We hear, or read, the conflicting messages every day: Nicole Richie is too skinny, Jessica Simpson is too fat, and no one (or so it seems) is ever beautiful enough. As society continues to re-establish standards of beauty, Calgary Herald reporter Michelle Magnan interviewed five teenage girls about their opinions about beauty and body image.

"Sarah: Everyone says that the media is bad, but I think the thing that hurts the most is family and friends. I had an experience with my uncle. He came to visit us when I was about 13 and I was pretty chubby back then, but it never crossed my mind. I was still a child."

All five girls admitted to pressure, especially from their mothers, to look a certain way. Many were encouraged to join a gym or cut back on desserts. The interviews raised a lot of important issues, not the least of which was just how influential friends and family can be on a girl's self-image. Source: Calgary Herald

Labels: media_influences, pressures, influences

Posted By: Aspen Education Group