Saturday, September 4, 2010

The Tyra Show - “I’m 9 and I Hate My Face"

What do you see when you look in the mirror? 

       “A monster... I think I look ugly.”

       “When people see my face, I think they see a pig.”

      “I think my face is really disgusting.”

      “I feel like I’m ugly now but I have to wait till I’m    
       older to get plastic surgery.”

Young Frankenstein convention?

Nope.

I sat shocked and horrified as I watched these little pretty girls answer the question.  Little girls as young as 9 years old, confessing that they HATE their looks and want plastic surgery to change them.

That was the day The Tyra Show made me cry.  Tyra got a little choked up as well.

Picture a 10 year old wanting Botox for her “eye bags and laugh lines.”   Hand her a marker and she circles imperfections on a self-photo with surgical precision.  With commentary.

Note to Tyra:  if a 10 year old hates her face, way to go by putting her in the same room with a giant photo of….her face.  Not too traumatizing :)

In any case:

An eye-opening show about a disturbing epidemic of lack of self-esteem in young girls, and how “the media” defines beauty and influences all of us on who or what WE believe to be beautiful.

Hey wait, I'm "the media" !  So here's a pic of lovely Tyra sans the glamour look.  She would want you to see it.  She bravely,  came out with no makeup on her talk show.  Kudos. 

Save the date –

THIS WEDNESDAY, September 8th on the CW network.


Not Tuesday – that’s the show about Stoner Soccer Moms (for realz). WEDNESDAY - not Monday - that’s the sex addict show.  Haha, also NOT a joke.  YES, the Tyra Show is gone Daddy gone, but THIS one on Wednesday is a must see!
 




Spoiler Alert !   

 From The Tyra Show “I’m 9 and I Hate My Face” --

7 out of 10 girls feel they do not “measure up” in some way.

The 41-year-old mother of one of the kids said she’s disturbed to hear her young daughter – not even a teen – talk about getting surgery.  I quote her:

 “…when I say it, [when she talks of getting surgery or Botox] it’s because I really need to."

Whoah.

Many of the moms of these kids complained about their own looks in front of their daughters. 

Things that make you go:

“Hmmmmmm.”

One little-one confesses that she doesn’t like her looks.  She also confesses she is embarrassed of her mother’s looks because her mom’s teeth are damaged! 

One young girl said she didn’t feel she was pretty because she felt her cheeks were too big.

Tyra had a brilliant answer.  I paraphrase.

“You are beautiful.  Big cheeks, small cheeks, dark cheeks, light cheeks, freckled cheeks, long cheeks, short cheeks, no cheeks =  it’s ALL beautiful.”

After hearing another little girl say she felt ugly and wished she had lighter skin, Tyra’s voice cracked but she determinedly said, “It is my MISSION in life to expand what beautiful IS for young girls.”

She goes on:

“There is not one cookie cutter [definition] of beauty.
Beauty comes in so many different shapes and sizes, and cheeks and skin tones and hair lengths and textures…and eye colors and lip shapes …”

I got your back, Tyra.

Looks like we have bigger battles ahead of us than just the war against wrinkles.  Let’s show them youngins by being proud and shiny examples of confidence and think about expanding our own ideals of what beauty is.

Essentially, it’s up to US…I mean, Tyra and the Dove Campaign ain’t really gonna do it alone.

Find out more and watch the re-run of “I’m 9 And I Hate My Face” on The Tyra Show Wednesday, September 8th.

Then go hug your kid and tell them they are smart, beautiful and perfect just the way they are.  And remember, so are you!

For realz.

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