Toxic Culture

Yesterday I went to Women's Katoomba Convention. I was able to listen to some great talks (I will endeavour to share my thoughts on these over the next few posts). Of particular interest was a talk presented by Melinda Tankard-Reist, entitled, "Toxic Culture: the Impact of the Media and Popular Culture on Girls and Young Women". This was a very challenging, gut-wrenching and thought-provoking talk. I have been very concerned about this issue for some time now and in the classroom, this is often one of my 'soap boxes'.
Melinda Tankard-Reist basically shared information and major concerns about how the media and popular culture is negatively impacting on girls. The main influence has been the extreme sexualisation of girls. I will share with you the main ideas that I found interesting from the Melinda Tankard-Reist's talk:

• The media and popular culture is reducing girls to stereotypes (girls aren't being challenged to question these stereotypes and the assumptions about gender)
• Of all the issues that young people face, body image is the number one concern (boys as well; body dissatisfaction is an increasing concern for males)
  
• With the increasing sexualisation of girls which is primarily occurring in advertising, clothing and magazines, there is a confusion of sexy and cute. These images are often blurred (which leads to the problem of pedophilia)
• The NATURAL female body has become despised. When shown images of women's breasts, a group of boys selected the cosmetically enhanced breasts as the most attractive and found natural and normal breasts really unattractive (this is connected to the images of women that boys are being exposed to, primarily in pornography. 100% of boys have seen pornography by age 15). Melinda Tankard-Reist gave the example of the picture book, "My Beautiful Mummy", which has been written for children in order to explain why Mummy has had plastic surgery.
• Through advertising, magazines, TV (especially music video clips) and clothing, girls are seen as service stations.
• Views of women and relationships are becoming distorted.
• Violence is being normalised and violence is becoming 'sexy'
• Women are being encouraged to hate each other (through envy and competition).
• A note for mothers with daughters - if you feel bad about yourself, your daughter will.
  

One thing that really struck me was being reminded that we are ALL made in the image of God. How are theses representations of and attitudes about young women reflect this? When we fail to recognise that each and everyone of us is made in the image of God, then we allow for such attitudes to exist, we allow for people to be treated so poorly.