Here’s a photo my friend Lindsey sent me of what MODEL Katie Halchishick would have to do through plastic surgery to make her already-gorgeous-body look like Barbie’s!!!! EEEEK!!!
Katie is a “Healthy Model” ambassador and spokeswoman for the organization/campaign “Healthy is the New Skin” (a campaign geared towards raising awareness about the fashion industry’s unrealistic pressures they place on women to be skinny. They are hoping to encourage women and girls to be happy and healthy, and embrace a healthy image of what is “beautiful”….LOVE IT).
According to a video on the campaign website, there are some disturbing statistics out there when it comes to girls/women and their bodies. Take a look:
- 80% of women are not happy with how they look.
- The #1 cause of unhappiness among young women, is dissatisfaction with their bodies.
- The #1 desire of young American women is to lose weight.
- Among children in grades 1st-3rd, 48% want to be thinner.
- Among children ages 10 years old, 81% are afraid of becoming fat.
WOW. But then again, I can believe these horrifying statistics. I read stories about how women who are thin, pretty and wear glamour make-up usually make better salaries, get promoted quicker, are taken more seriously, among other things. My fiance gets so mad at me if I ever complain about feeling fat, but I am CONSTANTLY worrying about my body, my hair, my make-up, my clothing, etc. I consider myself a fairly secure woman in how I look, and I STILL go mad worrying and thinking about these things. Just because you are comfortable with how you look, doesn’t stop the intense pressure from the outside world to look BEAUTIFUL.
How do we fix it? I think this campaign is a great start. The more we can pound into the minds of everyone, that model thin is NOT what you have to look like to be “beautiful” the better off we’ll all be.
Okay I’m cnovicned. Let’s put it to action.
I suggest adding a facebook like button for the blog!