As described by Alexandra Topping in the July 14 edition of The Guardian newspaper, the report (titled A Generation Under Stress?) revealed the following facts about the emotional state of British teen girls:
- Forty percent of girls who were surveyed said they felt worse about themselves after looking at pictures of models, pop stars, and actresses in magazines.
- Some teens said they also felt pressure from such publications to be thin, take drugs, and even have plastic surgery.
- Many were self-conscious about their appearance and weight, and described being sexually pressured by boys at school or feeling obliged to wear clothes that made them look older.
Tracey Murray of Girlguiding UK told Topping that young girls believe that the pressures on them are increasing, as are the social penalties to be paid by those who refuse to conform. "Young girls today often feel there is a growing checklist of ideals they have to adhere to," Murray said. "If they don't they often feel singled out and vulnerable to bullying."
Noting the number of young girls who consider plastic surgery or see self-harming behaviors as "normal," the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation told The Guardian that today's adults are responsible for alleviating the pressures that are weighing down modern adolescents.
"Girls and young women are being forced to grow up at an unnatural pace in the society that we, as adults, have created and it's damaging their emotional wellbeing," McCulloch said. "We have a responsibility to put this right - we must tackle head-on the difficulties that the younger generation are facing."
Labels: sex, influences, peer_pressure
Posted By: Aspen Education Group
