The proliferation of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harming girls’ self-image and healthy development. The American Psychological Association Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls explores the cognitive and emotional consequences of objectifying young women and more recently, young girls. These include body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, low self-esteem, and impact the development of a healthy sexual self-image.

The report is an important contribution to society and should be taken seriously by not only parents and teachers, but advertisers, teen magazine editors, and children’s toy and fashion manufacturers, who profit from selling make-up, salacious looking Bratz dolls, and even padded bras and g-strings, to girls as young as six-year-olds.

Here is a fantastic site dedicated to improving the lives of teenage girls. The site Respect is published by author Courtney Macavinta, and advocates self-respect and social change.