Today I was sitting down to do some work when I opened up my Facebook tab. Classic. But I stumbled across a link to a poorly doctored image of a bikini model from a major company. A company major enough to be able to catch slip ups like that. The effect of the picture made me realize how drastic of a change photoshop will make on images that were simple enough (in my understanding) to not need much editing. So I took initiative and decided to spread it the best way I knew how.
I called over my 10-year-old little sister and showed her this image. At first she registered it as a regular image, until I pointed out the major editing flaws. A grossly over-exaggerated thigh gap, mistakes in arm slimming editing, and asymmetrically distorted hips. She commented as to how weird the image looked with those distortions as I could see her her eyes focus on the screen, youthful and naive to big industry perceptions the consume the media today. All together, I told her that she would never see this girl walking around today- even if she saw the model. This girl does not exist.
I knew that she was going to go about her entire life being told that she has to look different, that what she looks like now won't be good enough. More than anything, I don't want her skipping meals because she wants to look like the girls from the disney channel. I want her to feel pretty because she has huge blue eyes and long, dark eyelashes already, not aspiring to a face full of makeup. I know at her age, I was beyond uncomfortable with my height and proportions and would have given anything to look like the littler girls I saw every day. I do not want her biggest bully to be the one inside her own head, so I took a stand to change that.
Advertising is cold and unforgiving, so foster a reality that is natural, creative and healthy. I really believe that if we all have this talk with the impressionable little girls around us, especially at this age- we can change the dynamic that is sweeping the nation. We can knock this perception back to a reality. If we don't change this now, what will happen if it continues? If we can send the message that skinny doesn't sell, it will just have to change. Being a role model figure, I make an important endeavor to make it clear to do my part and set her straight. Now it's up to you to do yours.
Visit this link to show your little girls the same, and turn this reality from inevitable to avoided.
http://www.eonline.com/news/519820/target-is-now-in-the-lead-for-worst-photoshop-job-ever-with-this-horrifying-thigh-gap?cmpid=sn-111021-facebook-na-eonline
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