True Beauty

I know I've been bad about posting on my blog recently, but I'm going to try to do better. For my writing class, we have to write a research paper about a certain issue that has to do with new media. At first that kind of excited me (not the writing a paper part, but the new media part) because it goes right along with my major, and I thought it would be a great experience for me to get some more knowledge about what I am going to be getting myself into. However, I realized I was having a hard time coming up with something to write about that I was also passionate about. After spending a lot of time trying to come up with ideas for a topic to write about, I think I've finally figured out what it is that I feel strongly about that that I could write an eight to ten page paper on.

The topic I chose is: How do magazines affect women's appearances? For example, their clothes, makeup, cosmetic surgeries, eating disorders, etc. I may end up choosing one of those specific items to write about so it isn't so broad, but that's what I have for now.

I ended up choosing this topic because I felt like it was something that girls needed to hear about. And although probably no one will end up reading my paper besides my teacher and maybe a few people in my class, I thought it would be interesting to see the affect that magazines really have on girls in our society today. It's so sad to see the things females are doing to themselves just to try to look "prettier." And although it may seem foolish to starve yourself or spend tons of money on clothes or makeup, can you really blame them? There is so much pressure on women these days to look perfect. And personally, I think it's ridiculous. You see all these women in magazines or on posters that look perfect - no blemishes, the "perfect" size, expensive clothes, etc - but in reality, that is not how they actually are. They're just like you and I - imperfect, but still beautiful. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with being imperfect. That's how we were created. Life isn't a beauty contest. True beauty comes from within.

I just want every girl out there to know that you are beautiful, no matter how old or young you are, no matter what size you are, and no matter how many imperfections you think you have. You are beautiful. Don't let the media tell you otherwise. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Someone sent me this video a while ago and I thought it was perfect for what I'm posting about. It shows the process that a woman goes through, from makeover to photoshop, to be pictured on a billboard. In the end, the girl doesn't even look like the same person that started out in beginning.