Supergirl Epidemic ?
May 14, 2009
Here at Hope we have many wonderful, beautiful, smart, talented, busy young women and it worries me, because I continue to read reports and articles like this one here.
I read quotes like the following, from Jordan Wight a highschool senior, and I’m not sure how to respond. She says, “society is more expecting of girls to be better than boys to compete for jobs, schools, and honors, especially with the media, the ‘homecoming queen’ image, and constant pressures to get into the top universities.”
Several times I’ve heard mention of the supergirl ‘triple bind’ which says girls ares supposed to 1.) be pretty, sweet and nice, 2.) be athletic, competitive and get straight A’s and 3.) be impossibly perfect.
Those of you who are teenagers, do you feel these pressures? Do you accept these goals and take on these pressures? Do you reject these standards and set other goals for yourself?
With statistics of teen suicide, depression, cutting and eating disorders constantly rising, what can we do? Are there answers you’ve come to? Are there questions you have that you wish we could address in youth group? Are there specific situations with friends that you’re dealing with?
How can we move forward together and extend Hope in Jesus?
[UPDATE]
Some of you saw this and some of you told me about it, but here’s a news story that ran on ABC just last night, further emphasizing the reality of this “Supergirl” Trend, among kids just like you, you probably know some of the girls in the story.
(the video will start after a brief advertisement)
<><adam
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May 14th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
i set very high goals for myself so i guess a lot of the pressure comes from me. many of you know that i swim year round with club practices sometimes twice a day and meets on weekends plus ap classes. i dont know if i so much strive to be “perfect” but more just that i like impressing people and i feel like im letting someone down if i dont do well in something. i guess you could say im a people-pleaser. as for looking the way society wants me to, i sometimes struggle with my weight because so many people that i hang out with are skinnier than me.
May 14th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
I feel pressures similar to those mentioned, but as Brenna said I have set goals for myself as a human being. I get good grades because I want to, not because I am forced to. I do band and golf because I like it, not because someone is making me. I don’t care if I am as pretty as other girls, because I know that I will never come close to their beauty so why even try. I like to be competitive with people, but healthy competition, not competition to the point where I hurt someone’s feelings. For one thing, I know that I will never be perfect because the only perfect person I know is Jesus. But I try to be the best I can be whatever that is, because I like me for who I am!
May 14th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
I believe that setting goals for ourselves is an important part of growing up. One because is gives us good character to work towards something, and two because when we accomplish set goals we have great self satisfaction. The problems i see in myself & in girls my age is that we sometimes set the wrong goals. . . or we set these goals for the wrong reasons. When setting goals we need to be sure that we aren’t setting our selves up for failure, or setting unachievable goals. We also need to ask ourselves is this something important to me or am i doing this to please other people. I definitely can see pressure from the media telling us we need to look a certain way affecting my friends. This breaks my heart because I think all of you are beautiful inside and out. Don’t EVER let anyone tell you any different! I don’t want any girl to ever feel like they aren’t good enough or that they are unloved because it is not true! Girls we are fearfully and wonderfully made! So don’t ever EVER forget it! I love you all! <3 Alyssa
May 14th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
1st I believe that Every Girl IS “Fearfully and Wonderfully made” thanks Alyssa. I just sometimes wish that somehow every single Girl in the world could know that and believe that! It’s true too that JESUS is the only one that will ever be perfect, so we need to stop trying to be Perfect, and I think we also need to know that it’s ok to mess up sometimes, we’re only human! Duh.. But For me I can relate to the stand most of you take on this subject. I don’t really fit into the category of being an over achiever and trying to be perfect and do everything, for me I am content with “If I have done my best I am satisfied”. Although it took a lot for me to be able to accept that I will never be as good as that girl who has straight A’s … Like Adam says in the blog Suicide Rates are rising, eating disorders are more common, cutting, depression and the list goes on … are all a reality to what some of these pressures can lead up to! It’s crazy and as children in Christ we need to be those people that tell someone every day that God made you and you are perfect in his image. No matter how society “Says” to be, or the way we think we need to look or when that one guy you really like say’s you’re ugly…. or whatever it may be. that we girls and you Guys too know that Genesis 1:27 says “So God created human beings in his image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” IN HIS IMAGE! …. You are perfect!
May 15th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Alie is totally right! I think that all you girls are beautiful and when I look at all of you during youth, I see God working, I see God’s loves, and I do see supergirls! You are supergirls because of the choice you made, living your life for God! With that passion and heart you girls put into things, you’re the ones who inspire me to be better. Remember, God loves you. Don’t ever forget that, and we all love you! Stay strong and keep your faith, nothing can bring you down! =)