Brief Rant on America's Obsession with Disappearing

The Daily News Reports: “Lindsay Lohan has gone from "Mean Girl" to "Lean Girl" in the blink of an eye. The teen screen queen shot to stardom on her wholesome good looks: red hair, freckles and a curvy figure. But these days the 18-year-old bottle blond looks more like a third Olsen twin with twiggy arms, jutting hips and a shrinking bosom. Lohan’s dramatic weight loss over the last year had already sparked talk of a possible eating disorder…”
It absolutely terrifies me to see these adorable young girls disappearing into nothingness one after the other.  When did we decide, as a culture, that looking malnourished was sexy?  It scares me to see these women walking down the red carpet looking like a strong wind would blow them over, and if it did, that their bones would break like twigs.
Now, before the backlash begins, I am not dissing naturally thin girls!  I used to be one of those girls who could eat anything and not gain an ounce;  that does not last forever.  I heard tons of comments about how I needed to eat more, see a doctor, etc.  I didn't, I was perfectly healthy.  There are many thin young women out there who are naturally like that, and DON'T need any help, or to eat more, they just have high metabolisms.  I am not addressing them.
I'm addressing the issue of someone who looks normal one moment, then a month later has lost all semblance of being a girl...no hips, no breasts, and a giant lollipop head.  This is not natural.  It will lead to health problems now, and later in life.  And my comment about bones breaking like twigs is not so far-fetched, as anorexic and bullemic women are more likely to develop osteoporosis later in life.  This is not the image we want to encourage our daughters to emulate!  Now, I'm not blaming Lindsey Lohan for the downfall of modern society.  But, every time I see a new young actress disappear into thin air, that's one more healthy role model down the drain for our future daughters.  Incidently, you may think "Well, actresses don't make good role models anyway!  My daughter's role models should be scientists, authors, etc." and I agree, but we all know that little girls look up to actresses, models, and singers.  We can't change that, but we can hope that they will realize that being photographed over and over again looking like they live on air alone is not a responsible way to further their careers.  And on a side note, (this is another rant for another day) it is not just our daughters that we have to worry about.  I have recently been sickened to overhear young men saying "I only like skinny girls...if she's not a size 0, she's a cow.  fat girls are nasty!"  when just a few years ago the majority of guys were saying "I don't like my girlfriend to be so thin that I feel like I will break her if I hug her!  I like hips and curves!".  Do we really want our sons thinking that women should look like little boys?  And do we really want them believing that anything over a size ZERO (what does that mean btw, that you don't actually exist?!?) is FAT!?!?  I think not!  Parents, take heed...please educate your kids now, because their role models are letting them down!!
Peace,
~G*

Comments

[Ross]

I saw that on the news yesterday at work. I think the 'malnourished' look is just a part of being famous. People have to look a certain way on television, in magazines, or whatever. As glamorous being famous is, there's the dark, cutthroat, and unhealthy aspect of it. Doesn't seem like that will change anytime soon.

I used to watch Dark Angel before it got cancelled. Jessica Alba got really skinny going into the second season. Then she had to change her look again for the movie she starred in afterwards.

The role model thing is tough. Kids gotta grow up on something. One would hope that kids could last on cartoons forever, but that's not the case. At least not for me, because I'm a punching bag now, but thats my choice lol.

If kids can seperate the good from the bad in their role models, there won't be any dilemmas later on.

That's my input :) Happy Friday Gina.

[Gina]

Ross- I couldn't agree more about Jessica Alba.
She was such a hottie. Now, she's skinny and bottle-blonde also. Sad that everyone feels the need to conform, instead of having their own unique (and beautiful) style!
Thanks for the input!
Happy Friday to you too! :)
<3 G

[Tim]

It is too bad that conformity means success in the entertainment industry, and that this runaway train of 'thin is in' keeps chugging down it's red carpet tracks.

This form of shrinking to fit the mold is sad, and I have no doubt that it adversely effects the teens that want to be like them. It means the job of the parents is harder in expressing the hazards of that lifestyle, that with each pound you lose - your lifeline could be shrinking as well.

I think it's unfair to put the blame on the actresses and singers though. They lose weight, not because it's in...but because their managers and producers tell them they could stand to lose a pound or two. Hollywood is like diving into a shark tank - where there are 50 other women just as beautiful as you who are willing to do whatever it takes to get your part.

Good entry Gina!

[faaake]

fake!!!

[Gina]

excuse me? fake what? :-O