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Writer's picturesandra aisien
Apr 29, 20236 min read

the Sexualization of children, social media and OnlyFans.

Gone are the days when Women's priority was fighting for the right to vote and have an equal field as men. Today, our society has plunged to the bottom, and when you think it can't sink any lower, one is instantly reminded of how extremely naive such a view can be


An Opinion Piece



Presenting the problem


The origins of female hypersexualization could be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s, during the so-called "sexual revolution." It arose as an unintended consequence of moral emancipation and the quest for sexual equality. Sylvie Richard-Bessette, a feminist and sexuality specialist, presents a unique description of female hypersexualization as an "overuse of body-oriented methods to entice," exhibited by clothing that draws attention to specific regions of the body or accessories and items such as make-up jewelry, high heels, acrylic nails, hair coloring, padded cup bras which enhance particular traits and conceal defects. In more recent times, surgical treatments have become the norm for people who want to emulate what they see online by altering their appearance, from silicone breasts to collagen-swollen lips. These alterations have primarily affected young girls between the ages of 8 and 15 since the 1970s.


Balenciaga gate


In November 2022, the Spanish-founded luxury brand Balenciaga, now owned by Kering, a French-based multinational corporation that specializes in luxury goods, released its holiday gifting ad campaign featuring children under 8. These photographs released to the general public included images depicting child sexual assault, BDSM elements, and much more. It was no surprise that this resulted in a major backlash, some might even say that the brand was canceled.


The campaign was photographed by the acclaimed Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti. The concept wasn't new to the photographer, as he had previously done something similar when he photographed children from all over the world posing amid their well-placed toys: Toy stories. But a closer look at Balenciaga's ad will send shocking waves to any parent, guardian, aunt/uncle, or older brother/sister. In other words, anyone with an ounce of moral compass would see the sinister reality behind this particular campaign.



In the photograph above, one can see a spiked dog dish, a dog leash, bear cans, and wine glasses—unusual items to photograph with kids.


However, this wasn't the only picture that perpetuated the backlash. In this one on the left, at a glance, one can see some more disturbing items, such as neck chokers, a white teddy bear that appears to be adorned in leather harnesses, spiked collars, and fishnets. Needless to say, none of these items can even remotely be deemed appropriate as a "gift collection" for children.


So, the question is: what was the intention and/or marketing strategy behind it?

Images from Highsnobiety (No infringements were committed for using these photographs as they are all over the internet without any copyright violations)

In two of the pictures that perpetuated the backlash, the little girls featured were holding stuffed animals as previously described. Here are the pictures that took it further, if that is even fathomable.


One can't help but ask: knowing fully well how sexual those items were, why on earth would a renowned luxury brand use children to promote such a sinister campaign? And quite frankly, where are their parents?


Who will protect the children?


As adults, we are responsible and accountable for our own decisions, but a line should and must be drawn when children are portrayed in sexually exploitative manners.

You might ask, shouldn’t the government be passing laws that protect children from this dark peril? Well, there are laws:

The 1989 International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has been ratified by all 193 member states of the United Nations (UN), except for the United States. The United States only signed it, but ratification has not taken place. The CRC aims to eradicate all forms of violence, abuse, and exploitation against children, as outlined in Article 19-1 of the CRC:


States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social, and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.


States Parties undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. To this end, States shall, in particular, take all appropriate national, bilateral, and multilateral measures to prevent: a – the inducement or coercion of children to engage in any unlawful sexual activity; b – the exploitative use of children in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices; c – the exploitative use of children in pornographic performances or materials.

However, years prior, in 1982, the United States Supreme Court's decision affirming the constitutionality of state laws prohibiting the dissemination of materials depicting children engaged in sexual conduct reflected the growing concern about child sexual exploitation for commercial gain. In the case NEW YORK, Petitioner v. Paul Ira FERBER, where a "New York statute prohibits persons from knowingly promoting a sexual performance by a child under the age of 16 by distributing material which depicts such a performance".


Yet, despite these very clear legislations, in the name of fashion, art, and entertainment, many people continue to portray children or teenagers in a sexually inappropriate manner.


Another fashion brand, mother's Plea


Summer is the time of the year most people look forward to the most. In the wake of freedom and liberation, shorts and skirts are getting shorter, dresses are getting more revealing, and the line between what is age-appropriate clothing is getting blurred. The screenshot of a tweet by a concerned mother: "Hi @Zara, please stop making booty shorts for 6-year olds" speaks volumes to how far what is considered decent is being pushed.

In the name of summer, young girls are given a pass to dress up as adults; overly sexualized clothing is just as present in a 10-year-old's closet as it is in a 25-year-old's.


Where do we draw the line?


In response to complaints and concerns expressed by parents, psychologists, and child advocacy organizations, the American Psychology Association (APA) Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls was formed. It examined psychological theories, research, and therapeutic practices addressing the sexual objectification of girls through media and other cultural signals, including the frequency of these images and their influence on girls, in addition to the significance and consequences of cultural and economic status.


They observed that practically every media type analyzed, including television, music videos, song lyrics, movies, magazines, sports media, video games, the Internet, and advertising, provided abundant proof of women's sexualization. Furthermore, the data revealed that women are depicted sexually more often than men, such as being clad in exposing apparel, with physical postures or facial expressions implying sexual readiness, and are objectified (e.g., used as a decorative object or as body parts rather than a whole person).


Today, most famous singers/rappers' music videos can be easily placed in the same category as pornography; they are constantly pushing the envelope and being overtly provocative and sexualized, most of which, as one can see on the internet, is perpetrated by WOMEN themselves, because as the phrase goes: sex sells BUT at what cost? From Nicki Minaj to Cardi B to Megan Thee Stallion, the list goes on.

If we are honest, we should be able to clearly say that women today are mostly the ones exploiting themselves, whether it is for fame or money, they are celebrating this ill behavior in the guise of "women's liberation."


What is freeing about selling one's body in the name of art? And how is it freeing or empowering to own an account where you portray yourself in the most degrading light possible; by the way, I'm referring to OnlyFans. A subscription social media platform that has gone mainstream partly because of how glamourized it is. The reality is this is sex trafficking, it is pornography, and it is sex work; the only difference is that WOMEN are the ones portraying themselves in the light.


But can women fathom how much damage they are doing to themselves? Not a lot of people realize that the choices we make have repercussions and consequences, BUT it is paramount that the realities of these websites, media outlets, and television programs should be talked about on a broader screen.




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