DYING TO BE BEAUTIFUL

Teenagers are seen to be different species all by themselves. But after all the tantrums, hoodies and spending: they do need some guidance which the media fails to provide.

Receiving hospitalization for being too thin after years of being name-called ‘chubby’ as a child; this was the last straw. I frankly feel that if I officially became the public’s property, I would be dead by one or the other, let alone unhappy. In the words of my fellow teenagers- It’s so unfair.

The ever-increasing superficial world that we exist in leads us to complex decision- making when it comes to appearance. Obesity, pictured as repulsive while women with a BMI of less then 18 are considered ‘unhealthy.’ What are we trying to portray to youths who avidly follow the so-called transformation of the fashion and consumer industries? Who are we to control the optimum level of perfection in people’s lives?

From the hour-glass figure of the 1950s, to the drug induced models of the 1960s, it seems that the fashion enterprise has not been able to shake off the ‘skinny’ look throughout the years. But are we encouraging youths to gain weight or slim down; worse still, with drugs? With the introduction of banning ‘fatty’ product advertisements, as well as petite size ‘zero’ clothing-it seems to be heading towards one vital point; an imminent death from eating disorders.

After recent incidents of models starving to death, I honestly thought is being anorexic thin or obese just labels for this season simply like wearing a red or grey skirt? Although fashion marvel Giorgio Armani refutes the idea of skinny models, it is difficult to see actual implementations. After the highly popular series ‘Make me a Supermodel,’ adjudicator Rachel Hunter declined a finalist for being a larger model, contradicting recent comments from the fashion world.

This is what we teach to already very confused and hormonal teenagers, beauty before health and happiness. A period of their growing lives wasted on watching social corruption exposed throughout the media. Flung in an ASBO, and we have fate worse then hell for these poor creatures. We have to encourage young people to remain healthy internally rather then looking fantastic on the outside. It is rather pointless if we have a life expectancy of only 30 years.

In the wise words of Roman philosopher; “We live not according to reason, but according to fashion.” It has been thousands of years since Seneca said his famous words- I think it is time we moved on.