Hi everyone, Shalom Aleichem!
Good afternoon GanSist everyone!
Welcome back to the Supergirl Series, a series that discusses how teenage girls aged 12–18 years can grow into strong individuals in all aspects, namely physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. In previous series, we have discussed the importance of building physical strength, developing intelligence with empathy, and maintaining health through vaccination. All of these discussions have the same goal, namely helping young women become healthy, tough and responsible individuals.
On Supergirl SeriesIn this 19th edition, I will discuss a topic that is often considered sensitive, but is increasingly important in the digital era, namely how to protect yourself from the dangers of pornography.
The internet provides many benefits. We can study, search for information, take online classes, and even build positive relationships with many people. However, the internet also presents various risks. One of them is easy access to pornographic content.
Teenagers are a group that is very familiar with digital technology. Therefore, the ability to use the internet wisely is an important part of mental health, mental development and social well-being. The purpose of this thread is not to judge anyone, but rather to invite you to understand how to take care of yourself, make wise decisions, and build a better future.
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1. Stop Romanticizing Physical Beauty as an Absolute Requirement for Validation
One of the reasons why some teenagers are susceptible to the influence of pornography is because they are used to seeing people only by their physical appearance.
In fact, humans are never judged solely by skin color, body shape, or physical attractiveness. In real life, someone is valued for many things, such as honesty, responsibility, empathy, intelligence, ability to work together, integrity, and competence.
Digital media often depicts unrealistic body images. Photos can be edited, lighting can be manipulated, and various production techniques can create standards of beauty that are difficult for the average person to achieve. If these standards continue to be used as a measure of self-worth, a person may feel insecure or continue to seek validation from appearance alone.
Seeing yourself more fully is an important step to protecting mental health. When you realize that a human being’s value goes far beyond his or her appearance, the influence of content that objectifies the body will be easier to recognize and reject.
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2. Think with the prefrontal cortex like a human, don’t romanticize bad things
The human brain has a part called the prefrontal cortex, which is an area that acts as a center for wisdom, decision making, self-control, planning, and considering long-term consequences.
During adolescence, this part of the brain is still developing. That is why the ability to control impulses and think wisely is also undergoing a maturation process.
Therefore, it is important to practice the habit of thinking before acting. When you find inappropriate content, don’t immediately follow your curiosity. Try asking yourself, is this beneficial for your future, is this in line with the values you hold, and what impact does it have on your perspective on other people. Simple questions like these help activate a more thoughtful thought process than simply following momentary impulses.
The ability to control oneself is not a sign that someone is weak, but rather a very human form of attitude.
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3. Stop Hiding Behind the Words “Adult” to Romanticize Porn
Sometimes, there is an opinion that because someone feels they are an adult, then all forms of adult content consumption are automatically a good thing.
In fact, maturity is not just a matter of age. Maturity also means being able to differentiate between something that is legally permissible to do and something that is truly beneficial for personal development.
Various studies show that excessive pornography consumption can be related to changes in the way we view interpersonal relationships, increased objectification of other people, and unrealistic expectations about relationships. This association does not mean everyone will experience the same effects, but it is reason enough to be cautious about continued exposure.
Truly mature people don’t use the word “mature” as an excuse to ignore the impact of a behavior. Instead, he uses maturity to make responsible decisions.
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4. Block all access to pornography, consider pornography as something that can destroy the future
One important principle in behavioral psychology is that the environment influences habits. If someone wants to reduce unhealthy habits, an effective step is to reduce access to triggers.
In the context of the digital world, several steps that can be taken include activating the content filtering feature on the device, using parental control applications or site filters if necessary, unfollowing accounts that frequently share inappropriate content, limiting time used on social media, and choosing a digital environment that supports learning and self-development activities.
These steps do not mean fear of technology. Rather, it shows that we are able to control technology, not be controlled by it.
The future is built from small habits done every day. Therefore, keeping the digital environment healthy is an investment for the future.
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5. Think like an intelligent and authoritative person
Smart people are not only able to master lessons at school, but are also able to choose information that is suitable for consumption, know that not everything that is easily accessible must be seen, and understand that freedom always comes with responsibility.
Likewise with authoritative people. Authority is not determined by appearance, but by attitude. Authoritative teenagers are able to guard their words, attitudes, and habits. He does not easily follow environmental pressure and is able to say “no” to something that is against the values he believes in.
This kind of ability is actually a sign of mental strength. The more someone is able to control themselves, the greater their chances of becoming a person who is trusted by others.
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6. Protect Yourself with Correct Religious Practices
Apart from maintaining physical and mental health, humans also have a spiritual dimension. For Indonesian teenagers, religious practices are a source of meaning in life, hope and moral guidance in making decisions.
Praying, worshiping according to the teachings of each religion, reading holy books, taking part in spiritual formation, and building a positive community can help a person strengthen self-control and maintain behavior that is in accordance with the values he believes in.
What needs to be emphasized is that correct religious practice is not just a routine, but an effort to form an attitude that is moral, full of love, respects human dignity, and is responsible towards oneself and others.
A spiritual approach like this can go hand in hand with education, family support and good digital literacy.
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Being Supergirl Means Taking Care of Your Mind, Attitude, and Future
In the Supergirl Series, being a strong woman doesn’t just mean having a healthy body or good academic grades. Being strong also means being able to maintain your way of thinking, choosing a healthy environment, and building a strong mentality when facing various challenges in the digital world.
In an age where information comes incessantly, the ability to filter information becomes a very important life skill. Teenagers who are able to control themselves, think critically, respect human dignity, and hold good moral values will be better prepared to face various life challenges.
Protecting ourselves from pornography isn’t about fear, it’s about choosing what truly helps us grow into better people.
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CONCLUSION
Pornography is not just a matter of digital content, but is also related to the way a person views themselves, views other people, and builds healthy relationships. Therefore, protecting yourself from exposure to pornography is part of efforts to maintain mental health, competence and the future.
As part of Supergirl Series #19, there are 6 simple steps to remember:
1) Don’t make physical beauty the only source of self-validation.
2) Use the ability to be wise and self-controlled before making decisions.
3) Don’t take the “coming of age” label as justification for romanticizing pornography.
4) Reduce and block access to content that can have a negative impact.
5) Build an attitude as a person who is intelligent, has integrity and authority.
6) Strengthen spiritual life through correct religious practices according to one’s beliefs.
Being Supergirl doesn’t mean being a perfect human being. Being a Supergirl means continuing to learn to make wise decisions, take care of yourself responsibly, and grow into a strong woman physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.
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SOURCE
Y*ut*be’s account is one hundred percent male (but adapted to a female style).
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2023). Media use in school-aged children and adolescents. https://publications.aap.org
Collins, R. L., Strasburger, V. C., Brown, J. D., Donnerstein, E., Lenhart, A., & Ward, L. M. (2017). Sexual media and childhood well-being and health. Pediatrics, 140(Supplement 2)S162–S166.
Koenen, K. C., Ratanatharathorn, A., Ng, L., et al. (2020). Posttraumatic stress disorder in the World Mental Health Surveys. Psychological Medicine, 50(14)2250–2260.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2024). The teen brain: 7 things to know. https://www.nimh.nih.gov
Owens, E. W., Behun, R. J., Manning, J. C., & Reid, R. C. (2012). The impact of internet pornography on adolescents: A review of the research. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 19(1–2)99–122.
UNESCO. (2023). Global education monitoring report: Technology in education. Paris: UNESCO.
World Health Organization. (2024). Adolescent health. Geneva: World Health Organization.
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