What this? A rational article?

Sorry rational debate is not allowed on this highly emotive topic. Afterall once there is rational debate, it looses much of the emotional heat, that some try to inflame.

It was somewhere around 1890 that the age of consent for girls was raised from 11 to 16. This was mainly bought about because young girls at the time were being sold into prostitution.

If I recall correctly a salvation army office bought a girl and there was a big public and political outcry.

So the sexualisation of teenagers has always been with us. It is not a new problem, but the methods that are now used are new.

IT will be the same drift as all other threads dealing with the Children a lot of talk no action
Tomorrow I lose my Son forever
All have a good life
From Dave

'Second, attacks against a “sexualisation of youth” assume that young people are asexual, and should be shielded against all sexual references'

Bingo. That's always been my main argument against this theory. I quite often hear about a supposed sexualisation of women too!

'There should be a greater media focus on what young people themselves think about sex.'

Oh that would be good. But put it through the lens of a sensationalist media and all you'll have is titillation and distortion. Closely followed by outrage and barrow pushing from religious types and feminists lining up to judge 'attitudes' of young people and blame 'society' 'the patriarchy', 'secularism' for anything they see through this lens, then wilfully further distorting for their own pet cause.

No, I'm afraid teen sexuality must be kept in the closet. They are asexual, and we must protect them from our 'dirty' sexual world, and exclude them from any talk of sexuality. In respect to sex, young people are to be seen and not heard.

Well I am going to be a fly in the ointment.

This entire article is mocking concerns about sexualisation of young children, and then you write:

"I agree with calls for companies to exercise “corporate responsibility” when addressing children and teenagers. There are many reasons why it is unacceptable to market (say) T-shirts with sexually suggestive messages towards girls as young as five. Parents and guardians should also think twice before purchasing such items for their children. Supply and demand are closely related."

This is exactly what those with concerns are worried about. You don't have to tell a parent about sexual marketing directed even at very young girls, not just clothing but in the music industry. Britney Spears was directely aimed at the tweenies.

To suggest that those with concerns about sexualisation of children are seeking in some way to hide sex or make sex shameful just means you have not understood the issue at all. Discussion about sex between parents and children can take place at the appropriate age or when questions are asked. This 'age' may be different for different children.

It doesn't matter what you call it - sexualisation of children - or another name, ultimately it is the essentials behind the concerns that count. Sexualisation of children is actually a pretty good phrase, I can't think of a better one.

Parents have to take responsibility but it is much easier if the whole community gets behind and supports parents rather than make it a commercial battleground for the biggest profit no matter what the costs.

Blame capitalism.
Blame McDonalds.
They showed the way in focused marketing to children with the premise of "capture them as customers early and you have them for life".

The advertising industry works on desire and feelings and nowhere is this more applicable than sex. Sex sells and always has. Combine that with greedy corporations desire to influence young children, regardless of any harm they may cause,and you have a recipe for todays 6 year old girls wanting bras and makeup and acting like whores.

Capitalists care for nothing but how much money they make and any opportunity for more will be gladly taken up and to hell with any consequences as long as they dont reduce profits. When will people realise almost all of our problems can be streeted back to this greedy, bigoted, immoral, unfair, flawed and worshiped ideology of capitalism.