Spring 2012 – An Evaluation of the American Psychological Association’s Task Force Report on the Sexualization of Girls

This article by Dr. Fitzgibbons and Dale O’ Leary evaluates the American Psychological Association’s Task Force Report on the Sexualization of Girls.  As the authors of the report rightly point out, the evidence of girls sexualization and the problems that follow is overwhelming.  While the authors of the report open state the magnitude of the problem, they fail, according to Fitzgibbons and O’Leary to address the root cause of this sexualization.  This root cause is the exposure of unwed girls to sexual activity.  Without marriage with its total, mutual, lifelong commitment, its indissoluble connection between love and responsibility, sexual activity between boys and girls will always hurt young girls who are naturally oriented toward attracting the attention of boys but who lack the maturity to insist upon mutual sacrifice and responsibility.   Regardless of the the media and other negative factors tending toward sexualization, the nature of men and women, boys and girls is such that sexual gratification outside the confines of marriage will necessarily lead to the exploitation of young, vulnerable girls.