“It’s about getting into a conversation and communicating with our youngsters”
My son is one, so I’m pretty sure he’ll be in bed, but the current chat in my Whatsapp groups has turned to whether or not tweens and teens should be allowed to watch Love Island.
If you’re not familiar with the reality show and wondering whether you should let your 12-year-old tune in, Common Sense Media‘s description is pretty thorough and a bit gas: “It contains very strong sexual innuendo, partial nudity (bare bottoms, partially visible breasts), some argumentative behavior, cursing and drinking (wine, cocktails).”
Sex is never discussed in an outright way, so former contestants used various code words to spill the beans after midnight romps. ‘Doing bits’ is now the universal language in the villa for sexual contact.
Of course, our own Maura Higgins didn’t hold back when talking about matters of a sexual nature, announcing as soon as she walked in that she had ‘fanny flutters’. But again, it’s all very harmless stuff.
Speaking to GoodtoKnow, child psychologist Emma Citron explains how she doesn’t see a problem with it: “I would say there are worst things to try and stop them from seeing. We need to accept the fact that youngsters are watching inappropriate content already – it’s not ideal but it happens, and I think this is a battle that probably is not worth fighting.
“According to a 2016 study by Middlesex University, about 53 per cent of 11 to 16-year-olds have seen explicit material online, and nearly all of whom (94 per cent) had seen it by 14.
“It’s about getting into a conversation and communicating with our youngsters as in saying “watch this as a comedy show if you really want to but this tells us nothing actually about relationships at all'”.
My two cents? It’s not the boobs and bums I’d be worried about, more the flagrant gaslighting, the loyalty vacuum and the hero worshiping of some of the most awful men to ever exist.
It’s a no from me.
