Feminist Frequency - "Glee, GQ and the Sexualization of Young Girls"
I chose to watch this video because I watched Glee throughout middle school and high school, so I was most intrigued by it. In this video, the woman is discussing a cover of GQ featuring some characters of Glee. The actresses on the cover and throughout the spread are seen in a school setting, wearing little clothing, and basically portraying the "school girl" fantasy. The woman, Anita, talks about how in the show Glee the females are portrayed as high school students so it is inappropriate to have them displayed as sex symbols.
I don't think this video really influenced my thinking a lot. The topic of the sexualization of women has been very prominent lately and I already have my own opinions on the topic. I absorbed her opinions and I can definitely see where she's coming from, but I also see the other side of the argument. These actors and actresses are not their Glee characters outside of the show. They are adults and if they do not think it is inappropriate to do this photo shoot, that's their right. If the actresses are not uncomfortable and do not feel sexualized, then they should be free to do what they want.
Curious--does Anita speak to the choices of the acttresses themselves or is she speaking to the choices of GQ to sexualize acttresses who are presented and known for being under-age children? And in doing so, is she speaking more to systematic issues of sexualizing young adults in our culture as GQ does (and has done before) and the problems of doing so in a culture such as ours (considering what we have seen about sexual violence towards women)?
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