Teachers are warning that young people are being damaged by an over-sexualised culture. The National Union of Teachers annual conference heard claims that sexism is being “rebranded” as something fashionable and mainstream. Delegates criticised the “raunch culture” of lap-dancing clubs and pole dancing saying it can have a “disastrous effect on the self-image of girls”. They said that old-fashioned sexism has not gone away, but has been re-invented into something that appears to be “ironic or empowering”.There are concerns that pupils are growing up in a culture where pornographic images are widely available, cosmetic surgery is advertised and there is a “fixation” with staying slim. Teachers fear this can undermine young women’s self-confidence and contribute to problems such as eating disorders and anxiety about their appearance. This can disrupt both girls’ school work and their social life, say teachers.

Pray: for the creeping tide of the sexualisation of young people to be turned back. (Th4:3-5)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-21990043