Are you a celebrity copycat??

[mc_squared]

Don't be celebrity copycats, schoolgirls told

 

By LAURA CLARK - More by this author » Last updated at 22:31pm on 21st November 2007 Comments (2)

Kate Winslet became a victim of the airbrush when she appeared in men's magazine GQ

 

Primary schools should teach girls how to resist pressure to conform to airbrushed images of celebrities in magazines, the Guides have declared.

Guiding leaders published a survey showing that girls as young as seven are worried about their body shapes, believing slimness to be linked to popularity and intelligence.

The Guides warned that anxieties about appearance begin much earlier than usually thought - several years before girls reach their teenage years.

One girl who was still at primary school reported doing sit-ups almost everyday.

In a report, they propose requiring media and advertising companies to fund lessons in schools to explain how the media manipulate images of women through techniques such as airbrushing.

In a notorious case in 2003, the men's magazine GQ admitted to "digitally altering" a front page picture of Kate Winslet to slim her down.

The report, produced with the eating disorders charity beat, also warns that negative comments and teasing from family members can have a devastating impact on girls' self-confidence.

It urges parents to avoid criticising girls' weight or their appearance and offer reassurance instead.

The report, from Girlguiding UK, claimed that even at the age of seven, weight and appearance are seen as key to securing the friendships that girls value so highly.

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Picture perfect: Girls as young as seven should be taught how the media manipulate images of celebrities

 

Girls who are slim and pretty are seen as more likely to be happy, well-liked, friendly and clever.

"They're pretty and because of that they might be able to run really fast and like they're good at reading and writing and they're good at all kinds of things," one participant claimed.

At the same time, girls who are overweight or less attractive are viewed as more likely to be unhappy, lonely and targeted by bullies.

For the report, titled Under Ten and Under Pressure? girls aged seven to 10 - the membership age of Brownies - took part in eight focus groups.

The discussion groups revealed wide variations in girls' awareness weight and appearance.

While some were largely unaware and unconcerned, others described feeling overweight, anxious about wearing certain clothes, conscious or how they compare to friends and sensitive to remarks from family and friends.

One even said she went to the gym almost every day to do sit-ups.

Chief Guide Liz Burnley said: "At a time when girls and young women are under more pressure than ever before, we hope this report will shed further light on how all of us can help girls build the self-confidence and determination they need to seize the many opportunities open to them and reach their full potential."

Susan Ringwood, chief executive of beat, said: "Eating disorders are now affecting girls as young as eight and the results of the survey serve to show just how important it is, even at this young age, to ensure they have a good self-esteem.

"By building confidence and challenging negative stereotypes we know that we can help beat eating disorders."

The call follows a warning from a leading headmistress that girls are increasingly judged by their handbags rather than their character.

Pat Langham, president of the Girls' Schools Association, said young girls who want to look like the "airbrushed celebrities" in magazines need to understand that these images have been manipulated and that these women are not naturally so slim.

"You're not chasing reality, you're chasing a figure that somebody has cut inches off by digital photography," she said.

[anniep_93]

Schools do teach that.

 

Most boring lesson ever.

[mc_squared]

Schools do teach that.

 

Most boring lesson ever.

 

So did it not teach you anything??:confused:

[Space Cadet]

Schools do teach that.

 

Most boring lesson ever.

 

Yeah, we had that class in 7th grade, I think. It's funny how people react at that age. Everyone gets upset when they realise just how much the media lies, but at the end of the day it's still some old lady telling you that everything cool is fake, and therefore doesn't really make much of a difference when you're 13.

 

The thing is, it would mean more if it was made an issue before puberty, kids are really good at "getting" things like that when they're younger, and displaying a fair amount of righteous indignation about it, but the moment the hormones kick in, it all goes out the window. :\

 

 

As for the title, I'm sorry, I try not to be, but I still want Kylie's boots! Best. Boots. Ever:

[mc_squared]

 

 

As for the title, I'm sorry, I try not to be, but I still want Kylie's boots! Best. Boots. Ever:

 

Sounds like it didn't teach you anything, then!!:P

[Space Cadet]

But they're such great boots... and that kind is perfect for wearing with a skirt in the winter. I think certain 'Who' boards have had to ban fangirls from talking about the boots they're such great boots.

 

There's a difference between boots and a waistline.

[mc_squared]

But they're such great boots... and that kind is perfect for wearing with a skirt in the winter. I think certain 'Who' boards have had to ban fangirls from talking about the boots they're such great boots.

 

There's a difference between boots and a waistline.

 

Depends how expensive the boots are.:rolleyes:

[Space Cadet]

Depends how expensive the boots are.:rolleyes:

 

True.

 

Eh... I'll just keep an eye out for a cheap knockoff. :P

[anna111]

There's also a difference between seeing some clothes on a celebrity and thinking "Oh those are cute boots," you know, just getting some ideas from them, than seeing a celebrity and thinking "OMG I want to look EXACTLY like her because she is PERFECT."

 

I get it and I'm a teenager, Erin.... I don't want to look like a celebrity, I'm happy the way I am. The reason I'll wear say, skinny jeans is not because I want to look like Kate Moss and follow the cool trends but because I think they look cute on me, you know...

[mc_squared]

There's also a difference between seeing some clothes on a celebrity and thinking "Oh those are cute boots," you know, just getting some ideas from them, than seeing a celebrity and thinking "OMG I want to look EXACTLY like her because she is PERFECT."

 

I get it and I'm a teenager, Erin.... I don't want to look like a celebrity, I'm happy the way I am. The reason I'll wear say, skinny jeans is not because I want to look like Kate Moss and follow the cool trends but because I think they look cute on me, you know...

 

Well I hope that continues.:cool:

What about your friends?

[anna111]

My friends are the same way, the people who are the other way around are usually the stupid, pea-brains who I'd never even be friends with :o :P

[mc_squared]

My friends are the same way, the people who are the other way around are usually the stupid, pea-brains who I'd never even be friends with :o :P

 

Excellent.;)

[Space Cadet]

My friends are the same way, the people who are the other way around are usually the stupid, pea-brains who I'd never even be friends with :o :P

 

Who ARE those girls anyway? The super skinny trendy ones with fluff on the brain.

 

My sister likes to use a silly valley girl voice (I can't believe you just said that, it's like, sooo coool!) to be ironic sometimes. She actually had a guy say to her once "Oh, I forgot you don't really talk like that... all the other girls I know do"

 

Whaaa? :laugh3: :confused:

[anna111]

^ Ahaha, lol, yeah they do talk like that, they also say 'like' and flip their hair every other word :P But they're actually not all superskinny, I don't know, I've never really been in a community where anybody cares about anybody's weight, some of the 'trendiest' girls are actually a bit heavy. But hey I'm not saying I'm not trendy, in my opinion i have better fashion sense than them because they shop at two stores, abercrombie and juicy couture, and I have nothing against those stores but these girls have absolutely no creativity and none of their own sense of style!

[anna111]

...honestly, everyone's like a drone, they all dress exactly the same, listen to the same exact music, have the same hair, and everyone who does the same things is considered 'cool' ... but then people see me and are shocked, they're like "oh, she's really different...but she's really cool and we like her...Hmm!"

[Space Cadet]

...honestly, everyone's like a drone, they all dress exactly the same, listen to the same exact music, have the same hair, and everyone who does the same things is considered 'cool' ... but then people see me and are shocked, they're like "oh, she's really different...but she's really cool and we like her...Hmm!"

 

See, by the time everyone gets to college they realise that those girls were the really cool ones. ;) And some of the clone squad actually gets an identity...

 

I never managed that route. I ended up just going for being the weird one and dealing with it since I never could stand the idea of fitting in. But being a scifi obsessed tomboy sort of helped with that...

[mc_squared]

...honestly, everyone's like a drone, they all dress exactly the same, listen to the same exact music, have the same hair, and everyone who does the same things is considered 'cool' ... but then people see me and are shocked, they're like "oh, she's really different...but she's really cool and we like her...Hmm!"

 

Yes - being an individual is where it's at. Down with drones - they shouldn't be condoned!!:rolleyes:

[anna111]

See, by the time everyone gets to college they realise that those girls were the really cool ones. ;) And some of the clone squad actually gets an identity...

 

I never managed that route. I ended up just going for being the weird one and dealing with it since I never could stand the idea of fitting in. But being a scifi obsessed tomboy sort of helped with that...

 

 

Hey that's really cool though, tons better than wasting away your childhood trying to be like everyone else!! And I'm glad to know people change *phew*

[mc_squared]

Hey that's really cool though, tons better than wasting away your childhood trying to be like everyone else!! And I'm glad to know people change *phew*

 

I didn't have to - I was always "one-of-a-kind".:P

[mc_squared]

See, by the time everyone gets to college they realise that those girls were the really cool ones. ;) And some of the clone squad actually gets an identity...

 

I never managed that route. I ended up just going for being the weird one and dealing with it since I never could stand the idea of fitting in. But being a scifi obsessed tomboy sort of helped with that...

 

So did they used to call you "Mad Mo"??:rolleyes:

[anna111]

Yes - being an individual is where it's at. Down with drones - they shouldn't be condoned!!:rolleyes:

 

:lol:

[mc_squared]

:lol:

 

I reckon it should be made an official slogan!!:D

[anna111]

I reckon it should be made an official slogan!!:D

I would put it in my sig but I have something very important there ;) maybe after the awards, lol.

[mc_squared]

I would put it in my sig but I have something very important there ;) maybe after the awards, lol.

 

Great!!:D

And maybe you could vote for it as "Best Coldplaying Slogan 2007"!!:D

[Starlight]

Those girls on the covers of Maxim and shit, they shouldn't be considered real women, anyways. They are classless sluts.

 

It's so degrading towards women, and it pisses me off because some women complain about not being given enough credibility in the world from men, yet they would settle to some scummy shit like this. They are driving men even more to accept and like these things.

 

Come on my ladies, get it together!