A few weeks ago, I watched an episode of a program called Little Miss Perfect for the first time.
So many feelings rushed through me…horror, fear, anger, sadness and hope. Has anyone else watched an episode?
It is a show about child beauty pageants. It follows moms and their young daughters behind the scenes preparing for the beauty competition and then at the competition itself. I saw a 9 year old get a spray tan! I can’t count how many times I heard someone say smile so you sparkle. Sparkle, sparkle ,sparkle ! Are you kidding me?
The children had more makeup on than I have ever worn in my life, complete with false eyelashes, a lot of blue eye shadow and enormous amounts of blush and finished with lipstick. The outfits for the “talent” part of the competition bordered on lingerie for some girls. Never mind the “talent” part only seemed be a choreographed dance much to their mother’s wishes.
The Mothers!!!!! What can I say? They are using this “Little Miss Perfect” as some sort of validation for themselves. It is so sad on so many levels. It is sad that these women do not realize the true meaning of self confidence, independence and community. Their drive to win is damaging these beautiful young girls. The irony is that most of the mothers were out of shape and one even admitted her own low self esteem. These young girls do not yet know real role models. They are pushed to “perfection” in what their damaged mother sees as important.
Our hope is to have enough scholarships for former Little Miss Perfect girls so they can have a chance to experience their inner strengths and talents, to help them become true leaders in their communities and to know Smart is Cool.
Friday, April 17, 2009
West Coast Conference
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/04/womans_nation.html
Maria Shriver, who leads the California Women’s Conference—the pre-eminent forum for, by, and about American women—is launching a multifaceted project in partnership with the Center for American Progress and the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy. TIME magazine will also be involved in research and reporting, as well as co-presenting discussions and roundtables around the country.
The last expansive government project centered on women was conducted under the presidency of John F. Kennedy, who appointed Eleanor Roosevelt in 1961 to chair a commission to report on the status of women. A Woman’s Nation will report its findings to the nation, Congress, and President Obama, who recently signed an executive order to establish a council to coordinate the federal government's efforts to address the needs of women and girl.
It will be interesting to see and hear the results.
I am sure our community of women welcomes this opportunity to re-examine the almost 50 years of womanhood that have made us who we are today.
Smart is Cool
Maria Shriver, who leads the California Women’s Conference—the pre-eminent forum for, by, and about American women—is launching a multifaceted project in partnership with the Center for American Progress and the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy. TIME magazine will also be involved in research and reporting, as well as co-presenting discussions and roundtables around the country.
The last expansive government project centered on women was conducted under the presidency of John F. Kennedy, who appointed Eleanor Roosevelt in 1961 to chair a commission to report on the status of women. A Woman’s Nation will report its findings to the nation, Congress, and President Obama, who recently signed an executive order to establish a council to coordinate the federal government's efforts to address the needs of women and girl.
It will be interesting to see and hear the results.
I am sure our community of women welcomes this opportunity to re-examine the almost 50 years of womanhood that have made us who we are today.
Smart is Cool
The First Lady Knows
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/business/2009/g20/7980476.stm
The BBC covered Michelle Obama speaking to pupils at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School about the importance of education in female empowerment.
The caption reads… Smart is Cool.
We are thrilled to be a part of building this community of women embracing all their unique talents to redefine smart and set standards of cool.
This sisterhood has actually been growing for years quietly, secretly but always passionately and today we can celebrate out loud, laugh and confidently come together to live full lives based on this belief.
Our hope is to help all women become self confident, independent, community minded leaders.
We are honored that Micelle Obama knows Smart is Cool.
The BBC covered Michelle Obama speaking to pupils at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School about the importance of education in female empowerment.
The caption reads… Smart is Cool.
We are thrilled to be a part of building this community of women embracing all their unique talents to redefine smart and set standards of cool.
This sisterhood has actually been growing for years quietly, secretly but always passionately and today we can celebrate out loud, laugh and confidently come together to live full lives based on this belief.
Our hope is to help all women become self confident, independent, community minded leaders.
We are honored that Micelle Obama knows Smart is Cool.
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