By now, we’ve become so immune to Miley Cyrus’ crotch grabbing, pot smoking, and all around vulgar antics, that we shrug our shoulders in defeat. It’s hard to believe that Cyrus is only 21 years old, and girls all over the world look up to her as a role model. In Award-winning director Darryl Roberts’ America The Beautiful 3: The Sexualization of Our Youth, the third installment in the trilogy of documentary films detailing the effect of society on women today, he focuses on the old-fashioned theory, “sex sells,” and the consequences it’s having on our youth.
The timing of the film’s release is perfect; ironically enough, it’s Jennifer Lawrence who is quoted as saying, in the beginning of the movie, “Sex sells… and for some disgusting reason, young sex sells even more.” Lawrence is at the center of the nude picture hacking scandal, which couldn’t be a better symbol of a society obsessed with celebrity, attention, and hypersexualization.
In no way does America The Beautiful 3 reinvent the wheel, but it is an important and eye-opening documentary that serves more as educational than entertainment.
This generation is growing up so fast, and a large proponent of the increasing dehumanization and debasing of women stems from the media. Roberts profiles the obvious, if not cliche, advertisers who abide by the “sex sells” theory, like Carl’s Jr, American Apparel, and Pepsi. Overly explicit advertisements are no doubt a part of this world, and the television industry knows first hand just how lucrative sex can be.
Aside from the media influence, Roberts also talks to child beauty-pageant moms who are either oblivious to, or suppressing, the fact that these pageants are demoralizing and, in my opinion, just plain creepy. The facts presented in this film aren’t necessarily new information, although presented in this condensed fashion, it makes the issue seem hopeless. Through various interviews from mature teenagers who protest against Abercrombie & Fitch for their customer “selectiveness,” to grown women recalling the horrors of on-campus rape, it’s clear that this crisis is not slowing down.
In no way does America The Beautiful 3 reinvent the wheel, but it is an important and eye-opening documentary that serves more as educational than entertainment. Nonetheless, it is worth the watch. Especially worth noting is the bombshell revelation at the end of the film that we definitely don’t see coming. I also have to say bravo to the directing duo (and my friends) the DANIELS, whose commercial for Wheetabix made it into this documentary. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is up for debate.
