Hi, everyone – while exploring the web I came across articles regarding child model exploitation and found a particularly disturbing article that photographed five child models. I’ve added pictures to this post so you can see exactly what I saw when I was reading the article and viewing the pictures. The name of this article is “Five Girl Models Who Are Being Photographed Like They’re Women,” Author Koa Meck and the website was www.mommyish.com.
Picture 1 – This young lady is Lottie Moss, age 13 – quite an outfit, huh? And you call these shoes?!?
Picture 2 and 3 – Thylane Blondeau, age 10 – not only what an outfit, but what a shoot and the shoes don’t even fit; Elle Fanning, age 13 – again, what an outfit.
I’ve tried to capture in my mind what these photos may try to accomplish in the world of fashion or advertising, and I really can’t seem to grasp it. Actually, I find it offensive that girls at this age are being portrayed in such a light; it almost seems perverse. I find it hard to imagine that agents and advertisers would see any legitimate purpose for these photos of these young girls and that whatever type of media they’re being printed in would do so in good conscience.
I can understand the models’ desire to look beautiful, act older than they are – after all, how many times have any of us put on adult outfits to “dress up.” Well, this isn’t dress up, and I can’t help but wonder if these girls can truly appreciate what their image portrays. I remember when I did “dress up” it certainly wasn’t accompanied by a make-up artist, a hair designer, much less comparing the types of outfits worn.
The truth is, I don’t think they do. If looking at it from a psychological perspective, this stage of development often accompanies the inability to appreciate consequences of decisions – whether good or bad, not a well developed or defined sense of self that can easily be manipulated by members of their peer group much less by adults they may trust and admire.
So, call me a prude. I just think this is really over the top.
kimberliesspace 
Wow, these pictures are shocking. I remember the feeling when I was 10-12 years old, I couldn’t wait to be a lady and wear adult clothes, and I imagine that these girls think that they are living a dream right now. I wish, however, that the parents of these girls would wise up and realize that allowing these types of photo shoots is not healthy. These girls are being ushered into adulthood prematurely. They should be riding bikes and dressing up in their mom’s clothes for fun, not modeling outfits such as these. Now that I’m an adult woman, I find myself wishing that I could escape responsibilities and be a kid again. These girls will be too…
I found your post to be very powerful and I could not agree with you more. I know when I played dress up it never looked a thing like this. I think the main thing that is wrong with this type of advertisement is the fact that it gives the girl models an unrealistic view of themselves. It gives them the message that “this is what makes you pretty”. It seriously damages their self-image. Also the children that see these ads will receive a similar message. Young girls will look at this as beauty, which is sad because all young girls are beautiful as they are.
Young girls need to be young girls! They are children and should act their age. Their innocence is being taken away by aging them with these clothes and make-up. It honestly makes me upset to see these girls like this and I feel bad for them.
I have come across a similar story that I heard a few months back. They are actually coming out with lingerie lines for young girls! It is absolutely appalling to see these six and seven year old girls being made to look “sexy”. According to the article I found on it, the girls are targeted as young as four years old. It is perverted and I believe it provokes child molesters. Young girls are not supposed to be sexy and whoever is thinking that this is the new trend is seriously mistaken. I may sound overly attacking on the subject, but I am very adamant about this sort of thing because I have so many young cousins and I would never want them to be portrayed like this.
Reference:
http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/08/childrens-racy-lingerie-line-france-controversy-jours-apres-lunes-ad-campaign