You are beautiful!

    Recently, I had to write an editorial for a school assignment. At first I was not too thrilled about it. I love writing but editorials aren't my thing. However, when I realized I could use this to write about something I am passionate about and I can relate to, I was thrilled. So for this assignment I decided to write about photoshoped pictures of models in magazines and how it makes women and girls feel and look at themselves. Below, I will post my editorial. I hope this can be a help to at least one person!

   

What image comes to your mind when you think of the word beautiful? Do you think of a picture you have seen on a magazine cover lately? A recent picture you have seen of a model or actress? For most girls, the word beautiful is defined by an altered picture they have seen recently of someone famous.  Unfortunately, most of these photos depict an unattainable standard of beauty. Pictures are taken of women who are already beautiful and then altered to make them look a different way. In most cases, they are made to look thinner, with a flawless complexion and picture perfect teeth. How does this make young girls and teens feel about themselves? What does it make them think based on what society deems they should look like?

      In this New York Times article by Eric Wilson, he discusses his views on Photoshop and how he believes that magazines should not be portraying women in a mendacious wayhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/fashion/28RETOUCH.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0. He is undeniably correct. He also mentions a man by the name of Mr. Lindbergh has called it “heartless retouching”.  This is an excellent way to put it. When photo experts are editing these photos and erasing  wrinkles, or retouching the photo to make the model look like a  Barbie doll rather than a real person, they are not even thinking about what they are putting in the minds of countless girls. This type of thing affects not only young girls, but women as well. However, women are wiser about the situation in most cases and they know that the women truly do not look the way that is shown in a magazine. For that reason, young girls and teenagers are much more susceptible to the deceits of these magazines. 

     With that being said, my next question is, what will young girls and teenagers do to try and achieve this look? Many girls who are trying to look like the ones they have seen in magazines will start skipping meals to try and achieve the body of the woman in the magazine. Sadly, some will never realize that these magazine images are a lie and their occasional skipping of a meal will turn into anorexia. Unfortunately, some will not live to tell their story. You can find a true story of a girl who did not survive the fight against anorexia at the link http://library.thinkquest.org/21298/Mind&Body/Carpenter.html. 

     So here is my question to those who have the final say on what image makes it into the magazines. Is it really worth it? Is it worth losing young lives because of this false idea society has put in their minds? Being a teenage girl, I know how hard it is to love your body and I have to make a decision daily to accept the way I am made and remember that society does not determine the definition of beauty. If we teach young girls to love themselves the way they are rather than trying to live up to a standard of beauty, there would be a huge decrease in the amount of eating disorders in teenagers.

    Finally, I would like to share is what real beauty looks like. I have inserted some pictures of women without their photos being altered, in their natural radiant beauty that every women has. We should be teaching girls that all women are made differently and beauty is not determined by what someone else looks like. You do not have to be a size 2 or have perfect hair, flawless skin, or pearly white teeth to be beautiful.However, this is contrary to what most magazines today would like you to believe. A little retouching to remove a few blemishes or brighten the colors of a photo is one thing, but changing the overall appearance of an already beautiful woman is taking it too far. Especially when no real woman can look like that. Every woman is beautiful in their own way and I wish more girls would realize that.

     In closing, society does not determine your beauty. Every woman is beautiful, even if they do not see it. We should start teaching our girls at a young age that they do not need to look like the woman on the magazine to be beautiful.  The reality is, women do not look like that. Photo experts have made her look that way by altering the image. If more girls started learning this from a young age, it would help them through the tough teenage years when all girls are self conscious about their looks in one way or another. Do not let society change the way you feel about yourself. You are beautiful.