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This headline is sure to drive search engine traffic from sketch types who are looking for porn. And that's exactly the trouble, according to a new report by the American Psychological Association (APA), which concludes that the proliferation of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls’ self-image and healthy development.

The APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls studied droves of research on the content and effects of media aimed toward girls. What they found has been one of the top concerns I've also heard among educators, girl advocates, parents and girls themselves: Girls are being way too sexualized by society. And their family and friends are marinating in this stuff, too, which only adds to the pressure.

Sexualization was defined by the task force as "when a person’s value comes only from her/his sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics, and when a person is sexually objectified, e.g., made into a thing for another’s sexual use."

The APA report nails, ahem, one of the reasons we wrote RESPECT in the first place: We were tired of "girl power" being packaged solely in a G-string slathered in baby oil. Girls need counterpoints to this culture to help them develop their real strengths and realize their true worth. They need to have a voice in this arena. And they need to be able to actually own their sexuality and boundaries in a way that doesn't dumb them down, silence them or make them feel like sex and their bodies are a battlefield where they'll always be the biggest loser.

Sexualization and objectification undermines a girl's confidence, makes her uncomfortable in her own skin, and leads to emotional and self-image problems, such as shame and anxiety, the APA report goes on to say. The APA also reports that research links sexualization with three of the most common mental health problems diagnosed in girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression or depressed mood.

Rx: The APA for one calls on parents and girl advocates to improve media literacy skills among girls and talk about the impact of all this sexy media. I agree. That's way we're doing this. It also says, bottom line, that we need to replace these images with ones showing girls in "positive settings—ones that show the uniqueness and competence of girls" and boys. (The APA's web site offers tips for parents--check them out.)

Now no one is saying that we girls can't enjoy our bodies or be stylish. The point of the study is that we are being hit from every angle with phony sex-tart images that actually interfere with our ability to love our bodies and have our own style and define our own sexuality. At worst, we start to act like the one-dimensional images we see and don't even know it. Or these images become girls' aspirations without question or analysis: I heard last week from a group of teens that girls are starting to go out for cheerleading solely as a training camp to help them become future strippers.

Are you so over this? Here's what girls can do right now to stop feeling the pressure to be sex objects:

No. 1: Be picky and be vocal. Girls do constantly complain to me about the pressure put on them by the media to be skinny, sexy, rich and someone else's girl. So girls, for starters, don't stand back soaking in media you think harms you and other girls. See RESPECT, Chapter 4: Your Media for activities and actions you can take to take back the media. When flipping through mags or the channels, talk with your friends about what you don't like. Pick a part what you see and be on the look out for stereotypes and disrespectful images. Ask yourself how you feel about how women and girls are being portrayed (or betrayed). Just talking about it will make your more aware of how it's affecting you. And next talk about how you want to change things--then take steps together. For example, you can all boycott a show that you're just SICK of or write letters to the editor and head-honchos when you don't like what you see. You can blast their blogs with your intelligent comments and calls for change.

No. 2: Start a new trend. What if we and our girlfriends decided NOT to spend all our free time reading celeb magazines, watching sexy reality TV or listening to music that makes it sound like all girls are hos? I know you'd probably feel totally out of the loop if you took this stand. But is this the loop you really want to be stuck in? All "sexy, brainless girls all the time"? If it seems too extreme, try it for a few weeks and spend your free time journaling a lot about your feelings, hopes and dreams instead (we call this a Media Fast in the book). Then see how you feel about yourself and let the results speak for themselves. I thought you'd have to pull the latest celeb weekly out of my cold, dead hand before I'd stop reading gossip rags. (Besides, I claimed, "It's research for my work."). Still, garbage in, garbage out--so I had to make a change. After canceling my subscriptions, I'm OK! I still manage to hear who Jessica Simpson is dating if I care (which I don't!). Instead, I'm spending my free time reading books I've been dying to get through and talking to you:) Another trick to curtail your toxic media consumption: Spend time with your friends empowering other girls like these girls do.

No. 3: Be a REAL model. We all want what I call REAL models. So girls, why don't you take on media and entertainment companies that sell girls down the sexy river? For starters, create MySpace and Facebook profiles that show the real you--not just staged sexpot photos that honestly all start to look alike on my Friends page. Create blogs, YouTube documentaries or magazines that show girls who stand out for more than their looks. Create products--and advertise them--in a way that you feel shows respects women and girls. Before you know it, you'll be stealing traffic and ratings from companies that do nothing but slap sexy wrappers on girls. Also, younger girls look up to you now. You can change the world simply in how you show up for them (as the real self-respecting you, right?).

No. 4: Boost your media immune system. The best way to not fall prey to any toxic media? Get to know the real you. Follow your passions. Speak your mind. Build your confidence by taking risks and succeeding--and trying again when you don't hit the mark. Build up and appreciate your real ASSets (mind, body and soul). Spend time figuring out for yourself what sex and being sexy means to you (try starting here.). In other words, learn and live by the Respect Basics.

SEE more TIPS here!

llustration by Catherine LePage © Free Spirit Publishing Inc. 2005

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