Now there are evidences to know to what extent the media influences and aggravates “Premature Sexualization”.

Dollops of trashy Ekta Kapoor look good- act ugly paradigm do affect teenagers along with 24×7 doses of high-pressure seductive advertisements. When an over dressed and exotic looking witch crowding the so called Saas Bahu serials plans a murder or a kidnapping, some where some one might be affected in more than normal way.

It seems to me that these so called family serials de educate teenagers of certain basic values. Some would say that today’s yuppie generation is far smarter than that. But think about all those uneducated, less educated lads and gals across Bharat and even in metro India? I still have some doubts and may be some learned person will help me banish these negative thoughts.

A report of the American Psychological Association (APA) has found evidence that the proliferation of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls’ self-image and healthy development.

The APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls studied published research on the content and effects of virtually every form of media, including television, music videos, music lyrics, magazines, movies, video games and the Internet. They also examined recent advertising campaigns and merchandising of products aimed toward girls.

Sexualization was defined by the task force as occurring when a person’s value comes only from her/his sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics, and when a person is sexually objectified, e.g., made into a thing for another’s sexual use.

Examples of the sexualization of females in all forms of media including visual media and other forms of media such as lurid music lyrics abound. And, according to the report, have likely increased in number as “new media” have been created and access to media has become omnipresent. The influence and attitudes of parents, siblings, and friends can also add to the pressures of sexualization.

“As a society, we need to replace all of these sexualized images with ones showing girls in positive settings-ones that show the uniqueness and competence of girls,” states Dr. Zurbriggen. “The goal should be to deliver messages to all adolescents-boys and girls-that lead to healthy sexual development.”

http://tunnelvision.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/07/premature-sexualization.htm