GRAND Magazine - November 2009 - 41

header G R A N D PA Rt N e R s f o R G R A N D PA R e N ts An Education Your Teen Doesn’t Need Less than a month ago, convicted child-rapist Roman Polanski was apprehended by authorities in Switzerland. His peers in the Entertainment Industry were quick to leap to his defense. Some even went so far as to claim that thirteen in Hollywood isn’t really thirteen. In light of this revelation, what are we to make of reports that an upcoming episode of the CW’s Gossip Girl – which is set in high school – will feature major characters in a ménage à trois? After all, in Hollywood it would seem, a high-schooler isn’t really a high-schooler. Isn’t the idea of network trying to lure adult viewers with promises of teenagers engaged in a threesome – well, kind of creepy? Haven’t we already heard enough horror stories about children being kidnapped, raped and exploited by perverts and pedophiles that we as a culture should be wary of creating a perception that teenaged children are seducers and sexual adventurers, ready and willing to engage in XXX-rated activities? Do we really need television programs sending the reassuring message to would-be child predators that kids are eager to engage in this kind of behavior? And if this programming decision is really aimed at kids, are the ramifications any better? Television is profoundly influential in the lives of children, especially when it comes to sexual decision making. It has even been described as a “sexual super-peer,” signifying television’s power to amplify, many times over, the peer-pressure teens are already feeling to become sexually active. Television influences behavior by altering a teens’ perception of how many of their peers are sexually active and how much sexual experience they are expected to have. When television portrays attractive, popular teenage characters as sexually advanced, it sends a powerful message to young viewers that there is an expectation that they, too, should be that advanced; and in fact, there might be something wrong with them if they aren’t. Gossip Girl routinely depicts teenage characters engaging in promiscuous and consequence-free sexual behavior, and that’s bad enough. But now it has gone too far by establishing a precedent and expectation that teenagers should engage in behaviors that not only increase health risks for those involved, but which are emotionally and psychologically damaging, as well. Let’s hope the CW’s affiliates come to their senses and refuse to air this episode of Gossip Girl –they’d be doing their teenage viewers a favor. For more information about this and other new and returning shows, visit the PTC’s Family Guide at www.ParentsTV.org. TAGLINE M REGISTRA EXACTLY W The Parents Television Council (PTC) is recognized under Federal tax code as a 501 (c)(3) public charity and receives 90% of its support from individual donors throughout the United States. 52 GRAND JANUARY FEBRUARY 2008 LOGO can be NO smaller than this size (2.5” W x 3.25” H) L P

http://www.parentstv.org

GRAND Magazine - November 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - November 2009