In our society it is common to see girls in swimming pools and beaches with their torso covered even if there is nothing to show, because at their age their chest is indistinguishable from that of boys.
Recently, two studies from the United Kingdom warned about the growing sexualization and commercialization of minors in all aspects, including clothing.
What are the causes? Modesty, frivolity, fashion? Two sociologists who are experts in childhood and gender give their opinion on why girls wear bikinis, what its consequences are and how this trend could be changed.
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backtrack on equality
“We are experiencing a return to the importance and objectification of women, of valuing their body and appearance before their profession, studies or values. This is one more aspect”points out María Silveria Agullo, deputy director of the University Institute for Gender Studies at the Carlos III University in Spain.
“A regression is taking place in equality in general and in gender education in particular”agrees Heike Freire, philosopher, psychologist, journalist and writer specializing in pedagogy. “Boys and girls now have much more social pressure to follow stereotypes: most of the objects they own and even the environments where they move and the activities they carry out are differentiated by gender. The same thing happens with the swimsuit.Add.
Freire believes that, in the last two decades, the sexualization of children has become more evident. “On the one hand, adolescence is coming forward more and more. Girls develop earlier physically and appear older psychologically. On the other hand, we live in an essentially pedophile culture: the ideal of an attractive body that is transmitted in advertising is that of childhood and many models and actresses are still minors or appear to be. It’s funny, because adolescence is getting longer «considers.
The psychologist, who runs the Educar En Verde blog, points out that girls put on the top part of their swimsuit of their own free will, «due to a diffuse social pressure that they are internalizing».
“We are witnessing a twist of the capitalist patriarchy. Behaviors are no longer forced or prohibited. Gender socialization is based on the desire to be older, to be beautiful, to be looked at… Behavior is subtly modeled through the media or the design of clothing”details.
Taken from Cuba Debate