sexualisation of children

[athenet]

Hi, I'm behind this campaign, I think I'm reasonably broad minded but children should be allowed to be children, and girls should be brought up to believe in their abilities, not their usefulness for sex.
The thing is, much mention is made of men's magazines, but since working in a news agent, I'm more repulsed by the front covers of the gossip magazines read by many mums. They have headlines on the cover relating to incest and rape between all possible family members, in language an early reader can understand. I have teenage sons and enjoy the company of youngsters at work, I find it really disgusting to go in the kitchen and find stories about middle-aged mums going out with their son's friends left open on the table.
I now know not to look at them, there are horrific stories about incest and murder in families, written in the style of stories, with lots of incidental detail.
Do women who buy these keep them out of sight and reach of their children?
If you read these, do they actually cheer you up?

I think they are foul, just like those grief-porn books.
I find lads mags more repulsive though.

those kind of magazines may be trashy but I don't see how they relate to the sexualisation of children. People mention the covers of mens magazines because they have objectifying pictures of women, the magazines you're talking about don't.

Oh dear lord!!

Another whinge in the guise of a 'campaign'. So stuff for adults needs to be banned then? Or hidden Away like some secret. Children,children,children! Yes let's hide everything away from the delicate little children!!

I think stuff with content inappropriate for children which is in children's environments does relate to the sexualisation of children. I'm just saying that once kids can read, headlines and content in these mags could be as insiduously influencing as photographic images. I'm not for banning everything, everyone influences their children in some way or other, if you let your kids watch and read everything out there, you're just letting money makers bring your kids up. The covers of the lads mags seem to show "men like big boobs", covers of the gossip mags seem to show that "women are interested in reading about pervy families"

'childrens environments'?? Well yes if it's in schools etc, is it?

Just to clarify, are you totally ok with magazines with headlines like "Sex With My Son Is Great" lying around in the home or at children's height in shops? Would "Sex With My Daughter Is Great" be any better or worse?

What is children's height? For the record, I haven't actually seen those type of 'headline' you are talking about.

By headlines I mean the phrases in bold type which are meant to draw readers in to buy the magazine-they describe the content of the stories within. You could inform me of their proper name. It is because I see these magazine covers on a weekly basis at work that I see the worst ones, and am trying to raise this topic, what is your reason for asserting that campaigns are just whinges?

The covers of the lads mags seem to show "men like big boobs", covers of the gossip mags seem to show that "women are interested in reading about pervy families"

Of course a lot of men like big boobs. How is this a surprise to you? The other part I don't know - presumeably there are at least enough women who like reading that stuff to keep the magazines in business.

I don't see why children would interpret either of these as absolutes for all humanity though, any more than they would look at Anglers' Monthly on the lower shelf and think there's something wrong with them because they don't like fishing.

I'd get another job - sounds like that may put some perspective back into your life.

Just use your common sense and let others do what they like - it's a free world and we can pick and choose what we want to read or not read.

I would suggest that the vast majority of parents are pretty sensible and keep this kind of thing away from childrens eyes.

Thats what I was asking, I'd be reassured to hear from someone who reads this stuff and does keep it out of sight, you are answering for them. I wasn't saying I was surprised about men liking big boobs, I was contrasting the approbation that lads mags get with the seeming total acceptance that the other pervyfamilies mags get. Have you tried changing your job recently? You sound a little insensitive to the problems facing millions who would to get any job, let alone change one.