Sexualizing Little Girls is Art?

June 2, 2008 | Filed Under Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Family, Health, Media Bias, Morals/Sex, News, Publius Contributor, Religion, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, The Law, Warner Todd Huston |

-By Warner Todd Huston

What would you say about photos of naked children — most of them girls as young as 13 — holding each other or by themselves in pensive poses? Would you imagine it to be thoughtful art or would your first thought be that it seemed like uncomfortable porn? Would you think it just a beautiful expression of humanity, or would you get a vague feeling that someone is getting his jollies from these pictures and it might be the so-called artist. And would it seem like a celebration or exploitation of children?

This is the argument currently going on in Australia over an art gallery showing of the work of photographer Bill Henson. Henson’s latest photo series shows several naked girls and boys, some prepubescent, in what some may consider alluring poses (though others might consider them merely thoughtful). The authorities were not amused by the exploitative photos and had them removed from the gallery. Even Australia’s new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has had his say about this incident describing the photos as “revolting.” He later added that he will not apologize for his comments.

Naturally, several in Australia’s arts community raced to Henson’s defense saying that it is an outrage to have had the gallery showing boxed by authorities. Even actress Cate Blanchett — herself a mother of three — has voiced support of the photographer.

The letter of support scolds all those who are offended by the photos.

The potential prosecution of one of our most respected artists . . . does untold damage to our culture reputation,” the letter said.

“We suggest that the. . . criminalisation of laying charges against Mr Henson, his gallery and the parents of the young people depicted in his work would be far more traumatic for the young people concerned than anything Mr Henson has done.”

I’d suggest that a society that exploits its children for sexual titillation deserves to have it’s “culture” damaged.

But the question of the ultimate meaning and purpose of the photographs remains; is it porn or is it art?

I maintain that it is porn even if it is meant to be art because it is a sexualization of our children, especially our girls. Unfortunately, western society is devolving into anarchy where it concerns issues of morality. Our entertainment presents females sexualized at younger and younger ages all the time. Popular fashion has young girls dressing like hookers. Music shows them off like meat or treats them like second class citizens meant only for male satisfaction. Not only are younger and younger girls looked upon as sexual playthings, older women and motherhood is constantly devalued as uncool or something to be avoided.

This gallery showing, even if it isn’t meant to, exposes these young girls to leering eyes. The poses reveal these girls in alluring positions giving them a feeling of lost innocence, a feeling that something dark lurks beneath the plaintive gazes. It also adds to the great exploitation of girls across the spectrum in western society.

We should be protecting our children, helping them grow and giving them the time to do so far from prying eyes and lecherous intent, not presenting them as objects of desire and titillation.

This artist claims he is celebrating the beauty of youth. But, the one thing that makes youth traditionally beautiful is that freshness and innocence inherent with it. Photos that literally lay bare our young girls shatters that innocence and makes of them objects of lust. This sullies and blackens the very beauty that the artist claims to be celebrating, making of it a cheap thrill instead of something worth protecting.

The Australian authorities were right to box this pornography. Let us hope that they are strong enough as a society to put those responsible for the creation of this so-called art up on charges of child pornography.

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Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, townhall.com, New Media Journal, Men’s News Daily and the New Media Alliance among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston