Small Woman’s On Rise

Kids mature faster these days, not a big deal right? But many parents are concerned it's too fast when father’s pinkie needs training bra at age seven and Mama’s little boy would begin lustful stares at nine. The phenomenon is popularly known as precocious puberty. Much research shows its growth in rampant frequency since 1980s. As the matter of fact puberty is much easier to identify in girls – their first period – and, probably because of that, there have been various studies, mainly focusing on girls puberty. Those studies shows connection of multiple factors behind immature puberty like; unbalanced proportion of nutrition, genetic disorder, hormonal fluctuation, obesity and most surprisingly sexual contents in media. 

      Does watching sexual content on television triggers early puberty? Many Nepalese parents aren’t aware that overtly sexualized party songs and sex scenes or some carnal variety shows common on Indian channel could easily transform their naïve daughter into Lolita. While the beginning of adolescence is a natural process, it indeed is a very upsetting phase in a girl's life. And if it occurs when she is still busy in the world of her toys and Barbie, it can be quite troublesome. As her innocent brain couldn’t synchronize adequately with her developing body and sexual interest.   Such early adolescence can be confusing and disturbing time for many ovulating girls. 

Breast development, usual for 11-year-olds in 80s context, is now happening in eight-year-body and, not often, even found in sex years child. Unfortunately, urban Nepal too is no exception from this threat. Some village girls still experience first periods at 14-15 years but girls from urban societies are bleeding earlier than their Ninth birthday. This trend of precocious maturity, medical experts fear, may upsurge risk of breast cancer as well as other sexual health hazards in future.

   During our research with some Kathmandu based schools children, we found that small girls spend more than three hours a day in different media outlets, especially pop culture music videos and dance show which bombards their brain with subtle sexual message. Almost every Bollywood movies or songs since 90s have contained nude scene in one way or other. Even these days reality shows or other TV program have been found to devote sexual coverage and, of course, there exist Internet and the ads that use sensual presentation to sell products. Visually erotic media outlets designed to stimulate sexual moods are increasingly available nowadays which  functions as feasible sexual material and encouraging sexual custom for younger generation.  Erotic content have become daily opera as internet comprise ocean of sexual assets easily available for eager adolescents who have access to internet or parent’s smartphones. These they children are technologically more forward than their parents and with few keystrokes they can secretly access pornographic contents under their parent’s nose. 

Similarly mass media also fulfil the role of “alternative peer” in many girls life. Lots of research has examined the relationship between sexual content in the media and adolescents ‘changing  attitudes, but only few that have suggest that teens get familiar with sex from the media they involve to .  Those girls maturing earlier than their counterparts are vulnerably prone to media which act as a source of quenching sexual curiosity that actually lacks in their peer group.  Today majority of young girls have access to different media broadcast in privacy of their own lodgings and thus, personal choice over what type of media content they will select to enjoy.  The American Academy of Pediatrics’ research suggests that adolescents who were disposed to media contents with more erotic references were more likely to accept premarital sex than others. 

More urban parents are finding themselves in the bizarre position of puberty discussions with their first or second graders. Because of cultural and moral taboos allied with menstruation, most Nepalese family hesitate puberty talks with their daughters and in academic curriculum too such topic are not included until Grade 6.  “By the time we read about menstruation in textbook, my peers and I had already gone through frequent monthly periods,” said Rojina Shrestha, 7^th grader girl at Okhreni Secondary School. 

However, little more concern from parental side may prove beneficial to help counteract at least some cause of early maturity. In one way controlling their media contents may also offer certain protection. These days it’s really important to exercise caution by monitoring children’s use of social media and make sure they’re not getting under unhealthy sites. I think it’s better to let kids be kids – and by controlling their access to such materials would help sound balance between their mind, body and soul, accordingly with age.

-A version of this op-ed piece appears in print on October 3, 2017 of The Kathmandu Post.>>> (http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2017-10-03/precocious-puberty.html)