THRILLS ON THE TOWN

Yesterday, I overheard my 8-year-old son complaining to his friends that I would not allow him to watch television after supper; this is his homework time.

My son said that he wanted to watch the show that featured headless half-naked women with big “jugs” who ruled all the islands of the world. He went on to say that he would love to be stranded on the women-only islands. With dismay, I asked him what this show was. It turned out to be “2 on the Town.”

It took me 20 minutes to convince him that there are no such islands in the world like the ones he imagined. I tried to get across that there are indeed men on these islands, but that television shows are conceived of and produced by middle-age men, and most men do not want to create shows about other men.

I had to explain that the women are not headless, only exploited. This was a difficult subject to discuss with my young child, but I am glad that I had a chance to nip those misconceptions in the bud. If we let our children grow up with these stereotypes of women, they will end up believing them.

MRS. GEORGE ETHERINGTON

Los Angeles