The Lolita Effect

The Lolita Effect is a novel by M. Gigi Durham, that explores the sexual culture of children. The term "lolita" originated from a Vladimir Nabokov’novel, the character Lolita was a young girl curious and had no control over her relationship with an older man, who was manipulative and abusive. Today the term Lolita is a cultural reference to a young sexual girl, they are not legally adults but are deliberately provocative cause adults to see them in a sexual way. Accruing to Durham society and media causes this, creating young hyper-sexualized girls, through advertising, television and other outlets. In the book Durham argues that sex is a normal and vital part of a human being growing up, but the media's influence is more harmful than helpful, with sex being portrayed as either good or bad with no in between area. While little girls are portrayed as little women through sexualization. Women are shown sucking lollipops, with pigtails and childish clothes, the school girl uniform is seen as sexy. All of these messages lead to the idea that little girls are sexy. And because of this the age of first sexual experience gets younger and younger. The sexualization of young girls is becoming mainstream pop culture. Durham says this adds to the myth that "female sexuality is the the province of youth" Throughout her book she explains other myths that go along with female sexuality and sexualization in the media.