Have you ever asked, “Does this outfit make me look fat?” Have you ever frowned at yourself in the mirror because you didn’t like what you saw? Have you ever hoped that your daughter would not have to experience that inner critic, telling her she’s not beautiful enough? Have you ever wished that your daughter would be able to feel great about who she is–body, mind and spirit? If your answer is “yes” to any of these questions, you’ve probably already given lots of thought to how you can help your daughter celebrate her beauty. In this article, we’ve pulled together more ideas of things you and your daughter can do to celebrate the wonder of embodied beauty.
On May 17th of each year, communities across the United States will be celebrating “the beauty of conviction, caring, and action” on Turn Beauty Inside Out Day. This very special holiday for girls and their communities was created in 2000 by New Moon Magazine, a magazine made by and for girls ages 8-14. The event is coordinated by New Moon in collaboration with the non-profit organization Mind on the Media. A central focus of this holiday is to promote awareness, discussion, and activism in regards to how girls and women are portrayed in the media. Turn Beauty Inside Out Day provides a unique opportunity for girls and their families to celebrate the dignity and beauty inherent in embodying a girl’s spirit!
Most media messages seem to encourage a disembodied perspective in girls and women, portraying a very narrow definition of beauty which is unrealistic, unattainable, and leads many girls to question their own beauty. Fortunately for today’s girls (and women), there are a growing number of empowering resources available to help them discover and voice their values and ideas about real beauty. Turn Beauty Inside Out Day is an amazing opportunity to help our daughters–and ourselves–challenge media stereotypes and develop the tools needed to redefine real beauty.
As we continue to help our daughters develop an Embodied Perspective, they have the chance to truly experience a sense of real beauty within, a powerful internal resource. From an Embodied Perspective, beauty is manifest when we express ourselves from the inside out (not the other way around)! Beauty happens when we can experience our bodies as tangible, physical expressions of ourselves as persons who think, feel, love, create, value, play, inspire, and effect change in our world. Oh, the power of a girl’s spirit embodied!
Ideas for celebrating Turn Beauty Inside Out Day with your daughter:
• Look up the real definition of beauty in the dictionary (you may be surprised!). How does this definition differ from how our society defines beauty?
• List the girls/women in your life that you consider to be role models. What is beautiful about them? How have they influenced you? How do they inspire you?
• Make “Beauty Cards” for the girls and women in your life, answering this question: When you think about your daughter (or mother, aunt, teacher, etc.), what are the qualities in her that you delight in?
• Make your own fashion statement: How can you embody your values and desires in the way you dress? Design an outfit that makes a statement about who you are!
Get online with your daughter and check out the following resources:
• For more information on Turn Beauty Inside Out Day, visit Mind on the Media. You can request a TBIO Action Kit that contains helpful tips and ideas on developing Media Literacy, organizing community events on empowering girls, and helping girls to use their internal resources for positive social change.
• For information on helping girls discover their own definitions of beauty, check out Campaign for Real Beauty.
• For an advertising-free magazine that encourages girls to be themselves and believe in themselves, check out New Moon Magazine. For older teens and young women, check out Teen Voices Magazine.
Please note: Nothing in what you find here should be construed as medical advice pertinent to any individual. As is true with all written materials, and especially information found on the internet, you must be the judge of what appears valid and useful for yourself. Please take up any questions you might have regarding the content of this website with your psychotherapist or physician.