Sexualistation of Young People

PSHE and citizenship curricula, lessons
given in other subjects, assemblies and
other school activities. However, there is
still more that could be done in primary
schools. I therefore recommend that:
• Primary schools should make
specific reference to the influence
of the media on body image and
personal identity. This could form
part of a planned new area of
learning, ‘Understanding Physical
Development, Health and Wellbeing’,
and would help equip primary
school children with tools to
understand and interpret the images
and messages they see in the media.
Almost all primary schools and a growing
number of secondary schools are using
the Social and Emotional Aspects of
Learning (SEAL) programme to support
children’s emotional wellbeing. I therefore
recommend that:
• A module on gender equality,
sexualisation and sexist/sexual
bullying be developed as part of
the SEAL programme. This should
include discussion of body image and
objectification.
iii) Media literacy and encouraging
activism
While there are many organisations
working to address the media literacy
needs of the UK population, efforts to
date have been fragmented, with little or
no co-ordination at either strategic or
operational level. As a result, resources
may be failing to reach those in most need
or to achieve the desired outcomes.
I welcome the government’s desire to
boost young people’s media literacy
skills. 415 Any media literacy programme
415 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and
Families, Ed Balls. House of Commons Hansard
Ministerial Statements for 14 December 2009
should equip young people with the
cognitive filters to critically examine and
challenge the media portrayal of both
men and women. It should address
concepts such as air-brushing of images
and the cult of celebrity, and be linked to
education on safe internet use.
Alternative media outlets such as blogs,
webcasts and magazines or ‘zines’
distributed on the web could provide a
useful forum for teaching and encouraging
young people to critically examine
the sexualised or hyper-masculinised
images presented by popular media and
marketers. By offering young people a
chance to create their own content, these
channels can promote a powerful sense of
validation and ownership.
I therefore recommend that:
• Media literacy should not only be
taught through PSHE education
but also through English and drama,
the arts, history and citizenship.
A ‘whole school’ approach to media
literacy would reduce the burden
on PSHE education, ensure that
relevant links are made in other
subjects and effectively mainstream
gender stereotyping throughout the
curriculum.
iv) Working with young people outside of
mainstream education
In recent years the integration of youth
work into other children’s services has
moved from a universal service to an
increasingly ‘problem’ orientated targeted
one. However, there’s a great deal of
positive work that can be done with
young people, not because they are seen
as deficient, or victims, or needing to be
‘fixed’ but as part of more general antisexist
and gender equalities-based work
with boys and girls. I recommend that:
Sexualisation of Young People Review
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