This would therefore consist of attitudes that children adopt, or are made to adopt, which are not in keeping with their age.ĭespite the still small number of studies conducted on the subject, the birth of hypersexualisation of women can be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s. However, for Chantal Jouanno, the hypersexualisation of girls “refers to the sexualisation of their expressions, postures or dress codes, which are considered too precocious” 2. This term is indeed debated because, for many, it is often confused with the fact of having an active sexual life.
In 2012, former French Senator Chantal Jouanno explained in her report on this theme for the former French Minister of Solidarity Roselyne Bachelot the difficulties of defining what the hypersexualisation of young girls is. The French dictionary Larousse defines hypersexualisation as “in society, the fact of giving an increasingly important place to sexuality, by multiplying references to it in the public space (media, advertising)” 1, the hypersexualisation of young girls would then be tantamount to attributing sexual characteristics and behaviour to teenage girls, or even young girls. The difficulty of defining hypersexualisation So, what is the hypersexualisation of young girls? How is it problematic and dangerous? How are young girls sexualised by a society that paradoxically wants to protect minors? To what extent does hypersexualisation resemble a form of violence against children? How are children increasingly pushed to become adults before their time?
The film analyses the causes leading to hypersexualisation, whether it be fashion, magazines, the search for popularity or, more generally, the desire to emancipate oneself and be perceived as an adult. In reality, the film brilliantly denounces the hypersexualisation of girls and teenage girls in our modern societies but also denounces the male gaze, through which this hypersexualisation occurs. A petition was even launched claiming that it promoted child pornography, and the director was so harassed on Twitter that she ended up leaving the social network. The poster, which was taken from a deliberately embarrassing and sexualized scene, was misinterpreted by people who had not seen the film. However, this is precisely what the film team wanted to denounce. Last August, the film Mignonnes directed by Maïmouna Doucouré caused controversy because of its alleged sexualization of pre-adolescent girls, particularly because of the American promotional poster broadcasted by Netflix. – Francine Descarries, Professor, Department of Sociology, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) What is the hypersexualisation of young girls? “Hypersexualisation values the appearance at the expense of the being the possessions rather than knowledge.” TWs mentioning sensitive subjects will be present at the beginning of each part if necessary. This article discusses sensitive topics, including child pornography, sexual violence and eating disorders. What does this phenomenon consist of? Why cannot the law counter it? How is it expressed? Why is it intimately linked to sexism and the dictates of beauty that are invading our society and enslaving women? What consequences can it have? Finally, how can it be discouraged? TRIGGER WARNING Whether through social networks, television or fashion, it contributes to an undeniable eroticization of childhood, forcing children and especially girls to become adults before their time. The hypersexualisation of young girls is omnipresent in today’s society.