Whenever I go out with my daughters, at least there are two strangers to greet them as "Cute doll" or "Beautiful Princess". Of course, kids are cute. But these compliments are mostly based on their looks. I agree that they cannot be praised for their intelligence or creativity in a 10-second interaction by a total stranger.
But still, why do people make empty praises with mere attention drawn to looks, hair or clothes? How do our kids realize that these are not Real Beauty?Do we want the silly "Princess Syndrome" to operate unchecked on our young girls? On very basic level, princess stories are transformation tales. Many of them are about the turning of one kind of girl into something very different, which is still a common storyline in our fiction, whether in books, film or television.
Onslaught
A one minute video that details all the beauty and media imaging that young girls are inundated with within a 24-hour period.
Furthermore there is an aggressive marketing and merchandising campaigns of a huge array of beauty products which are creating and feeding an enormous appetite for transformation. Media also breeds cross-merchandising and that's earning a bundle for entertainment companies.
From a historical perspective, the transformation parallel has been there for centuries - but the merchandising associated with conglomeration has amplified its effect; now almost all of our little girls think that they are ugly. They worry too much about their looks maybe be their skin tone, freckles, hair or stature. They yearn for a transformation. They are unable to accept themselves as they are.
It is difficult for young girls to enter a toy store, fashion store or even a bookshop without being assaulted by beauty-related merchandise. Marketing industry canvases them to look slimmer, softer, tighter, younger and what not. As a result their self esteem decreases too much.
So it is now high time for us moms to talk to our dear daughters before the beauty industry does. We need to teach them true beauty lies within and not on the surface.
One of our culture's immediate visual signifiers is :
Beauty equals worthiness, success and popularity.
Ugliness equals worthlessness, failure and wickedness.
So make them understand what true beauty is. Now girls are questioning the world of beauty around them. Mom, now your daughters need you more than ever. Rise to the challenge!
Enter into girl world to learn what your daughter really faces. Things are more intense for a girl today than when you were her age. Your daughter is bombarded with media images that suggest how she should look and feel.
As a responsible mother, I have taken the first step by supporting the Dove Self-Esteem Fund. The Dove Self-Esteem Fund (DSEF) was established to raise the self-esteem of girls and young women to make them feel more beautiful and confident every day. The DSEF is part of the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, a global effort designed to widen today's stereotypical view of beauty.
I was honored with the T-shirt and Dove products for taking up the challenge. Now I wear it proudly, as I celebrate my real beauty and help build the self-esteem in the next generation. You should do your part too……Get involved at www.campaignforrealbeauty.com
Play your role good as a concerned mom!!!
1 comment:
It's obvious that you took the time to really analyze the issues behind this campaign, and the content Dove has developed to support the message.
I hope that your readers are really enjoying your post in relation to the Campaign for Real Beauty, as well as the Onslaught video.
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