GQ Accused of “Borderline Pedophilia” For Provocative “Glee” Photo Shoot
October 21, 2010 at 1:21 am | Posted in NewsRealBlog | 3 CommentsTags: Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron, Fox, Glee, GQ, Hollywood, Lea Michele, News, NewsReal Blog, Parents Television Council, Pedophilia, The Concession Stand
by Walter Scott Hudson, contributed to NewsReal Blog
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In the case of these GQ photos of three young stars from FOX’s popular “Glee,” it’s tough to conjure up more than a couple syllables. These shots are just the tip of a very provocative iceberg.
The Parents Television Council (PTC), “a non-partisan education organization advocating responsible entertainment,” thinks GQ’s spread “borders on pedophilia.” That may be a bit of hyperbole, but their concern is not without merit.
“It is disturbing that GQ, which is explicitly written for adult men, is sexualizing the actresses who play high school-aged characters on Glee in this way,” said PTC President Tim Winter. “It borders on pedophilia. Sadly, this is just the latest example of the overt sexualization of young girls in entertainment.”
The actresses are far from underage, however. In the pictures [above], Dianna Agron and Lea Michele are both 24 and Cory Monteith is 28.
…
Fox had no comment, but GQ released this statement: “The Parents Television Council must not be watching much TV these days and should learn to divide reality from fantasy. As often happens in Hollywood, these ‘kids’ are in their twenties. Cory Montieth’s almost 30! I think they’re old enough to do what they want.”
Both parties in this controversy have legitimate points. GQ is a magazine read by adult men, not children. The actors in the photos are adults. Parents have a responsibility to monitor and control the media which their children are exposed to, including magazines. This is neither child pornography nor an example of pedophilia.
However, it’s tough for GQ to play innocent while choosing as its setting for sexually provocative photos the corridors of a high school. Then there’s the tagline on their cover, “We show you what happens when the teachers aren’t around.” Clearly, GQ’s intention is to portray high school students sexually. There is no escaping that. The weak line about the actors being “old enough to do what they want” misses the point. It’s not a matter of whether they can, but whether they should.
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I do think whether or not the photos are encouraging pedophilia is legitimately debatable, but the MSNBC response that GQ is “read” mostly by adult men is a non sequitur. Children are not pedophiliacs—adults are.
The pedophilia claim, and the counter claim, have logical problems.
Simply expressing concern about the sexual portrayal of what appears to be 16-17 year old girls (regardless of their actual age) would have clouded the water less.
Comment by MiddleAgedMinnesotan— October 26, 2010 #
“The actors in the photos are adults.” It doesn’t matter if they themselves are adults. What matters is they are actors who are portraying kids. Kids aren’t going to make the distinction. This is simply bad judgment on the part of GQ. They are attempting to push the edge, spice up their content and make more sales.
Comment by Clay Boggess— October 28, 2010 #
FYI and thank you. There is a new Christian guide out on the rearing of children which Amazon is planing to replace the Pedophiles Guide with now that it can be purchased as an ebook. The new paper back guide is tentatively called. ¨A Holy Whipping is NOT a Pedophiles Licking¨. And there are all sorts of appropriate punishments in it that can be used by the Christian family for everything from making the child eat hot jalapeño peppers for using the wrong words…to other more sever but not as ¨scaring¨ punishments.
And there is an entire chapter devoted to telling in such beauty that we are not animals like K9s or bears who lick and preen their young to bond with them. And that for the sake of the child´s sexual maturity affection should be held to a minimum and only used sparingly as a reward for positive behavior. B.F. Skinner is mentioned in the preface as being among those the author strongly admires.
Thank you once again for pointing this out. You should feel very proud.
Dr LaBra
Comment by BCPI— November 29, 2010 #