Turns Out Body Dissatisfaction Starts Even Younger Then You Thought | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Turns Out Body Dissatisfaction Starts Even Younger Then You Thought

Hey yo, society. Let's not make 6-year-olds feel bad about themselves, okay?

22
Turns Out Body Dissatisfaction Starts Even Younger Then You Thought
pixabay.com

In the most predictable news ever, a new study has found that 6-8-year-old girls who play with traditional, thin Barbies tend to think more critically of their own bodies than girls of the same age who play with dolls that have bodies more closely resembling the average woman today. Not shocking at all, right? But we needed a study to get it through people's heads.

Body Image, the journal behind the study, sheds light on the idea that young females playing with dolls who have unrealistic standards (a tiny waist and legs as long as the Empire State Building) are more likely to "encourage motivation for a thinner shape in young girls."

The study took 112 girls ages 6-8 and randomized them into four conditions: Barbie dressed modestly and in a bathing suit and Tracy from the popular broadway musical "Hairspray" dressed modestly and in a bathing suit as well. They then repeated the same study with a different set of 112 girls and knockoff brands of each Barbie and Tracy.

According to the New York Magazine's "The Science of Us," researchers asked the young girls questions concerning how they felt about their bodies both before and after the studies. It also reports that no matter what the doll was wearing, the sentiment was the same. Science Direct says, "In both studies, girls who played with thin dolls experienced higher body size discrepancies than girls who played with full-figured dolls. Girls who played with full-figured dolls showed less body dissatisfaction after doll exposure compared to girls who played with thin dolls."

So, what does all of this mean?

It means that 6-year-old girls are already comparing theirselves to others, that they're wanting to change their bodies, and that they aren't feeling good enough because a doll is influencing their perception of what a woman looks like.

It means that we have to change the way we think when we think "woman." It's bad enough that my friends and I, and the thousands of other college-aged women, and the millions of other women all around the world, compare themselves to the impossibly high standards set by society and the media. Let's not if affect our youth, too.

Barbie finally released a new line of dolls in January that more so resemble the diversity of women today, be that in size, race and shape. Let's keep making progress like this.

Let's keep telling our little nieces or sisters or cousins or friends that we babysit that they're perfect just the way they are. Let's tell them that we are so proud of them for acing that big science test or that we can't wait to see them hit home runs at their softball games. Let's not tell them that we grew up learning there was a certain "look" women had to have, and if they don't have it, they're not good enough. Because that is not the truth. Because we don't need a wide-eyed, bright six-year-old being crushed by the pressures of society before she has even begun to realize her potential in the world.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

183716
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

10241
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

454576
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

24547
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments