It is common to see teenage girls working as models in the fashion industry. Nevertheless, it is shocking to see an eight-year-old girl named Kristina Pimenova dubbed the “most beautiful girl in the world.”
This honor comes after years of actively resisting young girls’ sexualization and advocating for equitable treatment and healthy lifestyles for minors.
Pimenova, who was born in Moscow, Russia in 2005, began modeling at the age of three, landing contracts with major children’s clothing brands such as Armani, Benetton, Fendi, and Roberto Cavalli.
She’s appeared on the cover of Vogue Bambini, has over 2 million Facebook friends, and has 416,000 followers on her mother’s Instagram account. While minors have long been active in modeling, Pimenova’s condition is concerning because of her extensive social media following, which exposes her to global trolling.
People have called her a “babe” and “flawless,” some readers have even commented on her physical characteristics, such as her long legs. Surprisingly, despite being far too young to ponder such matters, she has received marriage proposals.
However, recent media attention has resulted in harsh criticism for Pimenova and, in particular, her mother, model Glikeriya Shirokova. One Instagram user commented, “My child would never wear shorts this tight and small—ever.”
“Parents like you are why girls grow up with so many problems,” another person said. Furthermore, there are many sick people out there who view these photographs sexually.”
Some have even called these photographs a “pedophile’s dream.” Shirokova responded to these allegations, saying, “You must think like a pedophile to see something sexual in these pictures, so it is time for you to see a doctor.”
Shirokova insists that all of the photographs are entirely innocent. Despite charges that she uses her daughter’s attractiveness for personal benefit, she claims the problem is with people with psychiatric issues. She answered, “I do not accept those claims about sexualizing my child.”
The question of how young is too young is constantly debated. Brooke Shields’ daring Calvin Klein campaign in 1980, when she was 13 years old, may have sparked this debate.
“You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins?” she memorably asked in the ad. Nothing.” Charlize Theron and Cameron Diaz started modeling at 16, then Angelina Jolie, Liv Tyler, and Cameron Diaz at 14.
Despite limitations imposed by groups such as the Council of Fashion Designers of America to discourage the industry from utilizing juvenile models in explicit postures, children have been portrayed in unduly enticing ways in recent years. For example, Dannielynn Birkhead debuted as the Guess Kids Girl at the age of six.
Maddie Ziegler, a dance prodigy who rose to prominence after appearing in Sia’s music video “Chandelier,” has entered the modeling industry since leaving Dance Moms. Kaia Gerber, Cindy Crawford’s daughter, was named the face of Versace’s children’s line when she was just 11 years old.
Beauty pageants, which have been around for a long time, exist only to judge the physical attractiveness of young girls, and each of these young ladies has received backlash because of their appearance.
According to Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., the most common worries on her website, Parenting Science, are that girls may begin to regard themselves as objects of desire or develop anxieties when they do not conform to prevailing beauty standards.
Dewar wonders if media images of sexualized young girls impact society’s attitude toward children and if viewers are more likely to believe these girls participate in sexual behavior willingly when they see them in vulnerable circumstances. Boys, on the other hand, are not subjected to the same level of scrutiny.
Hudson Kroenig, who just started kindergarten, has walked the runway and appeared in Chanel advertising. Romeo Beckham is the face of Burberry, and his choice was lauded for its adorability. This is just another example of society’s early adoption of double standards.
