I'm not usually one who's into commercialism....you just have to watch TV with me to know. I'm highly critical of most commericals and have often been known to "talk back" to the screen. I try to shelter my kids from commercials by having them watch public television stations. I have heard some alarming stats about young girls and how much "sexual" content they've seen by age 5. The woman my girls typically see on TV or in magazines is size 5, fair skinned and has probably had plastic surgery or has at least been airbrushed. The clothing they see on most ads and on Barbie.com is revealing and seductive. In an article in the Herald, it says...."These ads are saturated with images of perfect-looking girls and women, widening the gap between what girls see in the mirror and what they see on the television screen...."
I know Dove is trying to sell their product, but I think their new campaign is praisworthy. If you've seen their ads or commercials, you know what I'm talking about. I love watching the above link. There's a certain magic age with girls. I love the confidence I see in my girls at school. They are 7 or 8 and most of them are just joyful and happy with who they are. I know that for most of them that will change in a few years.
As I was thinking about all this, I came across another article in the MB Herald about a program for girls that has been started. It's a girls' tour from Family Life Network called BUG "Beautiful Unique Girls." Their mandate, presented in the form of a "spa-like, pajama party atmosphere", is to replace the "not good enough" message girls get from movies and magazines with the "fearfully and wonderfully made" truth from Psalm 139. I think that's a great idea. I hope there's more resources for me to draw upon as a parent when my girls reach that critical age.
Until then, I'm going to continue to affirm their worth and beauty daily beacause they are created and loved by God. We might watch those Dove commericals a few times too!
2 comments:
I saw one of those commercials while watching super bowl ads and was very impressed. I think it is great!!!
Hey Heather... I too have been struck by the Dove ads. They feel very refreshing when you watch tv programs filled with females who seem younger and younger, yet dress older and older as the audiences become more and more desensitized to the shock of seeing a 12 year old girl in a miniskirt wearing makeup. I think it is high time a company came around with a better example of true beauty, rather than using a cookie cutter image of the "perfect woman" to endorse thier product, and I must say, I love the song used on their latest comercial... the one on the link. Great song!! Think I will have to get that one for my girls to listen to!!
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