Teens Stripping????

Living in NYC in the 21st century, I didn't think I would find anything that would shock me so much. But watching a rerun of the Tyra Banks show today I found that one thing; a loophole in Rhode Island's lawbooks allows teenagers as young as 16 years old to strip as long as they are home by 11:30 p.m. Older men are legally allowed to watch 16 year old girls strip. Doesn't that come a little too close to pedophilia? A 16 year old girl is still a child, no matter how mature she looks or thinks she is. As crazy as this law sounds, what was even crazier was the teenager featured on this episode. Tyra Banks invited a 16 year old Rhode Island girl who worked full time as a waitress during the day and stripped at night. There was no mention of school in the dialogue so I'm guessing this girl didn't even go to school. What a shame. But she felt that she made a great living from stripping. She said she has things that other girls her age don't such as apartments, cars, a big screen television, etc. But it wasn't only her materialism that drove her to strip. She actually aspired to be a stripper! What happened to aspirations teenangers had back when I was in high school? At that age many of us aspired to go to college and become professionals. We wanted to make something out of ourselves. My former high school classmates have gone on to work in business, education, healthcare and other respectable industries. I never knew a girl who dreamt of being a stripper. But stripping isn't the only goal this 16 year old girl has. She said she would have sex for right amount of money and would really like to do porn. Hey who needs college when you can rely on your body for money? I just wonder what she plans on doing when she hits the age where no man would pay to her naked. But considering that she's only 16 years old I doubt the thought crossed her mind. The shockers don't end here though. The girl's father came on the show and flat out stated that he supports his daughter and wants her to do what makes her happy. He also mentioned that she's headstrong and would do whatever she wanted to do anyway. Now doesn't that just about describe every teenager out there? It's their nature and the very reason why parents should be doing their job parenting these rebellious teens. This guy seems to have just gotten lazy. How could he not be disgusted at the thought of men his age drooling over his young daughter's body. Earlier in the show the girl mentioned that she believes most men like her because she looks so young. Ew is all I have to say. Any man that enjoys watching a 16 year old girl strip is disturbed.


Now that I'm over my initial disgust I realize that people might question my reaction. After all we live in such a sexualized society. But just because we live in this kind of era doesn't mean it's okay. Now I'm not some ultra-conservative prudish person but I do still have morals.  And I won't let go of those morals no matter what becomes acceptable. So when did it become acceptable for 16 year old girls to strip legally? When did it become acceptable for parents to support their teen daughters' dreams of porn stardom? I don't have really have an answer for that. We can blame television shows and popular music but that's a topic for another blog. But I really think it's time for everyone to take a closer look at what's going on with teenage girls. Why are they growing up so fast? The innocence of childhood being lost at a quicker pace. I almost dread what teenage girls will be like when my time as a mother comes.