Coping With the Beauty Myth : A Guide for Real Girls (Coping)

Describes the cultural standards of female beauty as seen in the media, their potentially damaging effect on girls' self-esteem, and ways to counteract their negative effects.

Grade 7 Up-Weiss writes that beauty, or the lack thereof, determines everything from what girls wear to what they eat and how they perceive themselves. Our culture is constantly confronted, through advertising and the media, with false images of how women and girls are supposed to look and act. The author points out that the beauty myth is not a plot, but a self-esteem problem. She stresses the need for teens to accept themselves, to recognize their unique, natural beauty, and to view other young women as equals, rather than as competitors. Weiss briefly discusses bulimia, anorexia, and self-mutilation as "consequences of the myth," as well as the racism perpetuated by the "Barbie" syndrome (the tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed female as society's ideal). The book encourages readers to keep a journal and presents boxed writing exercises that promote self-esteem, as well as self and cultural analysis. While the feminist bias is a bit heavy-handed, overall, this title is a worthwhile effort.
Kim Harris, Newman Riga Library, Churchville, NY
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