Asking āwhatās sexual about thisā is almost insidous. Sure, sheās not naked and sheās not performing any sexual acts, but thatās not what sexualization necessarily means. The girl-child is looking longinly, languishingly into the camera. She has her legs in a short dress spread, her lips separated, and very much make-up making her look older. She is passive, for the camera/viewer, while the boy is active, joking, playing, relaxed and as a child, respected as a child. Iām sure someone might say, ābut thatās you sexualizing her, with your gazeā but come on, who are we kidding here? We know the industry sexualizes young girls, we know this isnāt a coinscidence. We know this is the pattern, the model for woman according to the male gaze or woman performing for the male gaze, and we know she is 13 and that everyone knows she is. And we know this destroys girls.