Why Hollywood Needs to Stop Selling “Sexy” as “Grown Up”
posted on February 6, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Have you seen the Demi Lovato photographs everyone’s talking about? Apparently, in an attempt to transition from child star to adult, Lovato opted for a “sexy” photo shoot.
Watch below:
http://youtu.be/33-b16CAp4c
When discussing the photo shoot, photographer Tyler Shields said this:
I think people have a very specific vision of her. No one has seen her doing anything remotely sexy. But she’s a grown woman now, and she wants to be sexy and feel sexy, and she wants to have these pictures forever. Little kids eat lollipops. She’s not a kid anymore, but people view her that way. It’s like, ‘So if you’re going to view me as a kid, then here ya go.’
There are many definitions of the word “sexy,” but they all have the same connotation: “Arousing or tending to arouse sexual desire or interest,” “sexually suggestive or stimulating,” “erotic.” If Lovato’s intention was to be sexy, then I’d definitely agree that the images of her with the lollipop are “sexually suggestive.” But does Demi Lovato really want to be sexy?
The desire to be sexy is the desire to be seen and recognized as a sexual being. You want boys or men to find you “arousing.” And when they find you arousing, that means that they’re thinking erotic thoughts about you. Is that what Lovato wants?
By being thought of in a sexual way, will Lovato then feel like a grown up? Will she then be taken seriously as an adult?
Why is it that so many female child stars take off their clothes when they turn 18, as if being an adult means dressing and acting sexy?
In “Spears, Gomez and Beyond: Can Starlets Transition Gracefully Into Beautiful, Modest Women?”, I wrote about whether Disney stars can transition into adults while still holding on to their dignity and self-respect. Acting sexy does not make you a grown up, it makes you sexy, and therefore attracts only negative attention. I also wrote a post on whether Lovato is making all the wrong moves, and sadly, I think she is here.
Ladies, please! If you are fans of Lovato’s, I hope you don’t emulate her actions. Whatever age you are, you should refrain from the desire to embody “sexiness” in order to be cool or to feel like an adult, or to impress anyone – especially boys. Please know that falling into this ‘sexy girl’ trap can often times attract negative attention from boys and men — the kind of attention that will only get you hurt. The fact of the matter is, boys and men don’t truly respect girls who turn themselves into sex objects. They respect girls who respect THEMSELVES!
I pray that you girls don’t feel that you need to look sexy to be considered an adult or feel a sense of self-worth. As Christian girls and young women, you should glorify God by respecting yourself, remaining modest and staying pure.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5).
Lovato is a beautiful young woman and certainly can get enough attention for her natural, modest beauty, as well as her musical talents. Take a look at the following clip from a recent Seventeen magazine photo shoot. It’s the polar opposite of the Shields shoot, but definitely more modest and beautiful, in my opinion.
http://youtu.be/ecXJ_l8ncKA
What do you think of Demi Lovato’s Tyler Shields photos? Do you think she looks grown up in the Seventeen pictures? Do you think that Lovato needed to present herself in a sexual way in order for us to see her as an adult?
Image: tylershields.com
ALL COMMENTS 25
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Wow… she has sooo many young fans, and this is what shes showing the world? Shes sooo petty and talented she definetly dont need to be “sexy” to be famous… I liked her better before.. Now shes like dis-glorifing God… Keep her in your prayers girls!!!
Smh.. Well it’s not like this is a surprise. What I’m really thinking now is that she’s showing how much of a ” Lightweight ” she is instead of just dinghy it. I’d hoped that the Stay Strong wave signaled her ringing Christ but apart fro Him we. An do nothing, so her relapse is inevitable until she calls on God. This may be her road to brokeness that leads her to Christ..
I don’t know what to think. I was just starting to like her… Now I’m heading in the direction where I don’t anymore.. :O
I think Demi’s photos from Tyler Shields are too.. suggestive. I think she looks better in the seventeen photos.
I agree, the Seventeen photo shoot is much much better. Since when is “trashy” the new classy? I don’t get it.
Demi’s whole stint with rehab was to show girls that they are beautiful the way they are, and that they don’t need to worry about what others think, yada yada. However, ever since she came out from rehab, she’s been doing this whole “sexy” thing showing the complete OPPOSITE to her fans. She is actually showing them that you should be sexy to be beautiful.
Shields said that she is all grown up, and wants to show a beautiful and powerful side to Demi? If you have to show that you’re “grown up” then chances are, you probably aren’t. And that doesn’t say “beautiful and powerful”. Exposing yourself like that is NOT beautiful, and thats just being submissive and conforming to what society wants.
okay, sorry, off my rant now
I don’t know she needs to be sexy to show that she is growing up we can see that i like the seventeen magazine photos better it’s fresh and natural
and thank you for posting this t.m this is very true
Well we already know she is a christian. She reminds me a LOT of myself. Insecure. And it seems there is 3 sides to her ( Just like me), 1 side is saying lets be a good role model, 1 side is saying No, lets be a sexy grown up. And the 3rd part is saying “Well, am I a good role model or a sexy grown up!?” I can tottaly relate to that, because I have the same problem. 1 side says lets be happy 24/7, or side says “No, look at what happened to me. Im just gonna be sad instead” Lets all pray for Demi!
I think you’re right. She seems very conflicted. I just recently wrote about how her faith seems to be wavering. I hope that’s not true. She has a lot of talent and she’s so naturally beautiful. Sexualizing yourself is bad enough, but Lovato is very insecure and it may have a worse effect on her should she ever have regrets.
Hollywood’s gotten worse. Trashy is not the new classy in my eyes. But, you know, she’s still God’s girl. She’ll come around and laugh at those photos when she’s older. She still seemed like an adult to me before the Tyler Shiels photo shoot. She’s mature beyond her years in the way she talks. Her getting over the pain she was causing herself and getting help is truly admirable in my perspective. Even though she is stumbling a little, God isn’t up there appalled at her actions. He knew this was going to happen. He’s got a plan for Demi Lovato.
She is so beautiful! She does not need to be ‘sexy’ she is gorgeous! Keep it modest Demi! I love you!
Well, did you hear that? She’s not going to listen to what you have to say. I don’t get it, at the beginning of an article, you focus on really negative things. At the end, it’s all happy!
What’s up with that?? And honestly, WHO EVER SAID that that pervy photographer what telling the TRUTH!
Strength and beauty do not come from selling smut. Can anyone name a strong and powerful woman who has done so? Clinton, Thatcher, Pelosi? I think not. Time to wake up Follywood!
The Seventeen shoot is better, but Seventeen magazine itself has got a very liberal adgenda- ads for birth control, tips on how to make out (and more if you so feel like it…) I hate that, because otherwise I love Seventeen’s easy, fresh makeup and style tips
I also love their fitness blog, but I saw one of their ‘favorite’ sites on the sidebar is Planned Parenthood!
As for Demi’s new shoot, I think she did it to boost her self-esteem. She’s had so many issues with her body, it will make her feel better about herself if guys are lusting over her photos. It’s really sad.
I think she looks beautiful in her Seventeen photo shoot, because she presents herself in a modest way. But the fact that she’s acting so sexy just is another piece of evidence that prove Disney stars grow up too fast. First Miley, now Demi and even Selena, with her first appearance of her “adult sexy” look on the cover of Cosmo. Seriously, I hate all this “I need to prove to the world that I’m a grown up by dressing like a stripper” crap. We need more girls like Taylor Swift who stays sugary-sweet all their lives.
I totally agree with Kala, no arguments there. I saw the MV from Ashlee Simpson’s “Boyfriend” not too long ago and I was amazed at how many comments were about “I wish we could go back to the good ol’ days when you could still look hot at a party WITH clothes on.” I didn’t know that there were so many people out there who agreed with me! Like Nicole says: “Modest is hottest!”
There’s a few childhood stars that turned out okay. For example, Kirk Cameron and his sister Candace, Hilary Duff, Raven, Tia and Tamera Mowry. There’s tons more but that’s all I have so far
I noticed that they’re all stars from the ’90s/early 00s. Society has changed a lot in the past 10 years. We do have ’90s child stars that didn’t turn out too great (Mark Kate and Ashley for instance), But there seems to be more teens going down the wrong path nowadays.
ok, in that first video, shandi or whatever her name is is a bit of a jerk
How do we even know this was REAL?? Those pictures look easily Photoshopped!
I’m sorry, but a loyal Demi fan does NOT believe that she’s completely gone.
lol
i love demi girls listen up her young fans are not looking at this stuff and if they are their parents need to intervene the young girls don’t understand most of anything she is doing in the pic ie the lolly pop part was about (0r@l) kids really don’t look at this stuff i remember when i was super young and shakira i think was getting super sexual i didn’t watch her music videos or even really understand the lyrics i just likes the bean and tune and that totally k with me if my kids do that
*i don’t think
It’s a shame. I looked up to her, but I honestly saw it coming. I personally think she looks so much better in the Seventeen magazine shoot.