Comments on: Observations of a Teenage Sister http://www.mscareergirl.com/2009/03/17/observations-of-a-teenage-sister/ the blog for ambitions young professional women. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:08:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: D Birdy http://www.mscareergirl.com/2009/03/17/observations-of-a-teenage-sister/#comment-245 D Birdy Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:55:15 +0000 http://www.mscareergirl.com/?p=756#comment-245 I really enjoyed reading this article though I am not sure that you've touched upon anything new when realizing the near-obsession of teenaged girls with appearance. I am 27 and can remember in school then the "bronze beauty" being all the rage. Don't get me wrong, I am not discrediting your observations at all, meerly building upon them. Having grown up in Las Vegas, the place that of all places one would be subjected to the utmost superficial of environments, if you were not thin you were simply not worthy of attention from peers. It's engrained in our culture as Americans, and possibly contributing are the generational aspects of being raised by Boomers, to be the best, to be the prettiest, the thinnest, and the smartest - all at the same time. I mean, even the title of your page reflects this: Ms. Carrer Girl; Smart, Sexy, Savvy. What's more is that men are now being affected in the same way. While my inner snarky/angry feminist wants to say "it's about time you suffered the same way we have for so long by your facist beauty standards", it's not those men being affected that have perpetuated all of this like it is the generations before the affected. I love the light you bring when you post things like this. I can remember being 14. I can remember the obsession with looking like a vogue model. It's posts like this that bring me back to being that young girl and brings it to the forefront of my mind. I find myself after reading thinking about if I've recently done anything that would perpetuate this whole thing about unattainable beauty standards because women are just as guilty as men of keeping this ball rolling. Thank you for that. :) I really enjoyed reading this article though I am not sure that you’ve touched upon anything new when realizing the near-obsession of teenaged girls with appearance. I am 27 and can remember in school then the “bronze beauty” being all the rage.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not discrediting your observations at all, meerly building upon them.

Having grown up in Las Vegas, the place that of all places one would be subjected to the utmost superficial of environments, if you were not thin you were simply not worthy of attention from peers. It’s engrained in our culture as Americans, and possibly contributing are the generational aspects of being raised by Boomers, to be the best, to be the prettiest, the thinnest, and the smartest – all at the same time. I mean, even the title of your page reflects this: Ms. Carrer Girl; Smart, Sexy, Savvy.

What’s more is that men are now being affected in the same way. While my inner snarky/angry feminist wants to say “it’s about time you suffered the same way we have for so long by your facist beauty standards”, it’s not those men being affected that have perpetuated all of this like it is the generations before the affected.

I love the light you bring when you post things like this. I can remember being 14. I can remember the obsession with looking like a vogue model. It’s posts like this that bring me back to being that young girl and brings it to the forefront of my mind. I find myself after reading thinking about if I’ve recently done anything that would perpetuate this whole thing about unattainable beauty standards because women are just as guilty as men of keeping this ball rolling. Thank you for that. :)

]]> By: RobZ http://www.mscareergirl.com/2009/03/17/observations-of-a-teenage-sister/#comment-228 RobZ Wed, 18 Mar 2009 04:58:54 +0000 http://www.mscareergirl.com/?p=756#comment-228 I really liked the quote from Sharlene Hesse-Biber. Physical attractiveness is definitely something that affects more than just the fashion industry, and while it may also apply to men, it is much more heavily used against woman. Whether employers think that beautiful people do a better job, or that holding all else equal, you should pick the prettier girl is beyond me. I do think that just as employees should maintain a level of professionalism and confidence, employers look for people that maintain a "professional" appearance which also encompasses weight. They probably would argue that if somebody can't control their own weight, how can they be trusted with the various responsibilities of the job? I really liked the quote from Sharlene Hesse-Biber. Physical attractiveness is definitely something that affects more than just the fashion industry, and while it may also apply to men, it is much more heavily used against woman. Whether employers think that beautiful people do a better job, or that holding all else equal, you should pick the prettier girl is beyond me. I do think that just as employees should maintain a level of professionalism and confidence, employers look for people that maintain a “professional” appearance which also encompasses weight. They probably would argue that if somebody can’t control their own weight, how can they be trusted with the various responsibilities of the job?

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