Hollywood is a place known for its glamour, but behind the scenes there are so many moral problems with the treatment of those who work there, especially young women. Oftentimes, women who appear in movies, television, and music are sexualized from a young age. They are dressed and portrayed as much older than they are, which leads to the idolization of them as sexual beings. There are many problems that arise when this is the case, as it can cause these young girls to see themselves in a sexual light, which changes the way they feel about their own sexuality.
I recently read an interview by Natalie Portman where she spoke about the effect that playing sexual roles in movies and television while she was still a minor had on the way she felt about her sexuality. She relays feelings she had when she got a bit older and was able to understand and think about sex. The sexualization she was subjected to in Hollywood made her afraid to express herself sexually, and she felt violated by being thought of as a sexual being. This is a feeling that I’m sure so many young girls have experienced when they grow up in the environment of Hollywood, and they feel that they need to have more of a say in the way they are portrayed in the roles that they play. These young women deserve to have power over their sexuality and it is time that Hollywood listens and creates these changes.
Aside from portrayal within characters they are playing, young girls are sexualized heavily in the media the second they become a big name in Hollywood. A recent example of this is Olivia Rodrigo’s dress that she was styled in by Saint Laurent for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Opening Gala. This beautiful gown is being criticized as too mature for her age, as she is just 18 years old. The problem arises, however, not in the clothing itself- she looked stunning- but the response that the media has had. If you simply Google “Olivia Rodrigo boobs”, at least 15 articles come up that solely discuss her cleavage. This is far too much discussion to be appropriate for a young girl’s body, but somehow no one sees the problem with that much media exposure regarding it. An 18-year-old girl should be able to dress maturely in a beautiful dress without worry of what society will have to say, but unfortunately girls’ bodies begin to be spoken about in the media when they are as young as 15-years-old.
Regardless of age, no woman deserves to be sexually exploited in the media simply because they have gained celebrity status. This feeling that society has that they are able to say whatever they want about young celebrities’ sexuality is so deeply flawed, yet so normalized. It is time that we allow young girls to have power over their bodies without being criticized and without fear that their personal view of their sexuality will be tainted.