View Sext Up Kids at MEFThe first impression of a film comes, of course, from its title and here we have to take the word "sext" and unpack its ostensible misspelling. The evolution of the word text like many words in the English language is a progression of the seemingly obvious to the rather layered and complicated. The word text alone has at least seven meanings as a noun and several more when used as a verb. Simply substituting the S for T describes a new phenomenon. The easy access to digital technology and the now familliar mode of communicating called texting allows for instantaneous messaging. With the addition of the ability to add pictures we have created a true minefield for tweens, teens and their parents. In this brave new world of digital communication technology the law has yet to find the nuance needed to both protect citizens as well as punish misdeeds appropriately. In this film directed by Maureen Palmer and produced by the Media Education Foundation we see several examples of children absorbing the hyper sexualized culture around them and using their digital technology to insinuate themselves into the mix. Kids and teens are seeing representations of sexuality before they are mentally ready for it and are mimicking and expressing very complicated ideas in very primitive ways. In the film it is stated, "Smartphones and social media make it possible not only for kids to consume Xrated images but to produce them with devastating consequences." It's here where the law and technology are catching kids up in a Byzantine trap. The power of this documentary comes from seeing the real world examples of preteens being sexualized in advertisements and the myriad examples of children being expected to behave in all too precocious ways. Probably the most damning criticism of the process and the one most likely to surprize parents is the "priming" done by the representations of princesses in children's media. A Peggy Orenstein states, "...And there's this way that it's very precious, and it feels like something protective against sexualization, but I think there's a real compelling argument to be made that it's priming them for sexualization. When there's just one form of play that they do for three years, and it's all about being the prettiest of them all and the fairest of them all, that becomes problematic. It goes really quickly from being the prettiest little girl to needing to be the hottest little girl. And its emphasis is over and over on beauty, on externals, on your defining yourself through how you look to others. And that primes girls and pushes them towards the hypersexualization that happens at an older age." As the father of an eight-year-old have already experienced several wake-up calls in that age old debate of when to talk about sexuality with children. The answer I have found is it is never too early to start that conversation. Because if you do not then the information both comes to the children and as I have found the children will seek it out with their digital technologies. Probably the most chilling elements of this film is the piers of the children using digital technology against one another to coerce or bully for whatever reason. The core issue here is children seeing images of what it is to be sexual and not understanding the power of sexuality or the purpose. If the only access a child has to sexuality is through online pornography then as the film shows there ability to relate and have meaningful relationships is damaged. The documentary is important to parents and children equally because of its insights. Children should know from adults that what they see around them is a commodified suggestion of what life should be like. Parents should know that the media's influence is constant and invasive. And only when that conversation is engaged can there be any protection and meaningful reflection on burgeoning sexuality. Follow Up: On November 3rd of 2015 it was reported that federal health officials have declared an epidemic in Crane Texas where 20 students of 300 in the town's high school have tested positive for chlamydia. The superintendent stated "We do have an abstinence curriculum and that evidently ain't working." It is situations like this, where teen sexuality flies under the parents radar, where sticking your head in the sand simply makes things much worse. Parents need the courage to actually protect their children with information not to ignore a fundamental component of humanity. Leave a Reply. |
AuthorGregory J. Golda started Media Matrix in 2015 ArchivesCategories |