Stop+the+Suffering

// Seventeen Magazine battles teen body image crisis with the “Seventeen Body Peace Project”

// Teenage girls are at war with their bodies: berating themselves when they don’t meet an imaginary level of perfection. To address the crisis of teen body image,// Seventeen //magazine in the US has launched the   “  // Seventeen //  Body Peace Project” to help girls recognise their damaging thought-patterns, appreciate their shape and ultimately make peace with their bodies. In addition to the US version, all 13 of Seventeen's international editions (including Argentina, India , Indonesia , Malaysia , Singapore , and South Africa ) have also adopted the year-long Body Peace Project in the pages of their international editions.

“We’re facing a crisis in teen body image,” said // Seventeen // editor-in-chief Ann Shoket. “This campaign adds a profound new dimension to // Seventeen //’s position as the fashion and beauty authority for teen girls. While it’s our goal to help girls look great, our mission is empty if they don’t // feel // great too.”

The year-long initiative launched in the November 2007 issue. Each month in the magazine, with the advice of body image expert Jessica Weiner,// Seventeen // will tackle the mixed messages girls get from skinny celebrities, their body-critical mothers and their friends who bond over how fat their thighs are. To help spread the message of Body Peace, // Seventeen // launched an online Body Peace Treaty that asks girls to pledge to stop obsessing about the shape of their bodies. Fourteen celebrities, including Ashlee Simpson, Fergie and Brittany Snow have signed the treaty and their signatures appear alongside the pledge in the November issue. // Seventeen // has set a goal to get a million girls to sign the pledge in the next year. Girls can take the first step toward treating their bodies with more respect by signing // Seventeen //’s Body Peace Treaty at __ [|seventeen.com/bodypeace] __. Separately, the magazine plans to honour one celebrity each month with the// Seventeen //“Body Peace Prize,” for renowned women who positively embrace their body image. In support of this concept, // Seventeen // has also partnered with the Dove Self-Esteem Fund, which is committed to building self-esteem in girls and women globally. Dove is a face and body soap brand. The resulting // Seventeen ///Dove Self-Esteem Fund Body Image Survey takes an in-depth look at how teen girls truly feel about their looks: 91 per cent of teen girls feel anxiety or stress about some part of their looks when getting ready in the morning. Fifty-one per cent say they know they should feel better about their body, but the pressure to look perfect is too intense. “We all have a responsibility as marketers, educators, mentors and role models, to change the way we communicate with girls,” said Kathy O’Brien, marketing director for Dove. “We may not be able to decrease the number of messages girls receive, but we can educate girls about how they perceive them.”

=
No one should have to be part of this struggle with self acceptence. Over time, people's efforts to make a change about the current situation is increasing! New Models, Celebrities and even YOU are encouraged to take part in the movement and change the current complicated situation! It's still a work in progress, but the efforts are high and people are beginning to take a stand against these horrible, demeaning stereotypes for what is "appealing," or "hot," in society. Many stars who realize this problem have been taking a stand and coming together and signing Seventeen Magazine's Body Peace Treaty. People should learn to love and appreciate the bodies they have and people like Amanda Bynes, Miley Cyrus, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Osbourne, Brittany Snow, Ashley Simpson, Pink, Ciara, Betsey Johnson and many others are taking a stand! Everyone needs to come to the conclusion that no one is perfect and these images of beauty we are creating is taking a toll on women, men, and our youth population everywhere as they see and adapt to these sick ideas. The suffering of security with one self must stop. [|Sign the Treaty] take a stand, make a difference to young teens and the media! Vow to be content with who you are, comfortable in your own skin, secure in your own special body and satisfied with helping yourself as well as others by making this effort! -Victoria Sulenski  =====

=
Face it. Every girl would be conscious about one common factor : bodyshape, how they look and what's their weight. It isn't such a big deal unless it becomes an obsession. Look into the mirror, and I wouldn't hesitate to say that 8 out of 10 girls would have something NEGATIVE to say about themselves. But the blame can't be on them. The media is distinctively telling us to "fit in" to society we have to look a certain way. The Seventeen Magazine Body peace Treaty is a tool that helps girl feel good about their bodies. So Promise to love yourself, sign the Seventeen Body Peace Treaty. It's the small steps that count as the journey to success. Loving yourself is the key to success! (Giana Castellanos)  =====