no it doesn't. there is nothing inherent to telling a story about younger people with older actors that necessarily sexualises or justifies sexualisation.
some films certainly sexualize highschoolers and employ older performers to do that---the problem there is the work sexualizing them. no one decreed high school stories have to do that.
It also gives a veneer of acceptability for sexually objectifying high schoolers on screen: "These are actually full adults playing high schoolers, so it's okay for the camera and the audience to emphasize how :awooga: these high school characters are and how much le sexy sex they're having with titillating cinematic emphasis to get the audience off."
counterpoint: actual highschoolers cannot act
Was in highschool drama: can confirm.
having mid 20s adults playing highschool kids reinforces :libertarian-approaching: ideas
no it doesn't. there is nothing inherent to telling a story about younger people with older actors that necessarily sexualises or justifies sexualisation.
some films certainly sexualize highschoolers and employ older performers to do that---the problem there is the work sexualizing them. no one decreed high school stories have to do that.
To some extent, both the producers and much of the audience did. :kombucha-disgust:
if that's the case i prefer adults be put in the producer-mandated sexualization over teens then
It also gives a veneer of acceptability for sexually objectifying high schoolers on screen: "These are actually full adults playing high schoolers, so it's okay for the camera and the audience to emphasize how :awooga: these high school characters are and how much le sexy sex they're having with titillating cinematic emphasis to get the audience off."
basically.
maybe dial it back 15%