Sex in Advertising: Just Sell It

What exactly is being advertised here? Rape? Voyeurism? Shoes? Victimization of women, maybe? I can't tell. I do know that I find this image deeply disturbing. Reading the commentary on it as I researched this on the internet I saw that some found it humorous,some found it blase because, "after all, the guys in the picture are obviously gay", some just saw it as advertising, and some were appalled.

I am amoung those that were appalled. Violence against women is at an all time high and it doesn't look like things are going to calm down anytime soon.

Advertisers are using 12-14 year old girls. That isn't new, it has been going on for years. I find that in it'sself disturbing because, while society complains that children are being sexualized at an alarming rate, we continue to accept advertising that sexualizes them. Because, after all, it is only advertising. It isn't real.

We allow our daughters to possess magazines that have advertising like this in it. We possess publications with this type of advertising in it. What exactly do we tell our children, sons and daughters, when they see these graphic pictures of pretend violence? Why is it interesting enough to us to sell cosmetics and overpriced clothing?

Before we get to far into the argument that she isn't really being hurt..

Just this week an elementary student was kicked out of school because he drew a picture of himself pointing a water gun at a friend. There are things that you cannot say to other cultures/races because those WORDS are considered violent, and rightly so. Yet a picture which clearly portrays something, at best, questionable is passed off as advertising? Change that picture. Put your daughter, your sister, your mom, your wife in that scene with those men. How does that picture look now? Still innocent? Still non-violent?

As the outcry against violence in society becomes more insistent it is odd to me that violence against women is still an acceptable way to sell music, videos, video games, and clothing.

Let's preface this with the statement that within reason whatever a couple decides is sexy behind closed doors that is not degrading to either of them is, for the sake of this article, acceptable.

I cannot understand what is hot about female wrestlers, in various stages of undress, pummeling each-other for the camera. I see nothing of artistic value in the photograph at the beginning of this article. I will give the photographer kudos for lighting, and excellent shadowing but that is it. Music that glorifies rape, gang banging, and physical violence sickens me. I find it frustrating that I can be sitting in my car at a red light and be assaulted with it even though my windows are up. That shopping can be a headache as I am forced to hear music that I don;t want to hear, video clips that I don't want to see all in the name of freedom of speech.

Someday my sons will marry. It is my hope that they will treat their wives with as much love, honor and respect as their father has treated me with in our 27 year marriage. Some day my daughters will marry. It is my hope that they don't marry anyone that does not treat them the way their father treats me. My children have a role model. I understand that, and I understand that not all children do.

But the more we look the other way when this type of advertising occurs, the more we allow it by not crying out and saying no, the more we allow ourselves to become numb to it, well, the more that children who are not blessed to have a strong role model will accept this as part of life. Cool even. Sexy.

Not my child. Not now. Not ever. Because as an adult, it is my responsibility to shape their characters in a strong and healthy way and images like that are unacceptable.

So, when you hear on the news that another 10 year old girl has been raped by several Jr. High age boys, or a high school girl has been being sexually molested by her teacher, think of that image and decide. Seriously, is it worth it?