Does anyone else remember the children's song "Oh be careful little eyes what you see... There's a father up above and he's looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see." It's a simple Biblical concept about guarding yourself and being aware of what you do and say and where you go.
I have had a message burning in my heart for some time now and my friend Amy inspired me to final say something.
She has been blogging about body image all week for NEDA (national eating disorder awareness). This topic is soooo important to me because I see the damaging effects that an unhealthy body image can have on young girls/women. They don't value themselves so they become dangerous in what they will do as they struggle to find self worth. I went through a time in my life where I longed to be someone else. I really felt like I was hideous. I hated who I was and lost years of my life being distracted by this issue. I praise God for delivering me from the darkness that held me down in that period. I am grateful that although I don't wake up every morning feeling like a beautiful creation, I know that I am loved and I am lovely.
I don't think I need to state hundreds of statistics about how women are objectified in our society or how millions of women are suffering from eating disorders. We all know (I think we do) that this is a problem. We are responsible for the example we set for younger girls. Lets talk about what we can do about it. I don't think there is anything wrong with exercise or wanting to look nice. I think obsessing over how we look and coveting other women's bodies is a problem. You might think of lust as something guys do, but women lust over women's bodies in other ways and it's just as bad. I have had pinterest for a year now and I have to admit as much as I love the recipes and craft ideas I get fed up with some of the racy content that I see nearly everyday. If my child (or husband) was looking over my shoulder while I was scrolling through the pages I would have to close my web browser. You might be wondering who am I "following" that would show topless women or women in thongs. It's coming from girls I grew up with and women including mothers from church and it's pins about exercise. Really, that is all it is, but the images are often (in my opinion) unrealistic and offensive. These are just a couple examples that weren't completely x rated, and I am sorry to be circulating the exact garbage I am trying to avoid, but I feel like it's the only way to show you the content I am talking about. They might make you laugh or cringe, but if you are like me they will make you mad.
So that's what it's all about?
Extreme "fitness"???
You WILL be uncomfortable your entire life if you don't know where your true identity lies.
I repeat #3
The power to change along with enough money for a boob job.
This one says "22 best exercises for a perfect butt" and I have no words to respond to this image.
Don't believe these lies.
I am sure this could be inspirational for some, but it makes me sad.
How low can you go? YIKES!
Now I realize that the same women that pinned these could potentially read my blog. I am not trying to call you out, I am calling all of us out. We can do better. It's time to stop believing the lies of the enemy that scream that we have to all look like the photoshopped women in the magazines. What we are "pinning", what we are focused on, or watching on TV, or saying about ourselves it's all sending a message to the next generation. Our "daughters" are paying attention! We can tell them they are beautiful all day long, but it won't matter unless we SHOW them how to believe it themselves.We show them by example. If we desire to be the above images then that's what true beauty must be. My goal is prove to them otherwise.
5 comments:
I see those kinds of pins too and I hate them. They promote unhealthy thoughts and habits under the guise of fitness. Great post.
Yes, let's prove them otherwise! I'm doing my best to help my girls know who {& Whose} they truly are & that they are valuable the way God made them! Thank you for sharing about this issue!
Great post!
Several years ago at age 13 my oldest son got on Facebook and we only allowed it if we had his password and went in as him. Thst is the only way to see for real what is going on as kids create sub groups that parents cant see when you are just Friends with a child on Facebook.
Anyway, what an eye opener to see how the 13 yr old girls pose themselves in the mirror and take constant photos because that is the reaction they get -- another effect from what you've written.
So having boys we have had conversations about what is not real and how how models/actors are paid to look how they look, etc.
You know what I was kind of thinking the same thing. With the 6 year old girl I watch I starting just trying off the TV and some of her games and she yell and screams and and say she hates me but I don't care because I care about her and very small bruise on her face so she had to put make up on it no matter that I all ready told her she look great as she is but I can all ready tell she has no idea how pretty she is and she only 6. I just want to cry. But thanks for putting that out there since I am also dealing with some of the same stuff since one of your post about your eating only because your need to drink more water and eat less. I know you write this for the mom out there and not the Nanny but this helped me.
Great post! I get so fed up with pins like that. I wouldn't mind it if the pin were really about working out, but dang, those images are so unrealistic and, just as you said, offensive. I'm a new mom and even though I still have a long way to go before we'll get to some of these struggles, pins like this are causing me to already think about our internet consumption and how we will protect our son. Plus, I hope that I will someday have a daughter and I know how I speak of myself and reflect my own body image will shape her too (and my son too, just not as much as a girl) so it's causing me to really work hard to change my way of thinking. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
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