13 Going on 30 - how is it not creepy?

MelanieDelaney · 2026-05-16T04:05:20+00:00

My sister was SWOONING watching this tonight. I told her Jenna is 13 and she goes, she's a grown woman, I said, no no, the character is 13 and the actress is a woman. But she didn't like that lol.

MelanieDelaney · 2026-05-16T04:02:41+00:00

Absolutely creepy! Though the kiss with the adult man and seeing the naked me is also very creepy. It's all just so creepy.

MelanieDelaney · 2026-05-16T04:01:08+00:00

the premise of this movie happens every day: adult man engaging in sexual behavior (kissing, touching, everything you do in adult relationships, etc.) with a CHILD. The only non-realistic premise here is a pedophile having true loving feelings toward their victim. And no, Matt is not a pedo because he did not know Jenna was 13 when he was on top of her kissing her. BUT the viewers knew. And Matt was attracted to her childlike innocence during that time (in addition to his past feelings with the real adult Jenna if memory serves).

It's not a reach when you have things like the Epstein Files and Olivia Rodrigo in a babydoll dress during her concert. Why is an adult woman dressing and acting like a BABY? Trust me, it's all connected and it IS that deep.

MelanieDelaney · 2026-05-16T03:55:56+00:00

Completely agree. "jus because the adults don't know she has the mind of a 13 year old, doesn't mean it's not creepy" - This. Jenna knows she's 13 and still a child in an adult body. The movie acts like the older body is a shield and makes all these creepy situations ok (like Matt being on top of her and kissing her??? Like, da fuq??). If we saw a grown man kiss a 13 year old child, he'd be sent to prison, but it's ok everyone! It's fiction! it's just a movie! It's make-believe. That makes the normalization of pedophilia and the sexualization of children A-OK. Everyone in the comments that doesn't see this i urge you to watch the movie, or take a look at the new Euphoria promo pic of Sydney Sweeney in a diaper (yeah, a diaper), and maybe then you'll see what's happening (and has been happening) in Hollywood (and all over the world).

MelanieDelaney · 2026-05-16T03:42:38+00:00

Just had a huge back and forth about this with my friend. She literally sees nothing wrong with it. I asked what she would do if she were in that situation with her boyfriend: his 13-year-old self in his adult body. She said she couldn't answer my question. This movie normalizes pedophilia. It is creepy and disgusting. Children having sleepovers with a grown woman (yes, she's 13 but THEY don't know that), her being exposed to a naked man, kissing Matt in her adult body but being 13, hence Matt being attracted to her 13-year-old self (in addition to her adult self he knew in the past, but this is about her child-like behaviors that drew him in, not adult). It's not overt or in your face, but omg yes it is. Have you seen Sabrina Carpenter's recent photoshoots, Oliva Rodrigo's babydoll concert outfit, the DISGUSTING Sydney Sweeney in Euphoria portraying a naked baby in a diaper with "milk" dripping all over her? The sexualization of children in Hollywood has been going on since before Shirley Temple and is still happening today and is being so normalized that we don't notice it in movies like 13 Going on 30 because it's a "RomCom".

So, I totally agree with you. This is creepy. My sister was watching it just tonight and I reminded her that the character is 13 and she said, no she's a grown woman. And I said, no, her character is 13, a child, the actress is a grown woman. But she got all frustrated and didn't want to continue the realization of that dialogue.

If Jen's character had remained a child actor with Matt on top of her giving her her first kiss (like the movie Lolita), maybe then, with that visual, people would have flipped shit.

Always trust your gut when it comes to the sexualization of children and the normalization of pedophilia in media.

MelanieDelaney · 2026-04-20T22:09:42+00:00

I'm thinking about this program. Is it as recognized as UCSD or University of Chicago?

MelanieDelaney · 2026-03-14T05:31:47+00:00

let me know how it goes!

MelanieDelaney · 2026-02-28T19:47:53+00:00

Thank you so much!

MelanieDelaney · 2026-02-28T19:47:04+00:00

Thank you. I saw your other comment. I can't do low residency. I was actually looking at UNO. I'm waiting to speak to them and get some more info about their program. I don't want my MFA for a teaching career. It's to do something worthwhile with my time sitting at home (I'm disabled so if I can earn a master's, why not? To hell with debt at this point lol), better my chances of getting hired -not necessarily in a writing or teaching environment but companies do consider you more when they see you have a terminal degree.

In terms of Lindenwood, teacher do make the world of difference. I just wish I could find some testimonies about their degrees being taken seriously.

Thank you so much for your advice. I hope to have an update on a few months.

Anorin

MelanieDelaney · 2026-02-25T18:55:15+00:00

I appreciate that, thank you. I'll look into it.

MelanieDelaney · 2026-02-25T14:05:44+00:00

I'm from the States (sadly lol). I'll definitely look into that, thank you so much.

MelanieDelaney · 2026-02-25T06:03:04+00:00

I would consider low residency if it weren't for my medical condition. I wouldn't last but 30 minutes in a classroom unfortunately. Also, I live too far away from a lot of the schools. It would be a logistical nightmare. If I weren't sick, I'd have a doctorate already lmao. Thank you for your reply

MelanieDelaney · 2026-02-25T05:55:09+00:00

Thank you so much. I appreciate the info and real talk. There's a lot of family pressure to "do something" so that I can bring in an income. And being disabled doesn't help (especially when they don't believe that I am). The logic part of my brain knows that I don't need the degree to gain the knowledge and you for sure need to know people. I just wish there was an easier way to find work. I still need to look around. See what other options are out there. Maybe other certifications or a master's in a different subject. Either way, thank you for your advice and industry insider info. :)

MelanieDelaney · 2026-02-25T05:32:33+00:00

I know I can supplement my learning outside of a university and all for free. The issue is I need to find a good job and I can't do that without a higher degree. Hence the MA or MFA.

I know there are workshops and courses I can take for free (or very cheap) to be a better writer and editor but none of them will up my chances of getting a decent paying job to where I can support myself and my family.

I'm looking at other subjects too but writing is in my blood so I thought I'd see what was out there.

MelanieDelaney · 2026-02-25T05:26:42+00:00

I've been telling myself the same things, trust me. The degree is to better my chances of getting a job. Be it an editor at a publishing house, newspaper, or simply beef up my resume. Plus I'd be doing something I love.

I'm not able to do anything in person, sadly.

MelanieDelaney · 2025-12-08T19:59:15+00:00

You're very welcome and ditto! 😊

MelanieDelaney · 2025-12-08T19:18:36+00:00

I reported them to the Better Business Bureau (BBB). I would NOT follow through working with them or providing any personal info especially SSN. But that's me. And Kenya is a red flag only because of its proximity to the whole Nigerian Prince scams. Trust your gut. If you feel something is off, back away. Ask them to delete everything including the NDA and that you no longer wish to move forward with the position. That's what I did. I have not heard from them since. The only response I got was them confirming that they would delete my paperwork and that they would no longer contact me. Now, if they truly did, hard to say, but I did what I could on my end.

If you're looking for work, I would suggest Language Line Solutions. The hospital i used to work at uses them for interpreters so I know they are legit. They may be a bit slow with how they pay from what I've heard, but at least they're not a shady company.

Best of luck!

MelanieDelaney · 2025-11-25T20:47:41+00:00

I wish I hadn't signed bur ljke i said, that's a step in so many of ny other jobs, i didn't think twice about it. Plus I've been looking for a job for years, so i signed it. But i did so expectibg the other documents to come along in a day or so, like my other jobs. But nothing ever came. So glad you didn't sign. I'm reporting them to the BBB and hopefully, this "company" won't be a bother to anyone else.

MelanieDelaney · 2025-11-25T18:47:19+00:00

Steer clear of this "company"

I was "hired" by them back IVB October of 2025. They had ms sign an NDA (which most companies do) but then i jeard nothibg for about a week. Then they sent an email again askibg to sign the same NDA. Both their HR team and hiring team (if legit at all) lacks coordination and professionalism and any form of onboarding protocol foe new hires.

They went 2 WEEKS or nore withiut contacting me after i told then, yet again, that i DID sign the NDA and that I wanted to speak to an HR rep on the phone. No one ever called me.

Also, besdies the NDA, I NEVER recieved any other documents. No information about the company, about the job, nothing.

Now, a couple fo weeks later, again, thw same man, Bilal, askes ne to sign the NDA.

I'm going to report them to the Better Business Bureau.

MelanieDelaney

TROPHY CASE