-talk briefly about our own experiences in junior high

            -kids made fun of you

            -feel bad about yourself

            -has lasting effect

-that’s why we want to talk to you about it

 

-studies (cite them) show that girls’ self-esteem drop when reach adolescence

-why?

 

-there’s a lot in our society saying to girls that being beautiful means being thin, white, blonde, wearing the right clothes, and the right makeup

-also a lot of messages in our society that say that beauty equals goodness

-how many movies have you seen where a female protagonist is not thin, white and pretty?  Not many, right?

 

-How realistic or easy to achieve is that to achieve for the average person?

-ave. woman- 5’4”, 140 lbs., size 14

-ave. model- 5’11”……

-models you see in tv and magazines look similar to 2% of the population.

-If you don’t look like them, you’re normal.

-even models don’t really look like their photographs

            -they go through hours of hair and makeup

-have tons of pictures taken of them, out of which are only a few are chosen to be          published

-the ones that are picked are more often than not airbrushed to hide even the tiniest flaws, or even change the shape of their face

-so, it is virtually impossible for just about anyone to look like these models. 

-the problem is that looking like this is impossible to achieve, but it always seems related to being worthy of love and affection it can leave a lot of girls and women feeling not quite good enough not matter what they do?  Is it any wonder, then, that girls and women have low self-esteem?

 

-It may seem like worrying about your appearance all the time is just as much a part of being a woman as getting your period.

-but this isn’t part of your DNA- you learn it gradually as you grow up in our society

-almost everything marketed towards girls and women focuses on changing your appearance and attracting guys

-for example, let’s look at last month’s Seventeen Magazine

            -show a few pages in 17 and talk about what they imply

            -statistic- 114 out of 190 pages are about appearance (includes ads and articles)

 

-It’s not like it’s your fault for believing these things. 

-everyone else in our society takes in the same messages and may try to hold you to those standards

-Example: when I was in junior high, the girls I went to school with also learned these standards of beauty and since I didn’t and couldn’t conform to them, they felt they had every right to make fun of me.

-So these messages come at you from all angles.  It’s hard to have the strength to oppose them when almost everyone tells you they’re correct.

 

-It’s not impossible, however.  There are lots of ways for you to get away from these unrealistic and harmful standards, once you try.

-There’s so much out there, as we’ve said, that makes you see your body as flawed.  Instead, try focusing on all the amazing things about your body.

-How about the fact that your bone cells replace themselves every three months

-the fact that your eyes automatically adjust when your enter a dark room.

-You couldn’t even see a movie, talk to your friends, or listen to your favorite CD without it

-Our bodies are so amazing that the smartest minds on the planet can’t build a machine that even comes close to doing all of the things our bodies do.  Yet sometimes we’re more careful with our computers than we are with ourselves.

 

-Another way to feel even better about yourself and your body is to take up a physical activity. 

-Not because you want to lose weight or change the way you look, but because it can be fun

-Anything from riding your bike or taking a walk to joining a martial arts school.

-The skills and strength you’ll gain from these activities will not only make you appreciate your body more, but can make you more confident in all areas of your life.

 

-Another great thing to do is to get involved in something you believe in.

-That could mean volunteering in your community, joining a club at school, standing up to someone, or many other things.

-Any of those will help you realize how powerful you actually are.

 

 

-Recap main points

-Mention event at roller rink

-Handout