Hooker at 13

While hanging out with a couple friends, one announced that they swore they saw a hooker on the corner. She described this so called hooker as wearing a belly shirt, thigh high boots, and a mini-skirt, all accompanied by make-up that seemed painted on. After describing this sighting, the other friend remarked, "So? That's like any 13 year old these days." Sad, but TRUE! Is there such thing as being innocent anymore!? Where are the sweaters with kittens on them and pants that strap around ones' feet? Is wearing glitter no longer cool unless its included in eye shadow, and what happened to young girls and butterflies or flowers? Are they no longer accepted in the world of youth unless it is permanently inked onto the skin? I'm not just talking about the Disney influence, but the influence on youth in general, especially girls.

Magazines, television and the internet all make you believe that thin is better, and make-up is needed to be beautiful. If you don't have boobs and a plump backside, no guy is going to look at you. If you don't have long curly locks and wear size 2 jeans with a few rips or tears, you are not "Hot". I can definitely see kids movies as being an influence, especially in today's shows.

Why is there nothing different about these princesses? Can you only be a princess and be beautiful if you look like them? I know little girls, and they always want to be the princess. The pretty one, who always gets the prince. Do they understand that they are princesses no matter what? They are all beautiful in their own way.

Everybody has their own definition of beauty. Look at this little girl. She may be pretty, she may fit the common "criteria" of beautiful, but does she look happy?

Brittany A

Lost Nostalgia: Reward $1,000,000

       The other night, my roommates and I decided to bring back some childhood memories by popping in a classic Disney movie, Aladdin (on VHS, of course). It was interesting, we still knew all the words even after so many years of responsibilities and life lessons. It was nice, it was...comforting. Then, it got weird. With a more educated and experienced mind, we caught onto things that would have simply gone right over our heads as children. The gender codes! Oh the gender codes! All the Disney "princesses" had tiny waists, big tits, and needed a man's help to get through any circumstance. It never occurred to me at a young age, but, now I wonder what exactly was Disney teaching me? That I can't do anything without strong men? That I need to be beautiful in order to feel like a princess? This got me thinking about how little girls feel about themselves, not just girls growing up in the 90s like myself, but girls now, the girls facing even more pressure than ever to follow these hidden gender codes found in Disney shows.
      What has happened to the world!? I ask myself this anytime I accidently flip on the Disney channel. The main characters on these shows are dressing sluttier and sluttier, wearing more and more make-up, and getting thinner and thinner. Shows like Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, and The Suit Life of Zach and Cody are teaching young girls that THIS is how you should act and THIS is how you should dress in order to fit in and be "cool". Girls are striving to fit the standards that these Disney stars are setting. At such a sensitive age, where building your identity and trying to find a place in this crazy world is so important, television should be teaching kids what is important in life and that being different is simply beautiful.



---LizP