Reality can't be photoshopped

Paula's Place is getting deep today!  We're talking about media! 

Join us here for the July Blog Challenge.


Today's topic:  What are your thoughts on how the media portrays body image for young girls?

This issue is nothing new.  Girls of all ages strive to emulate the beautiful models in the pages of their favorite magazines.  They thumb through image after image wanting tighter pores, longer lashes, shapelier buttocks, trimmer thighs, a smaller waist, whiter teeth... 

What is unfortunate  however, is that until you're old enough to "get it," you don't realize that every image you see has been manually touched, manipulated, re-touched, and "photoshopped" until it's not even remotely "real."  

What they seek to portray is so far removed from reality that it's an impossible goal to even hope to attain.  When the media is busy making the girls that ARE skinny look even skinnier, it's a disservice... to everyone. Frankly, it's sad to think that nothing you see in a photo is real in the first place.  

Furthermore, I think it's quite pathetic that they (the media conglomerates) want to fool the greater public into thinking or even remotely believing that someone is incapable of aging.  Aging is a beautiful thing.  It's a NATURAL thing.  It's something you can NOT fight.  Why should you make women feel badly about doing something they are destined to do?  And, more importantly, why do we care?  

This is something that I talk to a lot of my fitness friends about on a continual basis.... we  see these women who lift weights and are cut, tan, and in amazing shape.  But what some girls fail to realize is that these fitness competitors while on the stage looking all fantastic... are truthfully at their UNHEALTHIEST weight.  The cuts, cardio, restrictive diets, low percentage of body fat and supplements they take that are necessary to attain that "stage ready" look is NOTHING you could do on a continual basis and be HEALTHY!!!  You are hoping for a target that would make you absolutely SICK to try to achieve. 

The same goes with the fashion industry not letting women BE WOMEN.... not letting girls BE GIRLS.  Cellulite happens.  It's strongly genetic.  There isn't much you can do about it.  Why does the media feel the need to point out these so-called "flaws" of young girls who are otherwise in great shape... it's cellulite.  So what.  Does it make them less of a person?  Why do they point it out as if to say it does?

Magazines targeting young girls really need to clean up their act and hire HEALTHY models.  Or, girls could stop trying to make themselves into something they're not and embrace who they are.  I think that's the real job of a parent... 

to teach a girl to embrace the skin she's in...

to feed her to nourish her soul and her spirit while teaching her how to properly feed her body.  Let's face it.  You're NOT going to reach any fitness goals devouring a bag of Doritoes and a package of Oreos...

to understand those pages are fake and the images enhanced... 

Ultimately, we need to teach girls that reality can't be photoshopped.