Have you seen the recent outbreak of the "Hot? or Not hot?" videos on You Tube? The videos are posted by young girls asking viewers to judge their appearance. Hot? Not hot? Sadly, thousands upon thousands have chimed in and used their pop culture mediated lenses to assess the "hotness" factor of a girl.
How do we feel about this? We're steaming hot that it's happening! Boiling hot with fury, really.
The video below is a brilliant example of the need to educate and empower girls and women to see the beauty they inherently posses.
If you don't have time to watch the short clip, we felt it important to highlight some of the most striking aspects of the video:
Girls wonder on a regular basis: "Is my skin to dark? Are my ears too big? Is my nose too big? Is my skin too pale? Do you think I'm fat? Do you think I'm fat? Do you think I'm fat? Do you think I'm pretty? Do you think I'm pretty? Do you think I'm pretty?"
- "81% of ten-year-olds are afraid of becoming overweight."
- "Most people see an average of 400-600 advertisements a day."
- "The media is filled with images of unrealistic ideas of beauty."
- "68% of women think that the media presents an unattainable beauty standard."
- "59% of women think that 'physically attractive women are more valued by men'"
- "Media doesn't show the average woman. Society is exposed to an unnatural body type."
- Women aspire to attain computer generated standards of beauty.
Help free girls and women, and maybe even yourself, from striving for computer generated beauty! We're thrilled that New Moon Girls and Pigtail Pals have joined together in their Yes! I'm Beautiful! Campaign. You can upload your Yes! I'm Beautiful video here. We don't need to ask others to judge our beautiful, we need to celebrate our beauty! A huge thanks goes to these two wonderful organizations for realigning the way we're framing beauty in the media!
And, for all those reading this, you are beautiful. You make everyday in this world more beautiful because you are in it. You are inherently beautiful and you spread it with every smile and step you take. Thank you.
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Are you looking for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a portion of proceeds from every purchase is donated to charity. This month a portion of all proceeds will be donated to Life Vest Inside. Click HERE.
I was shocked the other week when my gorgeous lil sis, after trying on some new clothes, got upset and said she was fat and ugly. I asked her where she got such a crazy idea from, she said she hated that she would never look like the girls in the magazines her friends at school were reeding. She is 7! It's no wonder so many girls end up with eating disorders and low self esteem. There should some law or something against putting adds like that in kids magazines.
ReplyDeleteThis is horrible. After trying to raise healthy "inwardly and outwardly" daughters, it is CRAZY that with all that we have to teach our young people on their paths to adulthood, that inner beauty should be on the list. BUT it is and thank goodness for sites like "Yours, and others that you highlight for us to pass on".
ReplyDeleteWhen MOM heard about this last week she was hoppin' hot mad. Then a teenage girl in the Sunday school class MOM teaches were talking about it and one said she was going to make a video and ask the same questions. But you know what, before MOM could speak up one of the young boys in the class said, "Why? Don't you know you are beautiful? You don't need strangers to tells tell you that [or not]. And if you need someone to confirm that you are then I will tell ya, you are beautiful." This from a young man who is 15 years old and who all the girls seem to swoon over. My MOM's heart just burst with overwhelming joy at his words. I am sure this is a moment that will help shape this young girls life in a much more BEAUTFUL way than any other strangers comment ever would.
ReplyDeleteI heard about these videos for the first time this week and my jaw dropped! I couldn't believe that girls were doing this. What I don't understand is that this is so wrong on so many levels! Then I started thinking about how there is so much more behind why they do it. After that I started getting mad at all the ads and other companies that have a part in creating the false images that these girls buy into. I started thinking about the peer pressure they face and how that may cause some of the issues. Self esteem issues that would take part in all of this as well. Then I simply thought I would send out a message and say "you are beautiful girls" don't let complete strangers who don't know you inside tell you that you aren't! Listen to those around you that care about you and love you!
ReplyDeleteRoss, you make so many wonderful points. This issue is pervasive on so many levels. All it takes is the shift of thinking and the shift of comments from others to get the movement started. Sadly, media plays a vicious roles in this cycle and it's so confusing as to why it has to be this way. I'm so glad your daughters have a father who's sharing the empowering movement! Thanks so much for stopping by and happy seeing beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHopping, hot mad, Goose! So were we! But, OH, your story. It's incredibly beautiful and inspiring and exactly what we need more of in this world. I was bursting with overwhelming joy at simply reading this comment. It's BEAUTFUL!
ReplyDeleteYes! We're constantly working to forge that see beautiful movement into the media, which filters into the homes of these beautiful young girls. There are wonderful things happening out there, we just need more of them!
ReplyDeleteShocked, Anna! But oddly, not surprised. This is something so many young girls are saying around the world, and it's so, so sad. Seven years old and feeling the pressure of pop culture to look a certain way. You're absolutely right! Where is the barometer for what we're sharing with children? Thank you so much for sharing! It validates the important work of See Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGoose, thank your Mom for sharing this! LOVE IT!
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