Promoting the Self Image of Our Youth

by Rhonda

This week I watched the season premier of “America’s Next Top Model”. Though I’m a big fan of the show, this is the first time I ever got to watch it from the beginning. It starts with 33 young ladies vying to remain as one of the final 12. They ranged from 17-21 years of age and of course had the youthful bodies of the people in that age group. During the course of the show, the young ladies were interviewed and I was shocked at their insecurities and negative self images. I would have thought that if you had the guts to compete in a competition such as this, your self esteem would be sky high. Alas, that’s not the case. The competition was represented by every race and members from each one had something negative to say about themselves. One woman who was from India and absolutely gorgeous, was queried as to why she was wearing blue contact lenses. She said in her culture, light eyes were favored as was fairer skin, and she hoped that being a model would make her feel pretty. An African American woman had the same sentiment. A beautiful Caucasian girl who would probably turn the head of every man she encountered actually cried and said she didn’t know why she was picked to be in the final 12, because she felt she didn’t look as good as the other girls. This was astounding to me. I tried to reach back into my memory banks to remember what it was like at that age. It was a long reach to be sure, and I do recall my insecurities but my body image was pretty good back then, (and rightfully so, if I do say so myself). It is sad to see that our society has put so much emphasis on looks, that even the young with their tight skin and wrinkle free faces, are doubting themselves. What’s even more frightening is wondering how they will feel 20 years from now, if they already are being so critical of themselves. The irony is that the models that the media present as “perfect” , feel as miserable as many of the rest of us do about our looks. I think it’s very important to teach our young people to have pride in themselves and their abilities, not just focus on their looks. Starting out in life with so little self confidence is tantamount to failing before they even begin. That type of attitude will cross over into all of their endeavors and these are the people that our future depends upon to keep us going. Today’s parting line is not an affirmation, but something to say and ponder over; I’m only as strong as my self image. Peace - Rhonda