The risks of the sexualisation of girls and tips on how to help girls grow up with healthy attitudes towards body image and sexuality will be discussed at a public lecture in Braidwood on Wednesday 7 November 2012. Lecturer in philosophy and ethics at Charles Sturt University (CSU), Dr Emma Rush, will give an overview of what researchers and experts have to say about the risks associated with the sexualisation of girls and explain the government’s response. “A generation ago we didn’t see fashion and gossip magazines, padded bras and cosmetics pitched specifically at the primary school market,” she said. “While sex appeal has been used to sell products for a long time, in the last decade or so imagery directly inspired by pornography has also become much more prevalent in fashion and advertising. The increasing pressure on girls to meet very narrow appearance ideals at younger and younger ages is of significant concern to experts in child health and welfare.”  The free lecture, Getting Real: Challenging the Sexualisation of Girls, will also identify resources for parents and professionals who work with girls.