The Commercial Sexualization of Children: 'Corporate Pedophilia'

Literally feeling sick to my stomach presently as to what I'm witnessing lately and I have to share it because it's truly disturbing.

Over the weekend I stumbled onto this article which outlined a French designer's defense of her lingerie line aimed at 4-12 year old girls.  A slide show of the adverts can be found here.  

At least the adverts purportedly contributed to France outlawing child beauty pageants.    

But in the United States?--hey, we barely think about JonBenet Ramsey much less talk about why what happened to her, happened to her, unfortunately so long ago.

(JonBenet)

Instead we now love to hate Honey Boo-Boo and ogle at "Toddlers & Tiaras".

(Honey Boo-Boo)

I'd choke on my 'freedom fries' if the American Senate looked to the French Senate as an ethical example to set a new standard, allowing little girls to remain unsexualized, but sadly, I know that day--if even in the making--is far off.

I was warned recently that my feminist musings may be a bit of a "counting blue car syndrome" but if that's the case, I'd tell you all my thoughts on God and ask Her why we're who we are.  I'm too busy counting pink tiaras to even glance at blue cars anyways.

As difficult as it was for me to see Miley Cyrus newly depicted like this today:

It was far more jarring to see her little 10 year old sister Noah Cyrus portrayed in this outfit:

My cousin Megan and I were huge fans of Madonna when I was 6 to her 9, we worshiped her.  Playing dress-up, putting on tons of makeup, dancing, and lip-syncing on milk crates to some of her more noteworthy hits to entertain my aunt and her inebriated friends.  But I will never forget the shock and disgust on my father's face when he discovered my aunt's permissiveness to allowing this behavior.  Him shouting to get the makeup off my face because I looked like a whore.  He wasn't always the best father in the world but his strong reaction helped me gauge Madonna's publicity stunt of hitchhiking naked better.  I'm no prude but seeing little girls donning what are typical sexual signals of maturity to the opposite sex--high heels, red lipstick, provocative clothing, makes me feel uncomfortable.  Especially when I didn't ask to see it, when I didn't expect to see it, getting heralded in by the celebrity elite no less to earn an extra few bucks?  Aren't you people rich enough?--do children this young truly need to be marketed to--in general--let alone filled with a need to be desirable or sexy?  Brainwashing them into thinking that their appearance trumps character?  Minnie Mouse as a slutty dominatrix?--when did that make it to the dress-up closet?  

 If Miley Cyrus had never been Hannah Montana, I would not care what she's doing with her life.  But most of her fan-base have barely passed the threshold of middle school and still look to her as a role model.  Plus with the Disney Channel still apparently running re-airs of "Hannah Montana" there's truly a double message being sent and capitalized on.  Miley Cyrus was born into wealth and opportunity, things most of us do not get in America, Miley has probably made SO MUCH MONEY, in 2008 she made $25 MILLION, she doesn't even need to be a 'pop star' stealing impoverish urban culture to shock the world.  She could go get her doctorate instead of behaving like a street whore from Jersey.  

Why?--because she's got better options.  As an artist myself, I'm not buying it that Miley Cyrus is an artist.  The statement that Miley Cyrus is some type of artisan is laughable, plus with Disney's track record, it's difficult to fathom that she's anything other than a corporate cash cow at best.  It might look like a mouse but I smell a rat.  

Miley Cyrus isn't even her real name, ironically, she is just as manufactured as the fictional pop singer she has so long showcased.

Please read this far superior article on the topic of corporate pedophilia.