Renee , I work with dancers of all ages and I teach in a variety of educational settings. However, I particularly work with teenage girls in High School and most young girls that I come across have insecurities about their physical appearance. Through conversation I am overwhelmed at how many wish they looked like they did on social media. Through numerous apps, and online make up tutorial the girls have created a perfect image of themselves for the world to see. Looking through their online activity the girls seem confident, enthusiastic and proud of their identity. The comparison to women online is unfortunately causing the next generation to not only have insecurities but they are depressed that they do not look like their online avatar. I am left perplexed that pupils are suffering from depression and readily willing to undergo surgery to alter their physical appearance; like they do through their smartphone apps. If surgery and augmentation is starting earlier, will we have women in the future looking perfect, or will their be implications and the perfection will only be through technology?
from Comments for Renée’s EDC blog http://ift.tt/2jb0T6l
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As a high school teacher I can attest to the image-overhauls students engage in to try and make themselves into something better than what they already are. This is true for the boys and not just girls. There is a focus on what clothes to wear, how to wear them, make up, hair style, etc, etc.
You can also see this in action through social media. In IDEL we had to meet several times in the SecondLife platform. This required the making of an avatar as I am sure you remember. How many of us created an avatar that looked just like ourselves. I certainly didn’t. Mine looked like myself when I was in college which was, to coin a phrase, “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.” I wouldn’t say I am insecure in myself now; I would hope I am beyond that at my age. But I can see how we all want our outward image to be engaging and approachable to others. My teenage students are no different except for that nagging fact they are still trying to find that niche in which they belong; that space where they fit. Then again, some of us adults are still struggling with that as well. (This is where I end this post with a huge sigh and a blissfully longing look out the door toward the horizon.)
#mscedc