Monday, October 18, 2010
Judging
So, we all know that everybody makes judgments! Judgements on what looks good, tastes good, is fun to do, etc. What we want to focus on is our judgement of eachother, and whether it's alright to evaluate someone like we do clothes, or food.
STARTING WITH YOU
Hi everybody,
so if you've read our introduction you'll know what were about. We, as girls, totally get the judgement thing. I mean how many of us can say that we have gone a whole lunchtime without critisising another persons clothing choice, hair, character, general 'annoyingness'.
ou can laugh but we all know its true.
So when we decided to write this blog, we realised that we needed to find the source of this judgment. After searching high and low we realised that it stems from a personal dissatisfaction. To combat this we feel the need to attack someone else and try and make them as insecure as us. This gives us a feeling of self-satisfaction and empowerment.
STARTING WITH YOU
Hi everybody,
so if you've read our introduction you'll know what were about. We, as girls, totally get the judgement thing. I mean how many of us can say that we have gone a whole lunchtime without critisising another persons clothing choice, hair, character, general 'annoyingness'.
ou can laugh but we all know its true.
So when we decided to write this blog, we realised that we needed to find the source of this judgment. After searching high and low we realised that it stems from a personal dissatisfaction. To combat this we feel the need to attack someone else and try and make them as insecure as us. This gives us a feeling of self-satisfaction and empowerment.
Teenage Girls vs. Barbie
Since little girls, teenagers have been exposed to unrealistic skinniness and sexuality posed by media, through advertisements and entertainment products, and reinforced by family and friends.
When growing up, girls look towards Barbie and other similar dolls, such as Bratz dolls, as their main entertainment in television shows, movies and play dolls. These views are then supported by family members who encourage younger girls to continue their involvement with these self-esteem and body image degrading products. This support is shown throught their frequent purchase of said play dolls and the different media entertainment products, such as movies and the viewing of television shows, which family members and friends give.
Once they are teenagers, they continue to believe in these encouraged views from childhood, causing the now body image obsession some teenagers face. It is in these years, that those previously oblivious to these aspects of themselves, being a necessary thin body and being an almost replica of all skinny models used in public media today, find themselves shunned upon by all others until they commit and conform to these new views. Though it isthe minority which hold these particular views, the media doesn't help the situation of those previously ignorant of these aspects in teenage life, by 'blowing it up' into a massive problem present in everyday life by everyone.
It is for these childhood-grown teenage views that disgust many into the opinion that "If beautiful became any thinner, it wouldn't fit." While some find themselves immediately put into this category just for being who they are, others try to the extreme, to also acheive the same results. Instead of being who they are as well, and providing variations to human society, and giving the idea to younger relatives the need to conform to what others are doing, just to please them and not themselves.
Advertisements provide their fair share of influence on younger children as well as teenagers on the many different views held by most for the 'perfect teenager' image. Though many believe that they are innocent of these types of behaviour, they can be, in fact, the ones who create this effect on others, the most. While most of the teenage population feign ignorance, especially when the school hierarchy and the different social groups in a school are included as examples of when 'the popular girls', those who hold this 'perfect teenage' view, exclude those who don't hold the same views as them.
When growing up, girls look towards Barbie and other similar dolls, such as Bratz dolls, as their main entertainment in television shows, movies and play dolls. These views are then supported by family members who encourage younger girls to continue their involvement with these self-esteem and body image degrading products. This support is shown throught their frequent purchase of said play dolls and the different media entertainment products, such as movies and the viewing of television shows, which family members and friends give.
Once they are teenagers, they continue to believe in these encouraged views from childhood, causing the now body image obsession some teenagers face. It is in these years, that those previously oblivious to these aspects of themselves, being a necessary thin body and being an almost replica of all skinny models used in public media today, find themselves shunned upon by all others until they commit and conform to these new views. Though it isthe minority which hold these particular views, the media doesn't help the situation of those previously ignorant of these aspects in teenage life, by 'blowing it up' into a massive problem present in everyday life by everyone.
It is for these childhood-grown teenage views that disgust many into the opinion that "If beautiful became any thinner, it wouldn't fit." While some find themselves immediately put into this category just for being who they are, others try to the extreme, to also acheive the same results. Instead of being who they are as well, and providing variations to human society, and giving the idea to younger relatives the need to conform to what others are doing, just to please them and not themselves.
Advertisements provide their fair share of influence on younger children as well as teenagers on the many different views held by most for the 'perfect teenager' image. Though many believe that they are innocent of these types of behaviour, they can be, in fact, the ones who create this effect on others, the most. While most of the teenage population feign ignorance, especially when the school hierarchy and the different social groups in a school are included as examples of when 'the popular girls', those who hold this 'perfect teenage' view, exclude those who don't hold the same views as them.
Without even realising it, teenagers of every generation and from all over the world participate in the battle of teenage girls against barbie-like teenagers. The results change from day to day as peer-pressure influences some, believing in yourselves convince others not to change their views, and the thoughts and actions of those you care about affect the thoughts you hold of yourself. While this battle continues, even today and most probably for many more years, the one thing that is certain, is that despite all the views held on and over teenagers of all generations, there never was - or will be - a perfect teenager.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Welcome to Real Teen Issues
This blog is for young women to make comments about issues facing Australian female teenagers in today's society. Issues such as body image, cyber-bullying, peer-pressure, drug use, sexualisation of girls, self-harm, dieting, women's magazines, and advertising will be discussed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)