Enfants à la découverte (Joanika Ring, Overlangel 1995) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Are we still dealing with the body image issue in this generation? The answer is YES. Confirmation came through a post made by a much younger fellow blogger, Commander in Chic, about a certain size jeans & chasing dreams. (See full post below)
Do you think I am removed from the issue because I have a boy & have been married 20 years? Hmm…then I took a good long look at myself, and tallied up the marks against that assumption.
Tasting the Dove Pleasure Kit (Photo credit: LexnGer)
1.) I have been watching my weight since I was in 7th grade.
2.) I still feel guilty when I have dessert or any sweet treat.
3.) I blame the manufacture for “inaccurate” pants sizes.
Moms with girls really face an uphill battle on this one. I don’t envy anyone dealing with your own body image issues and trying to reassure your child they are perfect just as they are. If only young girls could have the wisdom that being healthy is far more important than fitting into a certain size.
Dove “Campaign For Real Beauty” photo exhibit (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I was watching TV a few nights ago and saw the Dove commercial-the Campaign for Real Beauty. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, even though I had seen ads in the last few years. I googled Dove, Body Image and found some very cool downloadable age-appropriate packets available for girls and their parents. (See link below)
Until society accepts people for who they are, it is up to you to accept yourself. I will not continue to judge myself through other people’s eyes, and neither should you.
Tell me what your thinking?!
References:
http://bcommanderinchic.com/2012/04/16/chasing-dreams-vs-size-1-jeans/#comment-2915
http://www.dove.us/Social-Mission/Self-Esteem-Toolkit-And-Resources/default.aspx
College Savings Dolls: One doll...two unique ideas! 
Patty
So true, woman have body image issues, that started as little girls. We are always worried about how we look, do we look fat, should I wear long sleeves to cover my arms, etc. Most men don’t have these same issues, society puts pressure on girls to look a certain way, and a certain weight. Each person is different, and none of us can photo shop our real bodies. I wish magazines would stop photo shopping people so girls see the real image, and not a fabricated image of someone they admire. Something needs to change, we need to teach girls to be proud of who they are, and how they look….
futuredoll
I totally agree-Jenny McCarthy circled all her “corrected” details on her famous swimsuit poster a few years ago on the Rosie O’Donnell show. I loved it! People, especially men & young girls, need to know that women don’t actually look like those photoshopped images. It takes a village to get some of those shots!
Micha
You are so right and thank you for this post. Nothing gets me more upset than when the media comments that a celebrity has gained weight — when they actually look healthy or normal instead of anorexic! It’s really sad that we as women are first judged so heavily on our appearances. My tummy area is a lilttle “gushy” as my 8 year old daughter puts it, and it’s so hard for me not to say how much I wish I were thinner in that area. Instead I say how nice it is for her to have a soft place when we hug. Lord knows I want to put myself down for it, but I know that will only make her feel bad about herself when she is a little older. We need more companies like Dove to step up and accept all women as beautiful.
futuredoll
I think the “gushy” is a badge of honor; if I didn’t have that I wouldn’t have a perfect son/daughter!
Micha
Perfect! I will use that when the “soft spot for hugs” doesn’t work anymore! haha
Patty
I agree Micha, media is horrible on women, they certainly don’t complain about the men. We need to find out how to get the medias attention and change the way women and girls are pressured to be skinny instead of a healthy weight.
Micha
Absolutely!
xoEvelynOrtizHasSpoken
It is true, it is up to ourselves to accept our body image through our own eyes.
Society potrays women in an unrealistic light & I agree that its better to live a healthy life than yo fit in a certain pant size.
Catalina @ Cake with Love
I think that we all should try to love and accept ourselfs first, only agter taht we will be able to deal with others people opinion on our bodies, and to actually neglect and not let it affect us about the way we feel or look!
Jenn Ji Hyun
Very true. I think that if we feel beautiful inside, we could overlook the body image issues imposed to us women. I loved the wisdom that being healthy is far more important than fitting into a certain size. 🙂
Bailey Mikell
Wow, thank you so much for mentioning my post in yours! What an honor. I love your view on this. It makes me happy when I see others who have a similar opinion on this important topic.
futuredoll
@ Bailey-your welcome! It was a great post.
@ Evelyn & Jenn-you both are so right-being healthy is the main goal, without your health you have nothing.
P.S. I Love Soap Co.
Ha…I remember I was nuts about my weight in high. That was some tims ago. I’m still pretty nuts but now it’s more of a health issue thing:)
futuredoll
Health is where it is at!
dianewrites
I agree with the points you raised here. Aside from weight related issues, at least in my country, skin complexion is another biased determinant for beauty. In our case, women who are slim and born with whiter complexion is most often than not, perceived as beautiful.
I agree that this issue is a societal problem. In my opinion, societal problems can’t be resolved overnight. It’s the culture and at the end of the day, people themselves, who can actually change this “human imposed” perception of beauty. If we want to change this physical perception about beauty, I guess it should start from the family, from the point a child is reared. Conditioning and culture building will play a great role in changing this misconception on beauty. I’d like to see parents making their children believe that each of us has her/his own beauty waiting to be unleashed and each one is deserved to be loved.
futuredoll
Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Unfortunately each country has there own preconceived idea of what is beautiful. It is up to us to start to bring attention and maybe it will create a “crack” in the thinking so that our children’s children wont have to endure this predjudice.
Patty
I agree with you. This needs to start at home. This is one of the reasons we created a doll that is based and scaled to a real college girl, not a model or movie start (or unrealistic body image). I think we need to help one child at a time, to realize they are beautiful and loved for who they are and not based on a stero type image of what society thinks we need to look like. If you raise a girl to be proud, responsible and non judgemental of herself and others you have done great parenting. I believe that anything is possible, and we can slowly change the images that society, and media have put on girls and women.
futuredoll
I totally agree-the change starts with us!
Rachael
Great message. As a mother of a boy (16) and a girl (11) I can add that body issues also affect boys. Weight, build, and for boys height, all affect the teenager’s self-esteem. And my daughter, who is still some way off puberty, has been known to ask if she is fat. Which in her case is absurd, but would be sad for any 11year-old. And she is a feisty girl who would rather climb a tree than go shopping for clothes.
It’s tough out there. You just have to do your best as a mum and then not beat yourself up if problems arise. Easier said than done!
futuredoll
Totally agree on the height issue for boys. My son is tall but, quite a few of his friends bring height up enough that I know it is an issue for them.
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