Pulling Our Weight | Teen Ink

Pulling Our Weight MAG

April 23, 2008
By Eva O Connor BRONZE, 376882, Other
Eva O Connor BRONZE, 376882, Other
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Superskinnies, wannarexics, and emaciated celebrities dominate the media: Nicole Richie, Victoria Beckham, the once-curvy Katie Price (formerly known as Jordan). Some of the highest-profile women in our society are wasting away before our eyes, and we plaster their pictures on the cover of sensationalist magazines with captions like “Celeb drops to size zero.”

Protruding collarbones, angular ­elbows, flat chests, and knobby knees are seen as signs of strength. The ability to starve oneself is considered admirable, and anorexia is glorified.

These women, constantly under ­media scrutiny, are in obvious distress. Many are dangerously thin and in need of medical intervention. Though it may be through no fault of their own, one thing is certain: they are not fit to serve as role models for young women.

As someone who has battled anorexia for most of my teen years, it saddens me that the media constantly promotes the mantra “if you're thin, you're in.” I now realize that there is so much more to life than achieving a ridiculously low number on a scale.

We are living in an era when women are finally recognized, valued, and empowered. For the first time in history, women have an equal opportunity to mold the future of this planet. It's time we stepped back and gained some perspective. We need to think outside of the skinny, superficial diet box.

Let's encourage girls to explore their talents, follow their dreams, and reach their potential as the fantastic individuals they are. Let's look up to real women. Let's focus on women who embrace who they are, who demonstrate that girl power knows no boundaries, who achieve their goals, who live life to the fullest.

Ladies, girls, young women, sistas, our worth is not determined by our dress size. How can we make our mark on this world if we are dizzy with hunger? How can we pull our weight if we're barely there? How can we explore the wonders of this world if we are consumed with counting calories? It is in our hands. Let's get real and embrace the beautiful beings we truly are.



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This article has 16 comments.


on Jul. 14 2011 at 6:15 am
IAmWhoIWantToBe PLATINUM, Manila, Other
41 articles 0 photos 650 comments

Favorite Quote:
‎"I’m learning how to drown out the constant noise that is such an inseparable part of my life. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world: I run my world." - Beyoncé

This is one of the best articles about one's body. Good job, Eva O.

on Jun. 22 2011 at 8:26 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

This is a great article!  It's true; the media does send the "if you're thin, you're in" message a lot.  It's sad that young girls are starving themselves because of all this pressure.  This was an amazing article.  Keep writing!

bnj111 BRONZE said...
on Oct. 26 2010 at 9:10 am
bnj111 BRONZE, Plaquemine, Louisiana
1 article 0 photos 3 comments
This is, without a doubt, one of the most inspirational articles i have read today. By reading this, it has opened my mind to see how the female population is quickly falling more and more in anorexia. I agree that females can not make a difference if we are always considering our weight. It may have been nice to include how small girls are growing up wishing to look like the glamorous, super thin stars in the magazine. This will only make them grow up killing themselves to look like those girls. By reading this, hopefully some women will decide to take a stand and help stop anorexia.

br123 said...
on Aug. 15 2010 at 10:25 pm
Your article is very well written and truly inspiring. I also think that something that could have been added to your article is that not only do girls look up to celebrities for their weight, but even other girls at school. And those girls who are placed as role models, although sometimes too thin, are under stress from the media. Though it is free will, they would prefer to be seen in magazines for being thin then scrutinized for being too large. Tabloids seem to over dramatize anything a celebrity does. So instead of saying that women who are put under stress because of their lifestyle choice to be put under a microscope, the media should be scrutinized for caring too much about average women who in the end are just like everyone else.

bobun16 SILVER said...
on Jun. 10 2010 at 7:29 pm
bobun16 SILVER, Mesa, Arizona
7 articles 0 photos 60 comments

Favorite Quote:
is this a trick question or what?-Calvin and Hobbes

This is amazing. perfectly written, I would have never guesserd a teen had written this, and I agree. I am a guy, and I totally agree. We idolize and hero-worship these people from hollywood, who in actuality, are probably 60% plastic and silicon anyways. I think women have a great potential, and hsould reach for it.

on Mar. 14 2010 at 8:23 pm
Someone_Who_Is_Loved GOLD, Mount Forest, Other
10 articles 0 photos 82 comments

Favorite Quote:
This quote is one I made up.....
"You can't climb a mountian without a harness." It means that you can't go where you want to get in life without the help of your friends or family.

This is an exellent article! I love it! When I clicked to read it I had no idea what I would end up reading. You should become a public speaker, you know, they go around to schools and talk to the students there about self-esteem. You'd be perfect for the job!

on Mar. 14 2010 at 5:26 pm
VioletsandVoice, Spiritwood, North Dakota
0 articles 0 photos 170 comments
i personally think this article should have made it to the magazine its well written and with a very good message good job

on Mar. 14 2010 at 1:09 pm
Authorgal98 GOLD, Frankort, Illinois
17 articles 0 photos 194 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Let your mind sart a journey through a strange new world..."

This is amazing. I wish you well, you're recovered right? God bless you for posting this. And, seriously, a lot of these girls are photoshopped to looked unnaturally thin. =l

Kate. said...
on Jan. 7 2010 at 9:32 pm
Kate., Three Rivers, California
0 articles 0 photos 39 comments
This article is absolutely, positively amazing. I am impressed with your realization with this important issue. Please, please, please try to get this publish in more papers (i.e. your school paper) This issue NEEDS to be shared and acknowledged by more if we are to do anything about it.

I love the part about "We are living...woman are finally...empowered." That is so true.

Awesome job, girlie!

on Oct. 25 2009 at 8:28 am
Electricity PLATINUM, Bradenton, Florida
30 articles 0 photos 271 comments
Sadly, that's our world. Yeah, I'm on the skinny side, and I've been asked if I'm anrexic. I'm not, I just have a high motabolism and I don't like to eat when I'm not hungry. These "celeberties" are making naturally thinner people feel self consicious of people's thoughts. I'm worried 24/7 that people will think I'm like those movie stars. I'd love to be voluptious. Great article, I love it!

on Jul. 16 2009 at 1:11 pm
doverdrama SILVER, Dover, Delaware
7 articles 0 photos 19 comments
so true. i always feel self-conscious. im 5 foot 7 inches tall, and 145 pounds. I always feel fat. thanks for the amazing article!

Tashan SILVER said...
on Jun. 4 2009 at 5:19 pm
Tashan SILVER, Ponderay, Idaho
6 articles 4 photos 31 comments
I was there too, I was 15 years old, 5ཆ" and weighed 120 pounds, tall and thin? Yeah, but sickly so.

We worship them because they are famous, but do you really think they are happy? They probably are more insecure and more self-concsious than any of us girls are, because they have to live up to what society has demanded and what they have set as "perfect".

We have a chose to follow those rules or not, but them? It is their entire life, if they abandon the rules that society has set, they lose everything. I for one have no envy for them or their life-style, though I think every girl wants just a little more money, either to make a differenece or get that really cute pair of jeans/shoes!

daisy9829 said...
on May. 8 2009 at 5:25 pm
I actually was one of those super skinny girls 4 months ago, and one day I realized that I still was not happy with who I was no matter how skinny I got (was 5Ə" and 103lbs). So, I started putting on weight and resolved to be healthy. Now I weigh 125 lbs. and love my new body! Not to mention, I feel much better too and have the energy and muscle to run again!

on Apr. 6 2009 at 1:57 pm
sheeroxs BRONZE, Ny, New York
3 articles 90 photos 10 comments
Very nice.

definitly agree about the woman's rights part!

x0sammiii0x said...
on Feb. 17 2009 at 9:46 pm
This article was both very very true and well-written. The topic of women's rights is one of the topics I am most passionate about; probably #2 or 3 on my list. I couldn't have stated the issues that go along with this topic any better. I probably couldn't state these issues even as well as you did, actually. I found this extremely inspirational and I'll probably show it to my sister, who I think is starting to develope an eating disorder. I have never suffered with an eating disorder, so, although I'm very sorry that you had to go through this, you are probably way more fitting to write an article on the topic than I am. Thanks and keep on writing!

on Feb. 1 2009 at 4:50 am
omg. that is SOOO tru. i strongly agree wit u.