This is somewhat of a response to this video:


Tyra Banks ‘shocked’ by teen sex crisis

Feeling shocked, saddened, overwhelmed or angry would not be an uncommon response to watching the news these days. It seems our emotions are the big red target of the media. They stir and move us with stories of sad children and lost puppies. They paste exotic-looking babies accross our screens, staring at us through large tear-filled "Precious Moments" eyes. We find ourselves racing to the store or the phone or to our checkbooks, or whatever the man holding the baby tells us to do, and we buy it or we sell it or we give it. Only then can we continue reading People Magazine guilt-free. Of course I'm half kidding. I do believe it's important for us all to be extracted from our bubbles and exposed to the very real suffering that is taking place outside of them. But there is a fine line- I'm getting way off track. All this was to say that out of all the bids for my tears today, this one wins. Maybe it's because I've been there; I've been a teenage girl, that is, and I know what it's like to have sexuality handed to you and not know what to do with it. I am thankful and recognize that I was lucky to have had the parents and friends that I had, though, and that in my church-going circle it was cooler to "save it". I think what it saved me was a lot of confusion and maybe even an STD or two. Anyway, I sympathize with the girls and it breaks my heart to see them searching for love and acceptance in this way. And that is what it is. Apparently Tyra and I share a passion. More power to her. My thoughts can't be helped from going in this direction however: In a recent post I talked about my own personal self-esteem issues and I'm not sure if I mentioned this, maybe I did, but I believe a large part of the struggle for me as of late has been spurred by a newfound obsession with America's Next Top Model. I wonder if other girls watching the show have had a similar reaction. Looking in the mirror, not appearing 5'10" and 125 and then experiencing dissatisfacation. Regardless of the encouraging voices that echo still from parents, friends, or maybe a loving man that made you feel like a supermodel or better yet, made you feel like you didn't need to look like one- regardless, you don't approve of the reflection and swear of sugar right then and there. I imagine I am not alone in this. I do consider myself a very self-assured, confident and strong women, which is why one day instead of vowing to deny chocolate, I told myself I'd be taking a break from ANTM. It has proved to be a good decision. Please understand, I don't believe there is anything wrong with the show. I still like it a lot and intend to catch up on what I've missed eventually but I will make sure and only have it in small doses. Just a personal decision to protect myself because apparently I can't quite handle it. That being said, and not to judge Tyra, I wonder how someone with such a passion for young girls' self esteem can be in an industry that promotes such unrealistic standards of beauty. You can reference my previous post for a discussion on the thin line between fashion as such and fashion as art. Consider this: If someone dedicates their life to rehabing alcoholics and spreading awareness about the dangers of alcohol and alcohol addiciton and this subject is their "passion", I would think that maybe they would stay away from alcohol even responsibly and in moderation as, if nothing else, an example. I would think that they would stay as far away from the line of hypocracy as possible so that no fingers would be pointed at them and their efforts would yeild spot-less results. If that is a stretch at least we can all agree that you would certainly not find them simultaneously in a beer commercial. Maybe that is not a fair parallel to draw. But I'd say that she is toeing the line a bit. She's certainly not miles from it. On the other hand, I love the way she treats the girls on the show and that a plus size model won last year. I love that when it come down to a bottom two in which less skill and more heart is pitted against a supermodel with a bad attitude, Tyra reveals her heart. I have no doubt that in the lives of the individual participants, Tyra is a positive voice. Is that enough, though, to mask the fact that for the "average", the non-model, on their road to a solid positive self image, the fashion industry is often a large stumbling block? Honestly, I'm undecided on this one. I could say no, that's an unexcusable contradiction, but what is the solution. Is Tyra Banks supposed to shun the industry that she was born from? Deny the people that have grown her and nurtured her into the woman that she is? Or was she wrong to ever be a part of it. I will go ahead and speak an opinion here and say no. She was given a set of gifts and talents that have gotten her to where she is- which is a point in which she has the authority and resources to speak positively into the lives of young girls. If I cannot provide a solution or at least an example of what would be a better situation then I'm not going to make accusations. I could discuss this forever and play all parts so to try and come to somewhat of a conclusion, I'd say that I believe that fashion is fun and it's a beautiful art form that can be distorted in both its delivery and perception. I support the efforts that Tyra is making to equip our youth and their parents with resources to understand and manage immature sexuality. Our sex-drenched media will not be parting any time soon, so I believe it's time for parents to aggressively reclaim the responsibility for the impressionable minds of their children.