Tuesday, April 29, 2008

The Sexualization of American Teenagers

Isn't anything new in our culture, but it has been brought back to the forefront of the media this week with the very inappropriate Vanity Fair magazine pics of Miley Cyrus (AKA Hannah Montana). It doesn't matter what went on, whether Billy was on the set or not, the pictures and the innuendo intended was simply inexcusable and inappropriate. Miley, her parents, the photographer, the magazine are all to blame.

Having said that - here is the question I hate to pose, but seems very logical in this age of Sexualizing Adolescents (See Gossip Girl, Super Bad, Miley, American Pie and the list goes on and on all the way back to Brooke Shields):


Have we created a culture that produces Pedophiles?
Well, I think the answer to that question is most certainly Yes!

The very thought of this kind of debauchery is deplorable, but is less of a mystery to me than it once was. When news stories of abused children would come across my TV screen I used to think to myself: "I just do not understand how someone could fall into such sin."

However, it has recently occurred to me that our culture is provoking 14 and 15 year olds to be like 22 year olds. After all, one of the most popular graduation presents for wealthy teenage girls is breast enhancement. See MySpace, your local mall, and teen TV dramas for evidence.

I don't mean to say that pedophiles aren't to be held 100% accountable for their evil. What I mean to say is simply this: TV Networks, the next time you air a news story about some teacher having sex with a minor, don't look so bewildered and shocked - your primetime programing helped cause it. Take a good look in the mirror when you ask, "What causes this behavior?"

- Brad