Vulnerability of teenagers

In class we've discussed the effect of the media on teenagers, specifically girls. The media has prompted many teenage girls to view the ideal woman as skinny, sexy, and beautiful. Some believe this has caused a significant amount of girls to have low self-esteems and overlook the beauty that lies within themselves. I can relate to this with some of my own personal insight. I read magazines such as Seventeen and so on and I watch shows like America's Next Top Model, etc., where I see images of perfect women. While I know in magazines it's all about the photo shopping aspect and what not, I still think to myself, well I wanna look like that. But at the same time I think about what makes me who I am and I don't want to try to be something I'm not. My dad has told me since I've been maturing that he likes when my hair is natural and not straightened. He says that he likes when I look natural and don't wear make-up. My mom always used to ask me "how does it feel to be such a pretty natural girl?" My parents have made subtle but strong efforts to make sure that I would love myself for who I am and not what I would like to be. Also, my ex-boyfriend would tell me that he likes when I don't wear make-up too because it's a more pure look. Many girls believe they need make-up to look good but in reality that shouldn't matter. When we put make-up on, it's like we're trying to hide ourselves. It helps us feel more confident but we shouldn't need make-up to feel confident.

Another thing I'd like to mention is my dad was in Los Angeles the week before school began. He would call me everyday telling me what celebrities he saw and how he ate lunch next to Jamie Spears and her mom, and how he saw Jessica Simpson crossing the street. His point was that they looked so different in person because they weren't touched up by professionals in every way possible. He saw them how they really are and not how the media shows them to us.