It’s never okay to sexualize kids, not even if they starred in a movie or TV show.
Stranger Things is a Netflix original show that has a main cast that’s made up of children:
- Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair) is the oldest at 16
- Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson) who is 15
- Sadie Sink (Max, a new character in Stranger Things 2) also 15
- Noah Schnapp (Will Byers) who is only 14
- Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler) also only 14
- Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) is the youngest at 13
None of these kids are even old enough to register to vote, yet since they appeared in Stranger Things the media and the public has deemed it okay to try and sexualize them.
A 27-year-old fashion model, Ali Michael posted a picture of Wolfhard on her Instagram story with the caption “Not to be weird but hit me up in 4 years.”
Micheal herself commented “not to be weird,” a statement which admonishes that she knew she was in the wrong, yet proceeded with the post anyways any ways.
Most people would think it’s wrong to post a picture of a child and call them things like sexy or hot, and if someone did, actions would take place to keep that person away from children.
Before that incident, Sink appeared on the follow-up show ‘Beyond Stranger Things’ and revealed that a kissing scene she had done was unscripted and had made her feel uncomfortable.
Ross Duffer, a writer and producer for the show, had commented that Sink had reacted so strongly to being asked if she was ready for the kiss that he had to make her do it.
If someone knew that their child or another minor they cared for had been forced into kissing someone, no matter how innocently, despite feeling uncomfortable they’d be angry.
Then there’s the case with W Magazine calling Bobby Brown one of the sexiest actresses on T.V.
Mike Sington, Senior Executive at NBCUniversal, also went to Twitter to post some images of Brown with the caption ‘Millie Bobby brown just grew up in front of our eyes. (She’s 13!)”.
Thirteen-years-old isn’t all grown up — 13 barely qualifies as being a teenager — 13 is nowhere near the legal age to even vote or to be concerned a consenting adult.
Some people think Wolfhard should take what the model said to him as a compliment, yet if a 27-year-old male had said the same to Brown there would be outrage all around.
None of these incidents are okay, no matter how harmless some people might think they are.
The media and the public need to open up their eyes and remember that child stars are still just children who deserve to grow up in a safe environment just as much as any other child does.
