MIXED MESSAGES

In our first installment, “Mixed Messages [Part l]”— (April 2023), we addressed contemporary role models for young girls and adult women; we examined the evolution of cultural appropriateness at a time when females endure rampant misogyny due to those willing to barter their sexuality for personal and financial gain.

We omitted the use of ‘Adult Content Creator’ websites offering explicit images, designed for transactional interactions, hosted by women such as; Only Fans, Fansly, and MyGirlFund. Interactive technology has removed the tainted veil of old-school strip clubs and has replaced them with live and on-demand connections.

News and Media outlets—of all types—including individual influencers, ostensibly report issues of women’s rights when the opportunity arises; however, unabashed, they glorify and promote the sexuality and enticement of young women who launch themselves into lifestyles dominated by men, using their sculpted faces and bodies.

Having had discussions about the right of a woman to use her body as she sees fit seems to be the go-to response when these issues are approached. Still, those ill-prepared often cannot connect a sentence about the harm they project onto those who will hopefully not succeed them.

From a large body of research, it’s believed that young girls are the subtotal of visual, verbal, and non-verbal cues contributed by family, friends, and society. Other affective variables in molding a woman’s identity include genetic predisposition, which has a preponderance of support in shaping personalities, and behavioral experiences responsible for shaping self-worth.

It has become apparent that generations of women are being influenced by images and accounts of pseudo-success, sexual prowess, and the advice of so-called experts about where to find and how to ‘hook up’ with powerful, influential, and successful men.

Career choices, education, and opportunities play a role in everyone’s development, but building a sense of morality differs between the sexes.

External prompts, signals, motivators, and comparisons become incorporated and aligned with intrinsic biological factors such as emotional and maternal impulses, causing confusion.

Unfortunately, women who struggle to develop in their formative years and into early adulthood are heavily influenced by men. The social pressures and a need (predisposition) to seek a mate for the species’ survival create a market for connection and approval, much of which can be traced back to early childhood.

With technology comes an undeniable quest to compete; social media, one of the most detrimental aspects of communication with youth, has widened the playing field for mating. An integral part of female and male development, from an early age, examples of attractiveness, desirability, and availability are constantly viewed as a measurement of self-value or worth. The issue becomes troublesome if you don’t fit the profile of the one-percenters; fear of inadequacy prevails, shaping future behaviors and personalities.

It has become apparent that generations of women are being influenced by images and accounts of pseudo-success, sexual prowess, and the advice of so-called experts about where to find and how to ‘hook up’ with powerful, influential, and successful men.

Through no fault, women are manipulated into seeking partners that don’t exist, only to become disappointed and develop insecurities and doubt.

Of concern is that peer pressure will take precedence over career choices.

The need for women to become aware of the destructive influences placed around them—by both genders, is a first step in halting the unrealistic and detrimental effects upon their successful development.

Images and descriptions of how a woman should be desired and idolized for her physical attributes rather than her mind, personality, and achievements need deconstruction; once replaced with an inventory of strengths, insights, and independence, progress is inevitable.

Images of sexualization paired with unrealistic lifestyles need expulsion from a woman’s psyche, as for men, they need to realize that equality cannot exist with subordination.

Finally, the core of humanity—family, needs to be restored. As previously mentioned, values and morality are the seeds of identity development; today’s lack of critical support systems is overwhelmingly evident, as are the results of its absence. H