Gordon Clay here. This is part one of a three part series on The Sexualization of Girls. Sex sells, we are told, and everyone is interested in selling something. So sex is everywhere. Everything from television shows to movies to ads for the most mundane products. We barely notice anymore how pervasive sex is in our culture.

Sexualization occurs:

• When person's value comes only from his or her sexual appeal
• When physical attractiveness is defined as being sexy
• When a person is seen as an object for another person's sexual use, instead of an independent person
• Or when sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person

But the scary part is that it's not just women who are being sexualized. Girls are being sexualized, too. They're swamped with sexual images and the message that they should look and act "hot." Here are just a few examples:

• Bratz™ dolls dressed in short skirts and fishnet stockings (blind date)
• Clothes designed for girls in elementary school that show lots of skin (even thong panties!)
• Beauty pageants where even preschool girls wear makeup and vamp for the audience and high school girls are required to wear high heels.
• Barbie® dolls and Disney heroines with large breasts, tiny waists and sexy clothes
• Magazines for preteens with articles on how to lose weight and look sexy in order to get a boyfriend (Most women's newstand magazines feature cleavage including Cosmo Girl!, Prom and Teen Prom.)

The American Psychological Association reports on the harmful effects of sexualization on our young girls. We know it occurs yet we shake our heads and go on with our daily lives.

Tune in two weeks from today for Part II - The negative impact on our girls.