There were only two classifications of a body figure: Slim or Fat. Not until different body insecurities of women spread all over. It may be pathetic for some, but this is reality. Most of the girls nowadays chooses to improve their physical image based on what they think is perfect, setting aside their health.
Last time, I was checking one of my favorite fashion bloggers' blog post when I saw a comment mentioning 'thigh gap'. Out of curiosity, I checked some articles regarding that matter. And to my surprise, an article entitled Thigh Gap A Growing Obsession Online... But Not Necessarily At The Surgeon's Office explained all the questions in my mind. Thigh gap is said to be viral to women, particularly to teen girls. It pertains to the space between one's thighs. It is my first time to encounter such term and not all people know anything about it but it is known online or to networking sites, especially in Tumblr.
"The desire for such slim thighs is apparently so strong that plastic surgeons are seeing a rise in demand for thigh-specific cosmetic procedures." as to what Ellie Krupnick stated. Because of aiming for this new kind of trend, there is an increase in demand for such operations for having a thigh gap. It is no surprise that many girls consult doctors for improving their body since they are eager to remove fats and they think that this is the easiest way to be slim.
Since most of us are in social networking sites, different kind of trends are easy to spread all over the world. That is why there are also different kind of insecurities among girls arise. What we see and what we hear is the reason why we desire or aim for such things.
Almost everyone of us wants to be beautiful, to feel beautiful. We want to be idolized and receive some compliments and that is where we find happiness and contentment. As what Marilyn Monroe said “All little girls should be told they are pretty, even if they aren't.”
Searching about Pro-Ana and Anorexia, I found an article I'm not going to teach young girls how to die': Frightening words of 4st anorexic who gets FAN MAIL because she's so thin and found out that Valeria Levitin holds the record for the WORLD'S THINNEST WOMAN and only weighs 56 pounds or basically, four stones. The said woman used to be a fat girl until she receives comment about her weight. From her classmates, until she decided to become a model and even when her mother restricted her about her diet and grew up with a belief that she should be thin as what her mom said. From all those experiences, she managed to lose weight until she reached her condition right now.
Anna Hodgekiss, the writer of the article, revealed in the record holder's interview that "Her illness has also made her life a very lonely one. Single for a decade, she says relationships are difficult as she is unable to do the normal things that couples do, as going to restaurants." Knowing this kind of thing would somehow let teenage girls realize the importance of health. It wouldn't be easy for a person to deal with this kind of situation.
For a situation like this, even a person wants to go back to the old lifestyle, they can't because their body can no longer tolerate it. The body is already used in such food that they have encountered for a long period of time that's why it can no longer accept food that is new to the body.
Because of her illness, her body can't afford to have a baby. Just imagine, how can a woman that only weighs four stones afford to have a baby if the body itself can't supply the right amount of nutrition? That is the bad side for being anorexic, she have to set aside her happiness which is to have a child, to her own family.
The surprising part here is that, the thinnest woman receives fan mails from young girls that wants her to give them tips on how to be thin like her. But the anorexic woman refuses to give them tips on how to die as what she said in her interview.
Letting young girls realize the bad side and disadvantages of being anorexic is the point of discussion in this article. Sharing her story to us may inspire most of us to become more aware of the increasing number of anorexia cases.
We should all be independent enough to decide for ourselves. Don't ever set your own happiness aside just because of doing things according to what others want us to do and what they want us to be. Don't let others control over your life if it is against your will.
For being our defender ever since we were born and that's always ready to protect us. For patiently teaching us ABC's and for being such a kill joy at times especially during our teenage years. We may not know how proud they are whenever we get the first place in any competition or get straight A's in our report card. But we should all be glad that we have them and most especially for being our number one fan to whatever we pursue in life. They are our parents.
I was checking over the related articles about school girls when I saw an article about parents and girls entitled Personal Health; Parents Can Bolster Girls' Fragile Self-Esteem. As what is mentioned in the article, "Girls are more likely than boys to experience a crisis in self-confidence as they enter puberty." And women are known for being fragile and need some attention and guidance. Most of the girls are centering their attention in improving themselves based on how they look at other girls especially at models and celebrities. Young girls are now aware of the things that should be for adults only like make-ups, high heels, weight, etc. but people are doing nothing in order to restrict those to young girls that is why school, society and mass media gets the blame because they are the reason for all those.
Everything begins at home, from a child's attitude to child's confidence. Self-esteem is said to be shaped by the parents or guardians because girls spent their first years with them. They should teach their child on how to handle and deal with pressure and how to develop their self-identity without depending on others. Parents must also fulfill their duties by giving them what they need from material things to emotional needs.
By doing little things for her, she feel loved and appreciated and that is where they build their self-esteem. They feel contented for what they have and what they are because of how her parents treated her. Parents should not condemn their child to try new things and should not degrade and compare them to others because they will feel that they are not good enough. That is where they start to mimic models and celebrities and focus their attention in improving themselves to be like them, to be perfect like them.
The writer of the said article, Jane E. Brody, stated, "To develop a healthy ego, every child, boy or girl, must have a sense of autonomy. Children need the right to make decisions for themselves and the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. The parents' job is to make sure the child considers all the relevant facts before plunging ahead." The parents' role is just to guide their child in every aspect of his/her life and not to control over. Let them decide for themselves and give some chance to experience things on their own but it is also the parents' responsibility to ensure that their child is aware of the difference between the right and wrong.
Parents, in biological aspect, are two people from whom we inherit our genes. But if we are to discuss parents as part of the society, they serve as every child's guardian as they grow up. So before you become a parent, be sure to be physically and emotionally ready.
Society define perfection based on the physical aspect of a person and based on what does fashion industry means by ideal body. People are not considering one's personality, as long you have that perfect appearance, then you don't have to prove something. You are accepted in the society.
As I browsed the related articles about fashion models, I noticed an article about teens as young fashion models. It is an article by Lisa Machoian with a title Girls Must Finish Developing First. When you enter the world of fashion, you are expected to act in a way they want you to be. Being part of the fashion industry comes with changing one's identity and experiencing depression, so you have to cope up with it. Based on the article, research shows that teen girls are most likely to experience depression when they don't feel satisfied with their appearance or body.
Brain development takes more time than developing a body that occurs in teenage years. This is the stage where teens need more guidance because this is a crucial stage for teenagers. They are not yet independent enough to decide things for themselves.
The author quoted "Teenage girls need to develop a competent sense of self that’s internally based, not based on the external feedback, evaluation and judgment of others." Teens should build and develop their identity on their own. Decide who you are and don't let others dictate what they want you to be.
Teenagers are more likely to experience stress but should know how to handle it. That is why it is not appropriate for them to be exposed in the fashion industry because they will feel mandated by them at an early age. Let them be themselves and build their own identity first before entering to the world that is full of dictation.
Being aware and conscious about your body figure is normal that is why most girls go on a daily diet and watch over their weight. But young girls nowadays are into model-like bodies. These days, there are lots of ways on how to lose weight. You can go on a diet but living a healthy life and there are ways where you can lose weight easily but has a negative effect to your health.
I was in the middle of my free time, which I usually spend in social networking sites, when I saw some photos that led me to the article The girls living on just one meal a day: Teens risk health to copy stick-thin celebrities. The survey that was conducted by Exeter-based Schools Health Education Unit to 32,000 young girls or teens ranging from 10 years old to 15 years old shows the statistics about skipping meals and losing weight. The following details are the summarized percentage:
14-15 years old
26% don't eat breakfast
22% skip lunch
10% skip both
10% overweight or obese
58% wanted to lose weight
1% (around 3000) were using laxatives
18% of boys tried cannabis
17% tried cannabis
3% of boys tried cocaine
2% of girls tried cocaine
12-13 years old
20% skip breakfast
14% skip lunch
52% wanted to lose weight
10-11 years old
70% skip breakfast
40% believed they need to be slim
Majority of teen girls also believed that they need to be slim
Thin models and celebrities are said to be one of the reasons for young girls to be slim. Because of being so weight conscious, they even skip breakfast or lunch, and worse, both meals. Older girls and boys also try different drugs for easy weight loss. And there is still an increase in number of girls who are getting aware of their physical appearance.
The writers of the article, Laura Clark and Steve Doughty added "Experts warned that erratic meal patterns at such a young age could lead to girls developing eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia or compulsive eating as well as health problems associated with them as the body is deprived of nutrients." Can you imagine eating just one meal a day? They are still kids and that shouldn't be the issue that they are worrying about in their age. Health experts advised that this kind of diet or weight loss will be the cause of some health problems and eating disorder especially to teens in which the body is still adjusting and there is in need of more energy.
Who would have thought that these young girls are skipping meals instead of enjoying sweets like the usual kids? They are too young for this but because of the idea of perfect body brought by fashion models and celebrities, teens think that this idea could give them an ideal body.
People are always trying to go after the trend and always worry for what others would say about them. They always go for the things that are acceptable for the public and weight is the most popular one. Some people find it hard to go on a diet or basically, they don't have enough conception about it at all. They go over it, no eating for the whole day, limiting their intake of food and they starve themselves to death without knowing that there is a health risk. And so, our society have high standards in fashion models, for they are expected to be skinny and thin ever since.
As I was researching about Fashion Models, I saw an article about their ways on how to stay thin and it is entitled From cocaine to eating cotton wool balls, how models stay thin. It was revealed in the article that most of the models take some pills, cigarettes and different kinds of drugs to restrain their appetite and hold off hunger for them to maintain their required body figure as models.
As what Bibby Sowray, the author of the article, stated "I've heard stories that some modelling agents encourage girls to do speed and cocaine in order to speed up metabolism and eat less." Most of the model agencies still find thin girls as potential models that have the standard and appropriate body figure . But risking your health for the sake of staying thin and acceptance in the society and fashion industry? Well if you do it, you're insane. But that's only my opinion.
HCG or known as Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, is an injection with a 500 calorie diet plan, and T3 thyroid injections are just some of the things that models inject for weight loss. But using such, has negative effects on our body as per warning of the health experts. And even cotton balls were eaten by models for the filling of their stomach and not to feel hunger.
If in case, because of your passion, you are required to do something that is sacrificial, will you still consider doing it or would you rather set it aside? Think of it.
Shopping, for girls, could be the best thing to do over the weekend. It is something that you want to do together with your mom and sisters. Well in my case, shopping is now in line with sleeping and eating. I just feel like it is a necessity for me that I won't last a week without going to malls with my mom. When you bought a new pair of stilettos or clothes, it will now be added to your collections. And that's how most of the girls define HAPPINESS.
Models can be a big factor for consumers to purchase a product. Having your celebrity idol or favorite fashion model as the product endorser will be the reason for you to buy that product.
Out of boredom, I decided to look for some fashion trends for this year and to my surprise, I saw an article that's related to my topic. The article New Study Shows That Thin Models Don’t Make Most Women Want to Shop explains the study about girls' eagerness to buy a product based on the models. The study that was conducted by Ben Barry shows that women are more likely to purchase products or items that are modeled and endorsed by a model that shares their similarity in size and that's close to their age. The author of the article, cited Ben's statistics about his conducted experiment that involves women and their intentions for buying a product.
Their decision on purchasing one depends on the products if it is modeled by a woman with the same traits as theirs - age, size and race. So if a lady is petite, most probably, she will look for products that are modeled by petite fashion models. And same goes with other girls with other types of body figure.
Charlotte Cowles, being the author of the article that I have read, quoted "Since the majority of consumers are not white, a size zero, or between the ages of 15 and 23, then it's safe to say that today's average model isn't doing much to inspire them to shop." It is always the consumer's choice and decision when it comes to purchasing. And the models are there to inspire people most especially consumers. For consumers, it is a matter of choice and decision and for models, they are to inspire consumers.
As what I have said, it is a matter of choice. But of course, go for what you deserve and for the best. Fashion is about quality and where you are comfortable with. Be an inspiration to others.
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