WHEN IS A 'GIRL' NOT A 'GIRL'?
Policy Watch SA questions the motives underpinning a popular AI text-to-image community art platform's dedication of an entire website browsing page to 'girl' (the platform also has separate 'woman' and 'female' browsing pages)
*Disclaimer: By providing examples of the way women are portrayed by AI text-to-image art generators and on community platforms providing access to the software, Policy Watch SA is simply drawing attention to apparently widespread concerns about the underpinning issues explored here. This should not be misinterpreted as condemnation of a specific software model, community platform or their users/members.
In the art world, nude portrayals of the female body tend to be associated with fine art. By contrast, semi-nude portrayals of the female body are "more commonly found in commercial contexts and ... used to evoke desire and allure" (ThisVsThat). "Both forms of representation have had a significant impact on art and popular culture, sparking debates about beauty standards, objectification, and the role of women in society".
surely this little girl doesn't belong here?
users tag their images #girl so that they'll appear on the 'girl' page
the rows of images below are copied from the 'girl' page of a popular AI text-to-image community art platform – illustrating how the images of pre-adolescent girl children and conservatively dressed adolescent girls appear among over-sexualised images of young women
anime girl images often send mixed messages
another little girl in worrying company
does this fresh-faced teenager really belong here?
for more information on what's meant by NSFW, see the red section at the bottom of this page
another confusing anime
in this row, we have 'girls' working out (and a cabaret singer) ...
NSFW means content not safe/suitable for viewing in a public, formal, or controlled environment such as a workplace, school or family setting. Many workplaces and schools have policies prohibiting access to sexual and graphic subject matter (Wikipedia)
more sources of information on NSFW and related issues include:
Understanding US law on NSFW content: a 2025 guide for AI and image generation users (David Fornelli)
The algorithmic gaze: representations of women in AI art (Danielle King)
Policy Watch SA explores how 'girls' & women are portrayed in AI text-to-image anime art
"Hypersexualized models of femininity in the media affect the mental, emotional and physical health of girls and women on a global scale" (UNICEF) ('Cultural differences in body image: a systematic review' provides country-specific statistics)
"The consequences ... include anxiety about appearance, feelings of shame, eating disorders, lower self-esteem and depression"
These chilling warnings were penned in January 2021 – before AI text-to-image art generating community platforms became popular (Wikipedia, the development of AI text-to-image art)
​"Sexual objectification contributes to harmful gender stereotypes that normalise violence against girls. These stereotypes are not only harmful for girls, but for boys as well. Boys see how their bodies are portrayed in relation to girls and internalize the notion that success and attractiveness are tied to dominance, power and aggression."
"Advertisements can set the gauge for what a culture considers normal. When the media reinforces power dynamics that degrade and harm women and make gender-based violence seem trivial, it reduces the likelihood that acts of violence against girls and women – especially acts of sexual violence – will be reported."
"The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has enabled a new form of pornography: AI-generated pornography (also: AI-generated adult content; AI-generated NSFW [Not Safe for Work] content; AI pornography; synthetic pornography; Döring et al., 2025). AI pornography entails both purely fictional content without any attempt to represent existing individuals, including depictions of non-existing human beings (e.g., AI-generated 'dream partners') and fantasy creatures, as well as so-called deepfake pornography of celebrities and private persons. '(Experiences with AI-generated pornography: a quantitative content analysis of Reddit posts)
"Nearly one in three men under 30 and one in four women under 30 in the United States have interacted with an AI-generated romantic or sexual partner ... Could this virtual fantasy lead to real-world consequences—especially for women?" (Harvard Kennedy School, Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights)
Some popular international AI text-to-image art community platforms combine gaming incentives with "dopamine-driven feedback loops similar to social media likes or video game rewards" (The dark side of AI art: why you should think twice before using image generators). The 'instant gratification' that comes with creating a pleasing image or winning a game may lead to 'compulsive behaviour, especially among younger users' and even 'digital addiction' (ironically, this article was published on a 3D AI edutainment website*)
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*we reserve the right not to provide a link to online sources promoting the objectification of 'girls' and women