There's a practice that has been going on since as long as Hollywood has been around, but at this point really needs to stop. This is the act of over-sexualizing young actors and actresses for profit or notoriety. There are blatant negative side effects not only to the individuals, but to our societies as a whole that need to be addressed. This practice plays a fine line between profiting off pedophilia and it has no place in today's world.
The practice always happens subtly but every once in a while you can see the blatancy of it. Most recently, at least in what I have seen, has been with the children from the hit series stranger things. Provocative photo shoots, covers, etc all are ways that this practice is used to bring in audiences of their age, but also adults who look to prey on these children. Its easy to treat these children like adults because behind the scenes they might act like it, but they are still only children.
Young Hollywood actors and actresses usually are hit with the reality of life early on and especially famous ones have many people willing to cater to them. However, there aren't many people protecting them and looking out for what is best for them, not the studios or the companies they are affiliated with. What ends up happening is these children ultimately suffer mental, sexual or physical abuse because they are squeezed for every bit of fame and fortune they can generate. The practice is disgusting.
There's also no one telling these actors and actresses that what they are doing isn't okay or isn't acceptable. In many cases the parents themselves take a backseat role in raising them and lets the world teach them right from wrong. When you have such an easy access to your fan base today, like with twitter and Instagram , it is easy for these children to post things that aren't acceptable and will be online forever. I am baffled that the people who are supposed to teach them right from wrong, their parents, seem to pimp out their children for money.
Overall this practice that has been going on needs to be spotlighted and have an end put to it. Sexualization is something that has gone on forever and is okay for consenting adults, but these are children. Even if they consent it doesn't mean anything and although they might think they know what is best for them, it isn't their decision at that age. Their parents need to take a bigger role in actively raising them correctly and the public needs to shine a light on predators who are only exploiting them for personal gain.
-Calaber24p