Social Considerations Related to Adolescent Girls’ Sexual Empowerment: A Response to Lamb and Peterson

We expand on Lamb and Peterson’s (2011) discussion of the influence of social forces on the development of girls’ sexual empowerment. A predominant message from
a variety of media in the U.S. is that women are sexual objects controlled by men’s sexual desires. Media messages are bolstered
by the sexist treatment of girls and women in everyday society, and by gendered social roles derived from the patriarchal
structure of society. We present empirical evidence that societal representations of sexuality in the United States are gendered
and promote male control over female sexuality. We review research linking exposure to these sexist messages with the development
of self-objectification and attitudes and behaviors supportive of gender stereotyped sexual roles. While many studies are
conducted with women rather than girls, researchers are beginning to study these issues in older girls, and some longitudinal
data are available. We make suggestions for further research within an ecological framework that would allow the examination
of messages from multiple sources within a developmental framework.