweens. Do corporate interests always have to outweigh other factors in the age of anything goes - justified only by warped and self-interested interpretations of freedoms?

My feelings about this come purely from watching my kids and their peers face the pressure of issues like "who can lose their virginity first", drugs and sex and the pressures to be sexually attractive (overt sexuality not the usual I am a girl and want to be attractive).

While I have faith in some kids to discern the rubbish from the real, not all kids are sufficiently mature or have the support at home. My daughters got through it albeit with some mistakes made along the way but now very wise in hindsight.

Maybe older teens (16+) do need to make some mistakes to understand themselves. However the same does not apply to a tween who is still finding their way and where maturity is sometimes non-existent. Have you ever tried to reason using logic with a 13 year old?

As a parent you hope the mistakes are not long-lasting or dangerous, or in rare cases life-threatening. Parents don't want to wrap their kids in cotton wool but there seems to be no packing material at all as far as the interests of consumerism is concerned.

Certainly the pressure to conform to whatever is the norms of the day is no different to any generation. The older generation has always criticised some aspects of the up and coming ones. Nothing new there, however that in itself does not make the concerns invalid.

Houllie

I would prefer that teenagers didn't conform so much to peer pressure. The only exceptions are pressuring people to think of others and pointing out the consequences of people's choices. If there were more types of sexuality on display, then teenagers might feel more freedom to make a personal choice. If they must follow fashion, the least they could do is to stop pretending that others don't influence their choices.

BTW My Christian fad lasted about a month, twenty years ago. I have never advocated chastity, just criticised the highly promiscuous. I have never known anyone who conducted their sex life in this way without hurting others and themselves.