So I was having breakfast (all excited about the Big Brum Collection today) and I caught a segment of the Jo Frost Extreme Parental Guidance show. Her team had taken images of girls ranging from the age of 6-12.
Each girl's picture was digitally enhance to 3 sizes skinnier and 3 sizes larger. Half the girls from each age group wanted to be the skinniest of their pictures and perceived their own body to be that of a larger girl. Jo later goes on to discuss this further with the group of girls. They were disgusted by 'fat people' and felt that only other 'fat people' would date them and how 'fat girls shouldn't wear make up'.
I found it very disturbing that even 6 year olds felt like this. Is this what society has come to, this is the message we are sending out to our young girls? That skinny is beautiful and if you are not skinny you are not beautiful.
Young girls shouldn't be worrying about such things, body image and so forth. The feminist movement fought against all this, fought for equality and empowerment but what have we done instead? Instead of embracing inner beauty what society has done is now treats men with an 'equal you have to look a particular way' mindset.
It's not just young girls who think this way, my 9 year old brother is the same. Worrying about being fat, calories and stuff. You are NINE you shouldn't be worrying about these matters.
It really saddens me that society has become like this, that you have to be skinny to be beautiful, that your physical appearance is what you are primarily judged by and if you do not adhere to the standards outline you must be 'revolting' or 'disgusting'.
Sometimes you even fall into this trap when you are older too, the need and desire to be thin because that is what is seen as desirable. I try and delude myself into thinking that me spending 5 days a week killing myself at the gym is only for health reasons and calorie counting everything too. In reality it's not even the primary reason. I want to be thin, and I should know better but the alternative is just so difficult sometimes.
The worst thing for me is Christmas parties or any party in general, having to find an outfit and make up and contend with all the other girls. I'd rather just stay at home in my jeans and T-shirt.
I should really know better, I spend most of my time 'preaching' about inner beauty, women's empowerment, not judging others by how they look, so why can't I apply these rules to myself? To my own life? If I can fall into this trap then why should I expect any more from others?
In spite of that, it is a real real shame that society has become this way, what ever happened to the meeting of minds and connecting with someone on an intellectual level rather than a physical level?
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I know objectively, that when I stand on the scales, I weigh more than is healthy for my height. On the other hand, I look in the mirror and I look how I am supposed to look - like me. I've never understood the need for my co-workers to be "skinny minnies" or why they are constantly on diets and denying themselves food that they like. I would love to work out a formula for how I ended up thinking this way (might involved watching a lot of Trek, high emphasis on academic performance/doing your best at school and already being an outsider/different to other people) and share it with everyone. Knowing that so many people look in the mirror and are unhappy is awful. :(
It's just such a shame that society paints this picture where being thin is the route to happiness.
One time a friend told me that being thin and miserable is better than being fat and miserable :(
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