How Young is Too Young to Push it Up?

Tween Push Up Bikinis: How Much is Too Much?

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2011/March/Parents-Outraged-over-Push-Up-Tops-for-Tweens/

Abercrombie and Fitch is marketing a new push up bikini to girls as young as 7 and 8 years old. Many parents are upset, arguing that the company is trying to sexualize young girls. In my opinion, these bikinis are really just on small example in a giant movement. Teens are being exposed to sexual content at a younger and younger age, and now it is reaching to the preteens. Music videos, clothing, magazines, commercials are all ovesexualized and being marketed to tweens as early as ages 7 and 8. Research has shown (Curry & Choate article below) that this can be damaging to young girls. They can develop poor body images and even do poorly in school.

What does this mean to tween librarians? I think it is important to be aware of what is going on culturally and attempt to help combat it by providing media literacy education, teaching our tweens to be thoughtful consumers of media and information. If tweens can think critically about websites, commercials, marketing in general, they may see past the glitz and glam and see the intention. This is similar to checking for valid sources; understanding what drives the information is as important as the information itself. We can also help provide access to positive information and sources, such as books on developing a positive body image. This isn't just about a bikini or about pants that say 'juicy' on the bum; this is about a larger message that society is sending to young girls. We need to prepare young girls to be careful consumers of said message.


Resources:

Tween make-up?

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2011/January/Too-Young-For-Make-Up-Walmart-Targets-Tweens-/

Tweens & The Spa

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/lifestyle/a/-/health/7488148/pampering-for-tween-princesses/

Oversexualization of Young Adolescent Girls:

http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/MiddleSchoolJournal/Articles/September2010/Article3/tabid/2256/Default.aspx