An ‘aunties’ army’ is needed to save the world’s girls from consumer culture …

  • Steve Biddulph, author of Raising Boys, has turned his attention to children of the other gender
  • He has called for a new feminism which sees aunts steering youngsters away from the 'toxic' influences of consumer culture
  • But a rival psychologist claims Biddulph is missing the bigger picture of social pressures from education and capitalism

By
Damien Gayle


PUBLISHED:

17:06 GMT, 6 January 2013


|

UPDATED:

18:28 GMT, 6 January 2013

The world's girls need an 'aunties army' to help keep them safe from the 'toxic' influences of advertising and celebrity, a best-selling psychologist has said.

Steve Biddulph, an expert in child psychology, says the influence of aunts is essential to young girls whose lives are in a 'catastrophic' state of crisis.

He is calling for a new feminism which sees aunts - who need not necessarily be blood relatives - supporting youngsters through the difficult, formative years of their youth.

Difficult age: Aunties can help steer girls through the 'toxic' influences of advertising and celebrity, a best-selling psychologist has claimed, in an age where youngsters' lives are in a 'catastrophic' state of crisis. Posed by model

Difficult age: Aunties can help steer girls
through the 'toxic' influences of advertising and celebrity, a
best-selling psychologist has claimed. Picture posed by model

Mr Biddulph has dedicated his professional life to the subject of rearing boys, with his book on the subject, Raising Boys, selling more than 3million copies worldwide.

His new book, Raising Girls, is set to be published later this month and in it he calls for aunts to take a more active role in parenting, claiming they are the secret to solving female adolescent troubles.

He points out that no mother and daughter can always get along, and that, in the past, aunts were the ones who spoke to girls about things too embarrassing or sensitive to tell their mothers.

Mothers have to provide security, the book will say, whereas aunts can be fun and feisty enough to relate to their younger relatives.

Mr Biddulph's call to materteral arms comes as recent research showed the pressures of modern life are having a massive negative effect on girls.

Harmless fun? Recent research has shown the influences of rampant commercialism and celebrity are having a massive negative effect on girls

Harmless fun? Recent research has shown the influences of rampant commercialism and celebrity are having a massive negative effect on girls

Another psychologist and author, Oliver James, cited studies which have found that up to 43 per cent of 15-year-old girls are depressed or anxious, and more than a quarter suffer from full-blown mental illness.

In an interview with an Australian radio station near his home in Tasmania, quoted by the Observer, the British-born psychologist said girls were now suffering 'enormous problems'.

'I'm much more aware now of girls having enormous problems with things like bullying and eating disorders and generally not liking who they are. We're noticing that even at primary school stage,' he said.

'There's no mystery in what is causing that. I think we all agree about the pressures and what has happened here, that the corporations around the world started realising they could sell to young women and pre-teens.

'They gave them the message that your looks are the most important thing about them.'

However, Mr James, who is also a best-selling writer on family issues, told the Observer that yet another book putting pressures on familes is not going to get to the root of society's problems.

'It's a bad idea, a misreading of the evidence,' he told the Sunday paper.

He sees the source of some of the problems affecting young girls in education and capitalism, and he is also calling for a new kind of feminism - but one of a less American kind.

Danish children, he said, are shielded from the levels of advertising and commercialisation that children in Britain and U.S. are subjected to, and were showing far fewer problems.

'I think Biddulph's work on boys was excellent, but with the girls the weakness is that he has to look at the bigger picture.

'There is an epidemic of very, very serious problems in girls and that's what we should be looking at.'

The comments below have not been moderated.



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You have to start at a young age,both sexes are affected by advertising and peer pressure,into thinking that you are only cool if you spend money,and wear the latest clothing trends,and use the latest gadgets.Anyone would think that life couldn't go on without an I-phone or I-pad.It is branding that has very cleverly been exploited,why pay £50 for a cashmere jumper(as I did),when you can buy one with a stupid logo on it for £200,most youngsters today would not know quality if it was staring them in the face.Just look at the vastly overpriced,rubbish bags and shoes they buy,get over it,it's a bag, not a piece of life-saving equipment.most girls would be devastated if they lost their precious mulberry bag,but couldn't care less if they lost their job,that's the world we live in today,I fully expect the Women out there to be offended,but if you don't like the truth,tough.

charlie
,

herts,
06/1/2013 18:42

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My daughter has me and daddy in the house and an army of my aunts and 3 of my best friends we call aunties. So much more help than my useless mother in law who text earlier asking if our daughter took mine or her dads surname when she was born 3yrs ago!

Kat
,

Essex,
06/1/2013 18:37

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Nobody ever asked me if I was being bullied, so I never told them. Who wants the grown ups knowing everything when you are a teen whether it be mother or auntie, they all seemed ancient but nowadays even though very often the grown ups are older in years they still want to be teenagers. teenage girls don't need parents that are friends they want them to set boundaries so you can say to your peers, sorry, can't do that as my Mum said no and then spend half an hour slagging them off but secretly thanking God it gave you an excuse without looking chicken.

Daisy
,

Bognor Regis,
06/1/2013 18:37

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Reubenene , victoria australia... i agree with you....i have also noticed young girls these days suffering from what i call.....pwecious pwincess, gawjuss hun syndrome...

WJ
,

HAMPSHIRE,
06/1/2013 18:35

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One word missing from this article is the word "father"; fathers have a most important influence on their daughters. Unfortunately, they are often missing in England nowadays, hence so many problems for girls and boys. Everything the government does makes things worse.

George
,

Bolton,
06/1/2013 18:29

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Your comments:Save us from psychobabble.

mary
,

london, United Kingdom,
06/1/2013 18:24

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Oh, brother. Girls and boys, not to mention women and men, have wanted consumer goods since the beginning of time. It's not going to stop with a talk from Auntie.

Cat Ballou
,

Out West, United States,
06/1/2013 18:18

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Oliver James is absolutely correct.

jennytrix
,

LONDON, United Kingdom,
06/1/2013 18:18

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couldnt agree more but why aunts it falls to the parents to protect there children. i have the old fashion view that ure family are the most valuable thing to any one.

someone
,

Somewhere,
06/1/2013 18:16

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Parents, particularly mothers, are often not welcoming of other relatives or friends having influence on their daughters. I have a niece I'd like to be more supportive of...but I doubt her parents would appreciate it as some of my views differ to theirs. I can only let her know I'm there for her if she needs me.

Reubenene
,

Victoria, Australia,
06/1/2013 18:11

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