The "Cute" Sexualization of Young Children

The almost daily reports of sexual misconduct in our society demands that we carefully examine the overt and covert messages we communicate.  The full page ad titled HSQ Kids on page 5 of Sunday's NY Times front page section (11-2-14) depicting an 8 or 9 year old boy and girl dressed for what could easily be seen as a night out holding hands is a case in point.  The apparent cute, attractive couple is an example of the over sexualization of prepubertal children that reinforces destructive attitudes toward children in general and little girls in particular.  As a child psychiatrist for 35 years, I continue to be appalled by the exploitation of children in ways that package them in costumes of sexuality that adults have been conditioned to view as cute.  Until we can all begin to see such packaging as exploitation, we we will continue to cultivate public health attitudes about sexuality in children that easily lead to future molestation and premature sexualized activity. The increasing awareness of just how pervasive sexual misconduct has become should give us all pause to examine our attitudes and behaviors.