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An Ode to Barbara (Post 8)

One of the people interviewed in the PBS Frontline episode "Merchants of Cool" was 13-year-old Barbara, who epitomized the impact of media on youths and youth culture. Barbara, who had grown up watching Brittany Spears and the other over-sexualized Midriffs of the world, was intent on becoming a model and looking like the women she had seen on TV. And it broke my heart.

It was horrifying that a child, a 13-year-old girl, was so moved by the image of femininity forced on her by advertising that she flew to the International Model and Talent Association's annual convention and walked on a stage to be judged by adults who wanted to use her in advertising campaigns that would further perpetuate the stereotypes she fell prey to and line their pockets with money. She beamed when she was told that she could pass for a 16 or 17-year-old, and she was told that she was a "good girl," when she said that her main goal was "success."

She wore skimpy, sexualizing outfits and put on lip gloss and danced provocatively and none of it seemed to be for her. All of if seemed like one big production, put on to satisfy others and convince them that she was "cool."

The irony of Barbara is that I was so shocked and appalled by her actions and the way she spoke, but it was all a reflection of what media has told her. And instead of being angry with the media, I was angry with her. I wanted to slap hare across the face and scream, "Snap out of it!" She seemed like a prisoner in her own mind - trapped inside by the ridiculous notion that she alone was not good enough.

In order to prevent more girls from becoming Barbaras, in order to ensure that we save them from self-delusion and pain, we have to change advertising. As long as we continue feeding girls the same things that we fed Barbara, we will end up with more girls who hate themselves and conform in order to disguise their own unhappiness. In order for the outcome to change, society must change first.

Comments

  1. BigBoiLeeviJanuary 5, 2020 at 12:54 PM

    I TOTALLY see your point and understand your frustration with the whole Barbara situation, but is it really so bad for a woman to be able to flaunt themselves in order to show themselves off. I know that you said that to you it didn't seem like the whole modelling convention did not seem for her, but what if it was for her and she truly enjoyed all of those things. I also would like to state that is it really that bad for Barbara and those other girls to be acting like that. If that is what they like to do and like to see themselves as is that really such a bad thing? Do you think that our somewhat suburban perspective influenced our opinions of the whole situation?

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