Overemphasis on the importance of a young girls’ bodies over and above any other aspect of her person is a natural precursor to low body confidence, and body shaming. It has wider implications for the way society reads girls and women. Studies have found that when the same girl or woman is shown to an audience wearing a typically ‘sexual’ or ‘revealing’ outfit versus dressed more conservatively, the former is perceived as less intelligent and less moral. Similarly, if a young girl or woman is shown wearing a bikini versus ordinary clothing, the same conclusions are drawn. A rape victim depicted wearing more ‘revealing’ clothes is judged as being more responsible for the attack - see rape culture*. (Read more about these studies here).

The over-sexualisation of young girls also feeds into a heightened sense of bodily awareness that can follow women around their entire lives: being more aware of the space you take up; the environment you are in; the people around you. Not just so that you can guess how you are being received, but to gage your safety in any given situation. Because if your body is automatically more provocative, it will automatically receive more unwanted attention, no matter what you wear or how you act.

As always, there is racial dimension to the over-sexualisation of children. A recent guardian article by Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff noted a study by Georgetown Law’s Center on Poverty and Inequality, which found that "adults view black girls as ‘less innocent’ and ‘more adult-like’ than their white peers". The study also notes that "adults think black girls, particularly between the ages of five and fourteen, need less protection, less nurturing and know more about sex than white girls" of the same age. Brinkhurst-Cuff draws parallels of these findings to the experiences of black girls in the UK's education system. There is also a wealth of literature (and personal experience) regarding the hyper-sexualisation of black women - for example this article by Vanessa Ntinu on gal-dem.

An interesting dynamic to explore at this juncture is the experience of trans people. I was recently watching True Trans, a documentary following Laura Jane Grace (punk rock singer of Against Me!), and other members of the trans community. (As a side note, I highly rate this documentary and would encourage everyone to watch it - it’s available in small 10 minute segments about different topics on Youtube). I was particularly touched at the words of one woman in the documentary: