Teenage girls frequently appear in the fashion industry as models. However, it is surprising to hear that Kristina Pimenova, 8, is the “most beautiful girl in the world.”. “.
After years of actively opposing the sexualization of young girls and promoting fair treatment and healthy lifestyles for children, she has received this honor.
Pimenova, a 2005 Moscow, Russia, native, started modeling at the age of three and quickly signed deals with prestigious children’s apparel companies like Armani, Benetton, Fendi, and Roberto Cavalli.
Her mother’s Instagram account has 416,000 followers, and she has appeared on the cover of Vogue Bambini. She also has over 2 million Facebook friends. Although minors have long been involved in modeling, Pimenova’s situation is worrying because of her large social media following, which puts her at risk of online bullying.
She’s been referred to as a “babe” and “flawless,” and some readers have even remarked on her physical features, like her long legs. Surprisingly, she has received marriage proposals despite being much too young to think about such things.
But following recent media coverage, Pimenova and particularly her mother, model Glikeriya Shirokova, have come under harsh criticism. “My child would never—ever—wear shorts this tight and small,” a user commented on Instagram. “.
Another person said, “Parents like you are the reason why girls grow up with so many problems.”. In addition, there are a lot of sick people who view these images for sexual purposes. “.
Some people have even referred to these images as “pedophile’s dreams.”. When confronted with these accusations, Shirokova responded, “You must think like a pedophile to see something sexual in these pictures, so it is time for you to see a doctor. “.
According to Shirokova, each and every image is completely innocent. Despite accusations that she takes advantage of her daughter’s attractiveness for her own gain, she maintains that those with psychiatric disorders are to blame. I reject those allegations that my child was sexualized, she retorted. “.
How young is too young is a topic of ongoing discussion. This controversy might have been started by Brooke Shields’ audacious 1980 Calvin Klein advertisement, which she participated in as a 13-year-old.
She famously asked in the advertisement, “You want to know what stands between me and my Calvins?”. Nothing. At the age of 16, Charlize Theron and Cameron Diaz began modeling, followed by Angelina Jolie, Liv Tyler, and Cameron Diaz at the age of 14.
Despite restrictions put in place by organizations like the Council of Fashion Designers of America to prevent the industry from using young models in suggestive poses, youngsters have recently been portrayed in ways that are overly seductive. Dannielynn Birkhead, for instance, made her debut at the age of six as the Guess Kids Girl.
Maddie Ziegler, a dance prodigy who gained notoriety for her appearance in Sia’s “Chandelier” music video, has transitioned from Dance Moms into the modeling world. When she was just 11 years old, Cindy Crawford’s daughter Kaia Gerber was selected to represent Versace’s children’s line.
The sole purpose of beauty pageants, which have been around for a while, is to evaluate young girls’ physical attractiveness, and each of these young women has faced criticism due to their appearance.
As per Gwen Dewar, Ph. D. on her website Parenting Science, the most frequently expressed concerns are that girls may start to view themselves as objects of desire or experience anxiety when they do not meet socially acceptable standards of beauty.
Dewar questions whether sexualized images of young girls in the media affect how society views children and whether viewers are more likely to assume that these girls engage in sexual behavior voluntarily when they see them in precarious situations. Boys, on the other hand, do not experience the same level of scrutiny.
Hudson Kroenig, who just started kindergarten, has walked the runway and appeared in Chanel advertisements. Romeo Beckham is the brand’s spokesperson, and his selection was praised for its cuteness. This is just one more illustration of how early in society double standards were adopted.
