Muggers, please help us refine our photo policies. Would you consider the photo here appropriate for the main areas of the site or only appropriate in the adult section?

In a time when exposure to sexual content in media is almost inevitable, it is important to understand how these messages affect children. Many TV shows, movies, advertisements, magazines and video games portray unrealistic sexual behaviors and stereotypes, while popular music often contains sexually explicit lyrics. All of these media can influence children as they begin to develop their own sense of sexual identity and understanding of cultural norms when it comes to sexual behaviors.

How can media contribute to sexual behaviors in children?

Today, there is a general consensus that frequent exposure to media with sexual content can lead to unreasonable expectations in romantic relationships and can contribute to risky sexual behaviors in children and adolescents. Exposure to developmentally inappropriate sexual content may contribute to difficulties forming healthy romantic relationships, increased risk of teen pregnancy, poor body image and contracting a sexually transmitted infection or disease (STI/STD). The link between sexual content in media and risky sexual behaviors is largely due to the following:

• Children can learn through media about what is considered to be acceptable sexual behavior. Many movies, music videos, video games, and TV shows feature characters engaging in carefree sexual behavior without depicting any potential negative consequences. These characters are often glamorized in ways that inspire kids and adolescents to be like them.

• Studies have shown that children who are exposed to pornography often have difficulties distinguishing between the fictional pornographic characters and behaviors they see and real life sexual situations. This can lead children and adolescents to have unrealistic views of how their bodies should look, insecurities about their appearance (particularly in males), and anxieties about sexual performance and intimacy.

• Media, particularly TV, can often be the main or only source of information about sexuality for children and teens. Unrealistic portrayals of sexual behavior in the media combined with less alternative sources of factual information about sexuality and appropriate behaviors can lead children to use media as a “sexual super peer” that may encourage them to be sexually active, take risks, and/or adopt these beliefs as their own.

• Young children’s exposure to developmentally inappropriate and overtly sexual material in media can scare and confuse them about their own sexuality.

• Children may see or hear their favorite pop or reality star engage in risky sexual behavior and internalize that to mean that this behavior is not only acceptable but expected of them as well.

I did think about how religious people might react and thought they would probably think it puts ideas into a child's head that shouldn't be there. However, I decided that it is for them to say, not me.

A child is already feeling gender preference quite clearly by 11 or 12, so seeing an image like that will make no difference to future orientation.

Seeing it could have an effect on recognition of whether same-gender love is acceptable in society.

If a child been raised to be religious, the adults have probably created screens from the rest of the world. They have probably put filters on his or her computer so sites like this can't be accessed, even on the main board, (because there are too many atheists speaking their mind on the reasons against faith.)

A 13-year-old is already developing some sexual curiosity and strongly romantic feelings. Most of them are as confused as hell. I think it is better to understand how the world works than to be naive about it. It is better to see that there are at least some parts of the world where sexual freedom, acceptance, and/or tolerance exists (providing no harm is caused.)

I do stand strongly against pedophilia and all activities that could be forms of grooming.

Context plays a strong role in how images are interpreted. A pedophile could use sexual images to groom a child. That could be a legitimate reason for keeping such an image off the main board.

I'm my view, even though it's not showing naked bits, it is clearly more than just romantic love. These two women are turning each other on. The image would do nothing for homosexual men or people without libido, but it would probably stir a twinge of delight and desire in het. men and gay women.

@SH -- If it were up to me, and you are accurately conveying the context and intent, I'd probably let it be.

There will always be gray areas at the border of the standards, no matter what those standards are.

I'm aware of grey areas. I just wanted to give my side of it, as a lot is said about why someone will post such a photo. I feel a lot of prejudice around the photo and what intents I had for posting it. That was my only reason for letting you know. Thank you.

Valid point. That said I'm very well able to use what the youth of today is exposed to, as it's what we try to use as a guideline for what's appropriate and what's not. Thank you.

It's out in the open. And thanks bringing the level down under 14 years olds. I don't think I have treated you with or shown you any disrespect here. I made a comment to your comment for JA. It's not a crime, or? Why such aggressiveness and urge to demean me in this matter?

Thank you. :-)

:-)

14 years old Thrifty! Don't manipulate. And this time you're the one jumping in on another's reply for JA. Double standards?

*like*

It looks OK to me.

Personally, I find it inappropriate for the main areas of the site.

it is even for adult section a lot of muggers will get the wrong idea and be posting a lot of 

things trying to compete with each other

Why compete? I post photos I like, that I find lovely, or they have a story, a meme, a quoute. I don't post to compete but to share. I think most people do. Those not sticking to it should be handled as they are being today as well.

I feel a lot inside here talks about regulating for those who cannot stick to the rules. If we would do that for every area such as religion and politics too, we end up with a tame site. The real question is how do we get people to stick to the rule, and not how do we make rules that no one will break. Any rule will be broken. That's why we make them, to tell people when they are not within the norms of the expected. Self censoring is the worst a society can get into. It's not the same as we should not care about rules.

You don't operate that way, but some people do. Take, for example, a certain mugger who had their photo removed. It was of a braless woman in a white wet shirt. They immediately went to another site, reposted it, and called us a "bunch of pu**ies" for deleting it and then came back and started posting tons of ones of braless women, just to test the limits. It is a competition for some. They get their kicks out of seeing how far they can go or of making a point that they can game the system. *yawns* A mild irritation, but still one I wish not to encourage.

Not demean.  If you think this kind of stuff is OK for 14 year olds, OK.  That's what I said.  I don't.   I don't write essays but that doesn't mean I'm demeaning you.  JA asked for opinions.  I gave mine.  It wasn't really a discussion comment.  It was to her as she requested. 

Don't assume kids have been exposed to all that stuff you mentioned.  I don't watch TV.....don't even have TV service in my house. 

It's on the edge, leaning toward adult to me. 

I'm more bothered by pictures of LITTLE GIRLS posted by grown men.

The only way to reasonably moderate that fairly is to put a rule in place that says nobody can post photos of children. We can't assume why people post things, but we can remove things that violate the policies. 

Adult section only. There is no reason to spew the perversion all over everybody.

Rufus~   

Ariel~   

Carazza~  

Underc ~ 

retaliation is so childish...