Lolita (term)


Lolita is a term used to portray young girls as "precociously seductive." The term derives from Vladimir Nabokov's 1955 novel Lolita, which describes the narrator's sexual obsession and subsequent sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl named Dolores, whose nickname was Lolita.
Justifying his attraction to Lolita, Humbert claims that it was a natural response to the "demoniac" nature of children who attract him:
Eric Lemay of Northwestern University writes:

Usage

In the marketing of pornography, "lolita" is used to refer to the sexualized presentation of a young girl, frequently one who has only recently reached the age of consent, appears to be younger than the age of consent, or child exploitation material depicting the sexual abuse of children.
In Japanese culture, the term is used to describe the Lolita fashion subculture of cute or delicately feminine appearance. The style is characterized by full skirts and petticoats, excessive use of lace and ribbons, and a nod to Victorian and Roccoco fashions. Words commonly used to describe the style include "porcelain doll", "delicate", and "childlike". Within the general Lolita style are variations of the fashion, such as "Gothic Lolita", "Sweet Lolita", "Hime Lolita", and "Punk Lolita". These few by no means complete the list of variations.