Friday 19 October, 2012 • 9am-5pm: Sydney NSW Parliament House, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney The erosion of childhood is becoming a social and cultural trend of great concern to child development experts as well as the broader community. Commercialisation, sexualisation, body image dissatisfaction and over exposure to violent imagery are some of the key factors. […]
MTR on Channel 7’s Morning Show today with adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg and dance studio teacher Nikki Webster, commenting on an episode of US reality TV show ‘Dance Moms’ in which little girls are taught sexually provocative dance routines.
‘Corporate paedophilia’ is a worrying global trend on the rise. For those who might have missed it, Witchery has just launched a new clothing range for eight- to 14-year-old girls called “8fourteen”. In a brilliant stroke of imagination, the launch occurred on Valentine’s Day – because, of course, girls from the age of eight need […]
You’ve probably already heard about 10-year-old French model Thylane Loubry Blondeau and the controversy over the way she is being posed and styled in adult-like ways. I’d written about Vogue’s treatment of Thylane and other young models in an earlier piece titled ‘Vogue’s tarted up photo shoot of little girls is no parody.’ Interest in […]
Teaching little girls that make up rituals should start early “Make-up is for everyone!” declares 5-year-old Madison, who has become a You Tube sensation for her video sessions on make-up application, recorded and uploaded by her mother. A child doesn’t make this statement in a vacuum. As documented over and over on the MTR blog, […]
Not feeling the love? Here’s why Universal Royal Pageant chief Annette Hill isn’t feeling the love from us here in Australia over her plans to export US-style child beauty pageant culture to our shores. “Oprah Winfrey went, she had a great time, and that’s why I want to come too. But I’m not feeling the […]
UK Glamour Magazine has included Suri Cruise in its annual list of the world’s “Best Dressed Women” Up there with Samantha Cameron and Alexa Chung, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ daughter is rated number 21 – ahead of Lady Gaga and Sarah Jessica Parker. Suri Cruise is 5 years old. This little ‘fashion icon’ still […]
Sexualisation, violence, commercialisation, commodification: Right to Childhood conference hears evidence of harm to children The Right to Childhood conference last Friday at Sydney’s Wesley Centre was a wake-up call to a society hell bent on forcing children to be exposed to imagery and messages which wreak havoc on their physical and mental health. Initiated by […]
Targeting children with sex industry icon No longer just about the men’s magazine, the Playboy logo has become mainstream. Playboy has introduced porno chic to a younger audience, with its insignia now adorning doona and pillow covers, pencil cases, key rings, wallets, purses, stationary, make-up and youth clothing ranges. Not too long ago, Girlfriend magazine […]
Calling on Federal Minister Peter Garrett and Victoria counterpart Wendy Lovell to intervene Collective Shout has initiated a petition in response to the news that a US pageant company plans to import its child beauty competitions to Australia. You can find the petition on the Care2 petition site . Please sign and circulate it through […]
Nina Funnell writes that girls are learning to read their value as a person in terms of how their physical appearance is received by others. “Destiny enjoys singing, dancing and, of course, pageantry” announces the beauty pageant’s MC as a made-up blonde in a white gown sashays across the stage. Did I mention that Destiny […]
Teaching girls their value is in their physical beauty Many readers will have seen the documentary Toddlers and Tiaras revealing the child exploitation that is the US beauty pageant industry. A five year old begging not to have her eyebrows ripped out. Little girls preening, strutting, pouting, beckoning to the judges ‘come here baby’, kissing their […]
