Am I the only one who sees the contradiction in these two advertisements? They were uniquely playing side by side on a natural living gardening site.
As a woman, a mother of boys, and someone who has been negatively influenced by all of the pressure on women to look “oh so amazing”, I cannot value both of these aspects at the same time. I want to keep my body healthy and trim, for my own well being and my ability to live an energetic and active life. I feel better when I am trimmer and physically active each day.
When I have wanted my body to be healthy and trim for other reasons, it has lead to upset and disappointment. I could never hold a candle to the girls/women in magazines, on television. It was like a black hole of self absorption.
How can we create positive self esteem in girls if we are giving them the message that their body is eye candy for others? And giving them the message that their body is a source of envy and power over others? Or a source of embarrassment and shame if they cannot achieve this goal.
Decide, is it self esteem we want for girls, or self absorption? Do we want the journey of the soul or the obsession with the physical being?
Although I have no daughters I am pulling for the journey of the soul. Join me on this path and shun images, magazines and products that promote this unhappy scenario for girls/women and boys/men alike.
Shanthi (Peace)
Sydney
