I was first introduced to the concept of hypersexualization during my psychology of gender class back at Lynchburg College. The class impacted my life in a number of ways mostly in how I saw the world. This class was also the class in which I came to terms with the fact that I cannot hide the fact that I am a transgender man any longer. But back to the point, in this class we talked about the hypersexualization of children specifically.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, hypersexualization is where we attribute and force sexualized ideas onto things. Such as saying a male and female toddler that play well together are boyfriend/girlfriend. This also can be seen in children that participate in pageants such as those that the young girls on "Toddlers in Tiaras." They think that they have to be sexy or fit the stereotype of the ideal woman at the age of 4. They get fake tans, wear sometimes overly revealing outfits, etc. This is also seen in the dances and music kids listen to, like the booty popping that a young girls dance group of 7 year olds did to single ladies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir8BO4-7DkM). The girls are talented but that dancing is rather sexual for their age. This can also be seen when we look to studies done on middle school kids that report having at least oral sex at a higher rate then the past. There are plenty of stories out there about groups of middle school aged kids out at restaurants or the movies that play the game stone face (look it up but I warn you it isn't very pretty).
Hypersexualization is not limited just to our children but it is enmeshed throughout the way we view things. One such example is the argument on transgender people and restroom use. Warning I am mildly biased in this argument (if you couldn't guess already). However, I see it this way: I am in there to use the restroom, relieve natural bodily functions. At no point are my genitalia exposed to anyone but myself. If you happen to see what's in my pants then we have a greater issue of "why the heck are you in my stall?!?" Now for the most part no one every questions FTM (female to male) using the men's room, often because we easily go unnoticed and the culture of the men's room lends itself to not look into small detail too much. Today though, I came across an article discussing the way a Fox news reported for some radio show handled the story of a MTF (male to female) that had used the women's restroom at a restaurant in TN. Some other woman happened to also use the restroom at the same time and upon seeing a "burly man in a dress" she complained to her husband and they complained to the owners (who bless their hearts sided with the trans woman). Well this Fox news guy, Todd Starnes, caught wind of it and interviewed the man and woman. Not only did the couple have hateful and derogatory things to say (such as burly man in a dress as well as calling the woman a cross-dresser and saying her using the women's restroom was a safety hazard) but the reporter went right along with the hate speech. One major argument used by the husband, as well as some people who commented on the article, was that trans people in the bathroom are a hazard to the children and women. Also in the comments people kept equating being a trans woman in the women's room meant that they wanted to go in there and take pictures of the women. Why does every encounter between biological men and women have to have some sort of sexual motivation? These same people would be in outrage over seeing someone like me walking out of the women's room too but according to their logic because I don't have a penis I have to use the women's restroom but because I look male (because I am) then using the women's room means that I am going in there to rape their women and children and take inappropriate pictures. It is really sad when sexuality and gender are confused and even more sad when something like using the bathroom becomes an overtly sexualized act (for some it is but that has nothing to do with being trans, that falls into a whole different ballpark of sexuality). Honestly just because you are only concerned with what is in your pants doesn't mean the rest of the world is the same. Most trans women that I know are attracted to MEN, meaning they are not interesting in your boys, girls, or women. Just like I'm not interested in men, boys, or girls. If you see me looking at you in the bathroom it might be because I am pitying you because your penis is significantly smaller than mine but lets be honest I don't look at penises (just not my thing).
Not everything needs to be sexual. Why can't we just let our kids have friends? Why do they need to mimic our sexualied dancing and actions and dress? Why can't people just use the bathroom? Why the heck are you in my stall? Why are you so concerned about what is in my pants? My sexuality is between me and my fiancee (who loves me as a man and happens to like that fact that I am a man who doesn't center my manhood around my penis or it's size). So if you are really that concerned about encountering a trans person in the bathroom then just don't use the public restrooms, that is your choice but telling trans people that they cannot use the public restroom in which they identify and are safest is unconstitutional and discriminating. Oh and just so you know if you are concerned about a trans person assaulting your child in the restroom you should do some research because statistically a family member and white men that identify as straight are most likely to be pedophiles but lets not cloud our opinion with facts or anything. Anyways stop turning everything into sexually motivated, get out of my stall, and do your research because as G.I. Joe said, "Now you know and knowing is half the battle." Oh and that old gem of knowledge being power.
Sidenote: A number of the arguments used are invalid and flawed arguments in nature. I feel that before some people try and argue they might want to study some of the falicies in argument. Might also help to know something about the topic you are arguing too. Oh and saying transgender is unnatural, there are a number of animal species that natural changes sexes (such as: flatworms, clownfish, gobys, bees, slugs, parrotfish, etc.).
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