“When did you stop thinking you were beautiful?” is a line in the Dove Camera Shy clip. It’s a powerful question. Because most little girls believe they are gorgeous, and love the camera. But at some stage that stops. We cringe when asked to pose. And we get cross when caught unawares.
UK research published yesterday found that twice as many girls were unhappy with their appearance than boys. Actually the Irish stats (Comhairle na nÓg) are more worrying: 43 per cent of Irish teens are not happy with how they look; 40 per cent are conscious about their weight; and more than half said their body image stops them from participating in certain sports.
Research amongst teens consistently tells us how important appearances are to them and how they feel they’re not making the mark. But what mark are they trying to reach?
Our media-led society revels in the constant relaying of messages and images of what is deemed to be acceptable in terms of appearance. The benchmark that abounds on billboards and screens, and in shops and magazines is the ‘body beautiful’ (with a smattering of sexiness thrown in), and our young people’s self-published material on social media etc; tries to emulate this. Any professional working with children will tell you how damaging the constant bombardment and replication of these images can be to a child’s self-esteem creating a ‘normative discontent’ (listen to: “Is Childhood Shrinking?”).
So who’s responsible?
Media is a ubiquitous tour de force in our daily lives. It informs us and helps shape our opinion. The media is the mirror that we hold up to ourselves, and expect it to reflect back the reality. But that’s not always how the media works because, critically, while the media sets our norms, it can also change them.
And the flawless skin, the six-pack torso, the smiling parent, the happy family portrayed as the norm in the media, are all illusions airbrushed and spun beyond recognisable reality. The media may argue these are “just” aspirations… but aspirations that are this unattainable are deeply demoralising, especially for vulnerable young people.
Whilst I don’t believe the industry is truly engaging with its responsibilities, I’m not singling out the media as the only contributor to the problem. This is a broader societal issue. We, as adult consumers, also need to act. We need to grow a back bone to protect ourselves against the pups we’re being sold. Most importantly, however, we need to ensure we pass this mindset on to our children. If we obsess, self-criticise, and bemoan our own appearance, or worse still comment on others’ appearance, then we, more than any media, send a clear and dangerous message to our kids.
It’s not easy. I have foregone appearances and braved the school run devoid of make up. I’m sure no one gave too hoots, but I know I did. But you know, once I got over my own self-recriminations, I found it quite liberating. But no cameras please!!
Sheena Horgan is a consultant, youth and ethical marketer, journalist and documentary maker - "Is Childhood Shrinking?"
