cocktails?

Somewhere in boxes of family memorabilia are rolls of old and grainy Shirley Temple movies. Based on recent articles in the blogshpere about sexualizing children, where few are able to resist mentioning JonBenet Ramsey's name to supercharge shock and awe, these oldies starring Shirley Temple should be banned. Illegalized. Looks like I may be in possession of contraband and my grandparents should have been stoned and burned at the stake right along side the Ramseys. Summertime brought for us gatherings where us kids watched goofy old movies while the folks entertained; served us drinks too. I'll have a Shirley Temple cocktail with 2 maraschino cherries, please and thank you. Uh, well, maybe not.


This issue of provocative everyday children's wear as it pertains to influence and values is a hot topic. For the most part I agree. I don't agree that JonBenet needs to be the poster child for this issue, too. Parent's outfitting children in revealing adult attire, playboy bunny logo T-shirts or biker leathers isn't sending the right message. But how strong and realistic is a 'danger' message if it is based on trying to tie JonBenet, costumed in Shirley Temple style for a performance, to the fashion forward family that dresses their child like an MTV star for school?

Kids sense when they are being manipulated. As adults while we need to guide we also need to foster honesty and trust. Frightening and fear mongering in further sensationalizing the horrors that happened to JonBenet may be lost on deaf ears. Today kids have the Internet for research and and networking. Their discoveries may turn the best of intentions for promoting age appropriate attire into weak yes but debates.....'Yes but JonBenet wasn't dressed 'like that' when was killed'...'Yes but this outfit doesn't look anything JonBenet wore at those pageants'...'Yes but there isn't any evidence that shows JonBenet was killed because she was in pageants....

For those advocating attention to foster change, on target real life messaging will certainly be more meaningful.

I still don't understand or embrace the world of child pageants. But I do understand that sexual attraction is personal, resides within the eye of the beholder. There is a very transparent problem with those shrieking that 6 JonBenet Ramsey was some kind a sex object. Comparatively and not overlooking all the known issues child actors may face, I haven't heard many express similar sexualization concerns over the way an adorable child star was wardrobed and acted in those olden days of family values when every little girl wanted to be Shirley Temple. And in 1996, so did JonBenet--


Stop this sexualisation of children
Published in the Manchester Evening News
by John Scheerhout

"THE boss of a centre for rape victims has blamed clothing and music videos for the `increasing sexualisation of children'.

Dr Catherine White said the number of young victims seen at The Sexual Assault Referral Centre at St Mary's Hospital had been rising over the last few years.

And Dr White says how society portrays children needs to be re-examined.

...Controversy

The issue of sexualising children has hit the headlines in recent years in a number of high-profile cases.

Murdered American six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey, who was entered into scores of American child beauty pagants by her parents, was found dead in the basement of her home in Colorado in 1996.

Pictures of her wearing adult clothes and make-up as she took part in the competitons sparked a huge public debate...

Dr White, who is the centre's clinical director, added: "When we opened the children's examination suite we estimated we would see about 250 every year. We saw 400 in the first and it's continued to grow.

"I don't believe we are having more abuse. But I think as a service we have got better and so more people will come forward..."