Blog5

Alessandra Bisconti

27 February 2015

False Expectations

            I bet if we took a pole asking young kids what high school looks like to them, they would conjure up some obnoxious exaggeration. Douglas explains popular shows on television such as “90210 was followed by Melrose Place MTVs The Real World, Party of Five, Dawson’s Creek, the rise of ‘chick flicks’, and ‘chick lit’” are the one establishing these unrealistic images of what getting older entails. Like we discussed in class, there is a current epidemic where girls are skipping the pre-teen stage and going from young childishly dressed girls, straight to push up bra, miniskirt, full blown women. Shows such as 90210 show 16 year old girls going to clubs half dressed and draping themselves over guys. First of all, when did it become legal to serve alcohol to minors? Also, what happened to the awkward years all of us have experienced? In reality all girls go through a stage of insecurity where they are “finding themselves”. But these shows do not expos this to society, therefore setting an unrealistic image for what we are supposed to look like at 15,16 years old.

            I have never seen a high school that has as much drama, alcohol, and sex, than the schools on shows like 90210, One Tree Hill, and Laguna Beach, etc. “This is high school unlike anything us poor schlumps suffered through.” Douglas says. These images are what make girls feel like they have to be somebody they aren’t. We do not need to sleep with our best friend’s boyfriend to gain popularity. Also, waking up at 6:30 AM for school everyday does not leave enough time for a complete hair-do, full face makeup, and HEELS. Yes, girls are strutting down the dirty tile hallways in high heels. Now, when us normal people have a bad day and go to school in sweats and hair pulled back, does this mean we aren’t attractive? The images portrayed in television shows are doing two main harms. One being this false hope lowers self-esteem for girls. Second, this lowers the age in which girls dress and act like women.

            Not only is physical appearance on television exaggerated, but so is the necessity for sex. TV is telling young girls that sex is the gateway to get a boy’s attention. Sex also is watered down to something that is insignificant. These girls have no value for self respect, but use their bodies as a tool instead. Now, girls going into high school think that sex is just something you do in high school. This peer pressure has actually created it to be the norm to lose your virginity at an early age. Actors in these television series “pretty soon everyone had slept with everyone else”. These scenarios just further push the necessity for sex and how girls give themselves away at ease. Society as a whole needs to be exposed to the reality of teenage life, not a sexualized exaggeration of high school years. If girls grow up too fast, it eliminates the immaturity that is necessary for a full and natural life. Girls should dress and act as they like and not subject themselves to the womanized teenagers on television.