Lolita phenomenon

Julia Stiles has spoken out against other young stars who use their sexuality to boost their career, describing it as a regression toward a "Lolita phenomenon." She says, "I grew up with Madonna and other female icons who were sexual, but they owned it. They were in control and they had the brains to back it up. Today, pop culture is full of images of young women who are very sexual and provocative, but they're not the ones in control of their image - they're just put out there by their handlers for public consumption. They're not really expressing anything; they're using their ability to turn men on as a way of selling albums or movie tickets."