If, like me, you’ve been paying attention to the news, even just a little bit, you’re probably privy to the amount of sexual assault accusations that have been placed against prominent Hollywood actors, directors, writers, comedians, etc. This is rapidly becoming daily news, as more and more people are coming forward with stories that they’ve long held inside them.
However, most of the accusations placed have been against adults, by adults. Anthony Rapp from RENT! and Star Trek: Discovery, was one of the first to make an accusation against Kevin Spacey, actor in House of Cards and many other TV shows and films. He claimed that at age 14, he was sexually molested by Spacey, and Spacey, in a now infamous tweet, claimed he had no memory of the incident, and promptly came out as a gay man.
This is just one of the most jarring stories against Spacey, yet people are ignoring the most disgusting part about this: Spacey, and along with many other assaulters, are pedophiles.
Recently, I finished Stranger Things 2. If anyone knows anything about me, they know that I LOVE Stranger Things, and season 2 definitely lived up to the hype. But what helped make this season was the growth of the characters, especially the younger cast, who were able to show their emotional and physical maturity and turn it into fabulous acting.
But since its Oct. 27th release, I have seen more and more comments about the young cast, and they’re borderline… predatory. The primary targets (I absolutely abhor calling these kids targets, but that’s what people see them as) are Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, and Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler. Both have physically grown taller and are just beginning to hit the ages of puberty, and people on the internet seem to think that gives them license to make comments such as, “Oh, Finn, you’re such a Daddy!” and “Millie’s gonna be quite the gal when she blooms, if ya know what I mean ;).”
I have no words. I have no words to describe how thoroughly HORRIFIED and DISGUSTED and APPALLED I am by how GROSS people can be. I would’ve thought that with everything going on in the news pertaining to sexual assault, people would be more aware of what they’re saying, especially to minors, and especially to child celebrities. They are still KIDS. Your disgusting comments are still ILLEGAL, even if you’re a super fan of theirs. They are KIDS, Y’ALL. They deserve to have a childhood (albeit a different one than most of us), and deserve to grow up with a healthy state of mind and not have to worry about people making comments about their height, muscle build, face, hair, and other such gender-defining body parts. For Christ-sake, learn to RESPECT children as you would an adult. They may be young and still learning, but they are HUMAN with BRAINS and HEARTS and FEELINGS. Your vile comments can still hurt them, more than you would ever know.
So, in short: STOP SEXUALIZING CHILDREN, YOU IDIOTS*. LEAVE THEM ALONE. PRAISE THEIR ACTING AND THEIR COMPASSION FOR THEIR FANS. PRAISE THEM FOR THEIR CHARITY WORK, FOR THEIR OTHER TALENTS, AND FOR JUST BEING THE PHENOMENAL CHILDREN THAT THEY ARE.
Respect them, and the world will be a safer place for children, and their children, and the following generations to live.
*As I said in my most recent article: I can’t believe I have to say this.