For those of you who don't know, I teach English in France to high schoolers. In class recently, I had 4 Senior girls who told me (genuinely) that they didn't believe they were pretty. This baffled me, because I saw that they were so obviously beautiful. Yet, I soon remembered how I felt at that age (and still do sometimes), and how it took me years to realize that I am beautiful. Hmmm...why is this? And why does this struggle never go away? It's so easy to see beauty in others, but not yourself.
OH LIFE, you're so funny sometimes. HARHARHAR!
OH LIFE, you're so funny sometimes. HARHARHAR!
If you know any french...you know something is wrong with this picture below (actually, it's probably correct but not good advertising):
Painting by John Currin, The Bra Shop
It's hard to not compare yourself to others...like this, "Who Tall Are You?"
Everyone has a different shape and size...
that's cool that you teach! I wondered how you were able to be in FR.
ReplyDeleteRE: self-image stuff... not that I think I am perfect now but that stuff is almost all gone :) BUT I know that I went through a lot of this stuff between ages 13 and 18. Part of it is that everyone matures at their own pace during that time so it's easy to compare yourself to your peers and think you don't measure-up. I know that mass media does nothing to help girls with self-image issues (clearly from the stuff you posted and pretty much anywhere else you turn). THEN once you've developed into your lovely self they try to tell you it's a race against the clock to save what beauty you have. sick, isn't it?!
I think the best thing a girl in that age range is to have role models our age showing them that they are lovely.
PS: wow...long...sorry!
john currin is such a trip
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