National virtue and the ‘media sexualisation of children’ discourse in Australia

Abstract

Most studies of the media sexualisation of children debate focus on its significance in terms of discourses of sexuality and gender. This article makes observations about public meetings called to express concern about media sexualisation held in several Australian capital cities 2009–2010 to argue that media sexualisation is also meaningful in relation to discourses of nation. Drawing on the claim made by Valerie Walkerdine that concern with the eroticisation of girls is a defence against acknowledgement of difficult sexual desires and Gayle Rubin’s observation that concerns with children’s sexuality often carry other political agendas, this article argues that the concern with media sexualisation of children in the Australian context carries meaning about national identity and national virtue. It places the emergence of the discourse in the recent history of revelations about the systemic abuse of children by the state and the Christian churches throughout the 20th century and into this century, and argues that the media sexualisation discourse constitutes subjects who, via their investment in innocence, are exonerated from any culpability in this compromising national history.

Paedophilia discourses in Denmark: Towards a mixed method digital discourse approach

“…One can argue that innocence is constructed and emphasized as the pure and good, whereas bodily exploration and sexual desires are constructed as deviant and worrying. This finding is in line with earlier studies on children and sexuality, which stress that the public construction of children as innocent and non-sexual beings deprives them of their sexual flowering (Baird, 2013;Davies, 2012;Hawkes & Dune, 2013;Jewkes & Wykes, 2012;Robinson, 2012;Simpson, 2011). However, this contradictory relation between the innocent child and damaging sexuality is peculiar, as international and Danish researchers emphasize that children have both sexualities and sexual desires (Angelides, 2004;Graugaard, 2013).…”

“…Most studies on fear of pedophilia have roots in an Australian context based on qualitative methods and literature reviews (Baird, 2013;Davies, 2012;Hawkes & Dune, 2013;Robinson, 2012;Simpson, 2011). These studies have successfully established a focus on the multifaceted field of children, sexuality, and fear of pedophilia.…”

Bad Apples, Bad Barrel: Exploring Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse by Catholic Clergy in Australia

“…This is crucial for this study as the Catholic Church represents a powerful institution with far reaching political, social and religious influence. Further, the state has a central role in addressing and managing responses to CSA, not only through criminal justice processes but also through state inquiries (Ainsworth and Hansen 2006;Baird 2013;Middleton et al 2014a).…”

Innovation in Course Design

“…Parents and teachers are expressing great concern regarding the sexualisation of children and adolescents and the way young people are being portrayed and positioned in society, especially by commercial and mass media influences (Kosa, 2005). Increasing rates of adolescent depression, anxiety, eating disorders and other health related problems illustrate the negative effects social influences can have on young people (Baird, 2013;McEwen, 2008;American Psychological Association Task Force, 2007;Rush & La Nauze, 2006a;Rush & La Nauze, 2006b).…”