Everywhere you look you are bound to see an airbrushed model or a perfectly shaped, skinny actress gracing the covers of gossip magazines. They set impossibly high standards for girls today, expected to have tan skin, white teeth, manicured nails, a perfect body, pretty face, and hair set just right. However, what these magazines, laid out in dentist offices, supermarkets, and even the library don’t reveal, is how overdone and photo shopped these so called “role models” are. My little sister came up to me one day asking to borrow my concealer because she was embarrassed about her first zit. This really made me concerned because I hadn’t realized how much of an effect these images had on kids so young; my sister is only nine, although as she likes to remind me so often, she will be ten in the end of January. All I could do was try to convince her that nobody expected her to have perfect skin her whole life and that it would clear up in a few days.
These standards also had an impact on girls my age too. As Mistletoe grew closer and closer I found that everyone was editing themselves in small ways to look their absolute best that night. I too fell into the pressures of trying to look as perfect as possible. I thought I would never get a spray tan, yet I found myself at a salon anyway, though I tried to convince myself that it was just to cover up my brutal soccer tan lines. Everyone around me was getting spray tans and manicures and it was clear to see that many girls had a shared visual of what they should expect of themselves to look like on the night of Mistletoe, even if it meant changing to fit the stereotypes. It’s hard not to do so, with all the dieting ads on TV and shows such as the Big Loser, pushing people to be as skinny as possible. Young girls are given images of Kate Moss, Heidi Klum, and other models instead of real women like their mothers, aunts, and teachers. This social issue of having an expectation of perfection is truly getting out of hand and girls younger and younger are feeling the pressure to conform to one image.
This was such an interesting post! I never really thought about the effects of our actions on the younger girls around us. I only have brothers, so it's not something I see that much. As one of the few holdouts of getting a spraytan for Mistletoe(more out of laziness than true moral conviction), it was interesting to hear your interpretation of the experience of giving in to our society's supposed ideals of beauty. You and Erin had similar comments, which I thought was interesting. I would have liked it if you could have elaborated a little more, maybe give more examples, or talk about the people who you saw at the tanning salon. I really enjoyed reading your view of Fairfield County's standards of beauty. Overall, nice job!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Millie! And I agree with your points, Laura--it is so terribly difficult to hold out, especially in high school. Maybe the goal is not to hold out, but to make conscious choices about what we do and why. That way, we're not being fooled, and if we are playing the game, it's because we choose to, not because we don't know any better.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, your posts are getting increasingly succinct, and your sentences are very clear, precise, and punctuated perfectly!! Awesome progress!!