When I think of Boy Crazy! trading cards, the image of a clump of giggling pre-pubescent girls meets my eyes. Girls trading each other fake boyfriends - it all sounds quite innocent. The cards are extensions of boy band craziness and as sex-columnist Anka Radakovich says, "it's about time we package the boys."

And their packages have sold remarkably well - over 10 million cards sold in its first printing in 2000. Obviously, Cindy Thornburg, the creator and president of Boy Crazy! has discovered a hormonal goldmine which she is willingly exploiting.

I have to admit that when I imagine my daughter being boy crazy, the thought of her purchasing these cards is a bit disturbing. As a parent, I get nervous at the thought of the huge amount of money going into marketing to teen girls. Shouldn't we be focusing on encouraging girls to develop themselves and to be the best person that they can be? Aren't we teaching them that purchasing things is an extension of their sexuality? And even though it's true that boys have never been objectified like girls have and this is a good example of 'fair is fair,' aren't we falling into the same 'girls will be girls' stereotype. How are these cards different than when girls took home economic courses to teach them how to cook for their future husbands? Should girls really be focusing all of their energy on boys? Wouldn't it be better if they became politically active, environmentally conscious and budding feminists?

OK, OK, that said, I was also a boy crazy girl, and it probably is an innate, biological stage that most girls go through. It will pass and I guess the key is how parents react to this hormonal dilemma. We have to teach our kids about how the media works and how companies market directly to them. That way, when teen girls see these cards they can make an educated choice as to whether they want to buy them, or go back home and play "spin the bottle." I think my daughter might choose the latter - and then she'll hopefully get bored of the slobbering kisses and move on to focus on other aspirations.

Michelle Melles
Segment Producer, SEXTV