Pop Culture Curmudgeon

Pedophilia in Popular Culture

Because the Roman Polanski story just won’t die, I have been more sensitive than usual to instances of sexualization of young girls.

When Polanski was first arrested, I read an interesting article that described a cultural shift that had occurred since Polanki’s crime. At the time, the article argued, teen girls were seen as sexual creatures. Now, we try to see them as children who need to be protected until they reach that magical age of consent.

That doesn’t mean that men don’t fantasize about teens. Instead, they work harder to restrain themselves until the girls are 18. Remember the countdown to when the Olson twins turned 18? It grossed me out. And, I’m sure that there is a similar countdown for when Miley Cyrus turns 18 and the dances with a stripper pole are hot rather than disturbing.

I also find it interesting that there have not been high-profile cases of women lusting after teen boys. I haven’t seen any countdowns until the younger Jo Bros are 18. I haven’t seen any examples of literature that glamorizes relationships between teenage boys and older women. Young men who are of the age of consent and older women, definitely. The Graduate is the first example that pops to mind.

In the 80s, when I was a teen, I was not troubled by teen sexuality. I would have been interested in an older man if I had been given the opportunity. But now that I am older, I know that I was not mature enough to make such a decision, and I am glad that I never had the opportunity.

So when I was listening to Hair Nation on XM yesterday and heard 17 by Winger, it got me thinking about the ways my attitudes have changed and the glorification of teen girls as sexual beings in popular culture.

If you’re not familiar with the song I’m talking about, you can read the lyrics here.

In my Danielle Steele phase, when I was about 15, I read Full Circle. One of the main character’s daughters runs off and has a sexual relationship with a much older man. And her parents feel powerless to do anything about it because they will lose their daughter forever if they tell the man to leave their daughter. As soon as the daughter is 18, they marry.

And no discussion of young girls and older men would be complete without a mention of Lolita. They did a remake with Jeremy Irons in 1997, and there was some outcry about the inappropriateness of the story line, but not as much as there probably would be today.

What do you think? Are we sending mixed messages by glorifying teenage females sexuality while cracking down on sex offenders? Will we see less of that in our popular culture as our newer beliefs trickle down into our art?