Camera-Ready

As a Fashion Merchandising major here at Ball State, I find it crucial that I at least make an effort everyday to show that I am a fashionable person. My reason being is because you never know who you are going to impress and who can spot you out for any reason. Possibly, someone could spot me out for an entertainment gig or someone finds my ensemble appealing and would like to approach me. Although those things are very rare, there is still a possibility for those types of situations to occur.

Impressing people is not my main priority in my everyday life. But, I will admit that impressing people does give me a sense of accomplishment, adrenaline, and a boost of self-confidence. There is nothing wrong with trying to make yourself look appealing to others. There are television shows out there that transform men and women from one look to another, making them a lot more attractive than before. Once the transformation is complete, the people feel a lot better about themselves. Take "The Biggest Loser" for example. The contestants begin obese and overweight, but as the show progresses, they become a lot healthier and thinner. As a result, they live a better lifestyle due to their transformation. Although the show focuses on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the contestants feel a lot better about their bodies once the show is complete.

After reading the article "For Teenage Girls, Facebook Means Always Being Camera-Ready," I started to realize that I am not that different from these girls. However, I do not pose in a sultry way and dress in minimal clothing to grab anyone's attention. Taking a picture at the beach while only wearing your swim trunks does not count. I understand that the girls do these kinds of things to get attention and approval from their peers. That is where the girls in the article and I are similar. As much as I do not care about the ENTIRE public's opinion of me, my family and friends' opinion matters. They are the ones that mean the most to me in my life and it makes me happy when they have positive things to say. Let's be honest, would you want a family member or a friend to say bad things about you?

I firmly believe that the sexualization of girls, especially at a young age, is wrong. We, as a society, always complain that girls are getting 'sluttier' at a younger age and it keeps progressing. I think that the key to stop/decline this progression is to teach young girls about self-empowerment. Self-empowerment helps me because I have insecurities, but I know that I have to be comfortable with myself before I could care about what others think of me.