|
THE GUARDIAN |
 |
|
 |
|
|
Pre-teen
mags 'full of explicit sexual
content'
Rebecca
Smithers Wednesday April 7, 2004 The Guardian Girls' glossy teen magazines "glamorise promiscuity" and should have age restrictions printed clearly on their front covers to protect much younger girls from inappropriate sexual content, teachers demanded yesterday. They backed a motion calling for magazines to be regulated along the lines of those on newsagents' top shelves for the over-18s and urged parents to take a greater interest in what their young daughters were reading in their leisure time. Ralph Surman, deputy head teacher of Cantrell primary school in Nottingham and an executive member of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said the editorial policy of many girls' pre-teen and early teen magazines was harmful to the wellbeing of their readers Mr Surman, a father of three daughters, criticised publishers of magazines like Bliss, Sugar and Cosmo Girl for targeting girls as young as 10 while publishing content that was unsuitable for children below the age of 14. Age restrictions should be made clear on the magazines, he said, Much of the content was sexually very explicit, he said, while articles calling on readers to nominate the most attractive 12-year old models were even akin to child abuse. Speaking at the ATL's annual conference, he said: "I believe many of the teen magazines freely available on the shelves in our shops pose a significant harm and danger to children. The reading material is simply inappropriate for the age group being targeted. "I have had to wrap up a pile of unsuitable reading material in envelopes and put post-it notes in asking the parents if they realise their children are reading this stuff. I have never ever had a parent come back to discuss it with me." He said the magazines "glamorise promiscuity and normalise behaviour we as society should say is not normal behaviour. The problem pages are a real problem." The publications were also stuffed with free gifts such as plastic jewellery clearly targeted at younger girls, and parents should be aware of the "polywrap culture" their daughters were immersing themselves in, he said. "I'm not blaming parents. I just think at times they are ignorant about what these magazines actually contain and are buying them in good faith and trust." Mr Surman, who takes pupils on walking weekends, said that youngsters were reading the magazines during their informal evening reading sessions, but he had felt compelled to confiscate them. Lesley Ward, also an executive member and a teacher at Intake primary school, Doncaster, who supported the motion, said: "My 80-year-old mother was shocked by what is in these magazines. In my day, I went from Bunty to Judy to Jackie but there was nothing in them like youngsters are reading today. "Children need to go through their childhood to become well-rounded adults. They must look at these magazines and think: 'Everyone else is doing it.' "But the people they should be talking to for advice about relationships and sex are those they trust." A girl's best friend? Sugar Price £2.10 Sells 291,794 Publisher Hachette Filipacchi (UK) Ltd Current issue 12-page Sex Uncovered feature, including: A day in the life of his tackle, sex slang explained and the Sugar sex survey 2004. Expert
Advice Q I
think my mate is a lesbian.
She's always stroking my face
and shoulders ... girls at
school have started to call us
lezzers. bliss Price £2 Sells 241, 664 Publisher Emap London Lifestyle Ltd Current issue 'I had a secret affair with my teacher' and a feature about 16-year-olds who don't look their age Expert Advice Q My
boy mates said they hate
sleeping with virgins because
there's blood everywhere. When
I said I was a virgin, they
laughed and said 'no lad will
sleep with you, and even if
they do, you'll hate it' Cosmo
Girl Price £2 Sells 198,324 Publisher The National Magazine Company Current issue Seven things you should know about boys and their bits and 'My boyfriend gave me herpes' Expert Advice Q
When I go out I get drunk and
end up pulling people I don't
know. I don't mean to lead
them on, I'm just having fun
... Please help
|