We Were Innocent Once...And Young
“Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.” That’s a bit of homespun wisdom the Gold Coast Fashion Week might have benefited from hearing before choosing Maddison Gabriel, a twelve year old model to represent the Australian fashion event. Job requirements include a willingness to don some skimpy gowns, which has sent child protection advocates in uproar. The Prime Minister himself responded in indignation, stating “There should be age limits, I mean there has to be, we do have to preserve some notion of innocence in our society.” The girl-model insists otherwise. "I believe that I can fit into women's clothes, I can model women's clothes, so I should be able to do it.” Maddison declared adamantly, "I'm not going to change my dreams. I know I want to be an international model. All this fuss is just silly."
Her mother, Michelle Gabriel, shared her daughter’s opinion. "I believe the Prime Minister is getting very doddery.” She elaborated, "He does not know exactly what 13 and 14-year-old girls are like. I used to vote for him. We're trying to get our teenage daughters to act older. I am so happy that I've got a daughter who has got a good head on her shoulders."
- Do you think there’s a difference between acting older and losing one’s innocence? Where is the line drawn between the two? (Parents, it would be wonderful to hear your perspective as well.)
Quotations and photograph of Ms. Gabriel courtesy of The Daily Mail and The Herald Sun.
posted by Hannah at
6:05 PM
10 Comments:
I saw this story somewhere else yesterday, too. It's bad enough that women allow themselves to be exploited in this industry. Are mothers going to allow their daughters (who are still children) to be exploited too?
This sounds like a cultural question?
According to the Bible, we are born dead and have hearts that hate God. We are never innocent in His sight - we love sin rather than Jesus Christ.
No, I don't think it is just a cultural question. It is a sin issue regardless of what culture you are in. When a parent fails to protect the innocence of their child and even desires for them to appear alluring to the opposite sex, then the parent is at fault. A person does not need to be jaded and know exactly how the world works at age 12.
Hey missy,
That's a great point -- parents are under obligation to protect, guard, and rear their children in all respects, no matter the culture. However, we are referring to lost people whose father is Satan. It is only fitting, then, for them to desire worldly things: power, fame, glamor, etc. We should have pity for them!
I think it would be helpful to define what the biblical picture of innocence is for the young and maturing Christian. Any thoughts??
I think that it's sad that so many children and young girls are exposed to such things.
For one, I highly doubt that ANY girl should probably be in this fashion show- since she will almost certainly be sporting bikinis and other "skimpy" gowns.
But at least when the girls are older, they have a choice. When parents allow their children to throw away their innocence, modesty, and purity at such a young age before they even know who they are or who they want to be as a woman... that's a tragedy.
This is also seen with young actresses. Probably many of you have heard of Abigail Breslin dancing like a stripper and Dakota Fanning in a rape scene. I've yet to see a single girl who was exposed to fame and Hollywood at a young age resist the corruptive influence. When they are raised in the culture of the model, of the actress, of the singer... that is the culture that they adopt. Unless parents are very cautious about the types of environments, the influences there, and the behaviors/clothes they allow their little girl; and unless true role models emerge in these fields... the tragedy will continue.
Kristen R.
Scripture is clear about how we are to pursue "whatever is true, whatever, is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure...think about such things." We are admonished over and over to "flee youthful lusts" and to "take captive every thought and to be obedient to Christ" - 2 Cor 10:5. Martin Luther said "You can't keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair." We can't keep the world from throwing images at us. But we can keep them from homesteading in our minds. We can quickly evict them. (that is from The Purity Principle/Alcorn)
We have to guard our hearts and the hearts of our children. We need to equip them so that they will recognize Satan's tactics. Robbing children of their innocence by allowing them to dress in sleazy attire has a two-fold effect: it causes others to stumble (lust) AND robs children of innocence. Even a lot of people who do not profess to follow Christ can see that, as in the Prime Minister in Austrailia.
Stories like this positively sadden me. Today, I think girls feel the pressure to grow up at a certain age...just because everyone else does it. Hollywood doesn't help matters much:-)
However, it is because we live in a sin fallen world that we encounter these things. That sad, it doesn't make the situations we read, see, and hear about any less saddening and sickening.
There is a huge difference. Acting (and dressing) slutty is not displaying maturity. Actually, I think it is quite the opposite. Dressing in a provocative way to get a man's attention (in all the wrong ways) is a way of manipulation - using one's body to get what you want - is that maturity?
This applies to all ages of women. A woman who values herself and carries herself well will be more respected that a woman who has no shame in exposing herself.
I don't think that this young girl should be exposed to the world of modeling at such a young age (or any age, really). IT is a pagan, hedonistic industry. There is huge pressures to maintain an unnatural thiness. What will happen when this girl deveolps her womanly shape? She will probably feel pressure to restrict her food intake, thus starving herself and damanging her developing body. Not only does she face physical risks, she faces emotional and mental risks. It is not secret in the modeling world that many models suffer from serious eating disorders and abuse drugs and alcohol in an effort of stay thin and cope with the pressure.
I seriously doubt the motivation of her mother (money perhaps?). I have a young daughter and I try to shield her as much as possible from the pressures of life, until she is spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally able! My job as her mother is to protect her from the evils of this world. I pray constantly that she will have a healthy image of her God-given body and that she will use it to glorify God! Excellent post and a topic that needs to be brought out into the open and exposed for the lie that it truly is!
that's my two-cents!
Angela
Wow, your site is really awesome! God has blessed you girls so much in putting together this blog.
Anyway, my name is Rachel, I'm 14, and a friend and I started PricelessPurity.org. We were wondering if it was okay if we added a link to your site from our's. =)
You can e-mail us back at: PricelessPurity@yahoo.com
God bless!
~Rachel, from Priceless Purity~
P.S. ~ By the way, check out PureFashion.com - they have real fashion shows for Christian girls, and keep modesty as a high standard!
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." - Matthew 5:8
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