The Golden Measurement

 From: Sam

There are unrealistic expectations in the world that are aimed toward girls and how they should look. This is called “Girl Culture”. It has a lot to do with social media, but it is a very big issue. Girls are forced to believe they must look a certain way to be beautiful, and if they do not obtain to those standards, then they are judged. When a girl does not fit these standards, it results in a lack of self-esteem and their confidence is shot. But this is not how things should be at all. Everyone is different and that is for a reason. No two people are the same and our differences are what make us all unique and beautiful in our own way. In the essay “Girl Culture”, by Lauren Greenfield, it really digs deep and hits home about the stereotypes and expectations for girls when it says the photos are about “what is private and what is public and where the line that divides the two lies,” (Greenfield). This signifies you don’t see the same thing in private as you do in public or on social media. In public or on social media you will see what they want you to see, super thin girls with gorgeous tan skin, looking happy, having fun and all done up. But behind closed doors there is a process. These girls are changing themselves and willing to demonstrate harmful strategies to fit these social norms they are expected to portray. From putting fake tanning lotion on, sitting in the sun for hours, editing their bodies in photos, eating rigorous diets, all the way to starving themselves. These are only some of the things girls are not seen doing behind closed doors in attempts to achieve the beauty norm, things nobody should feel they have to do. I personally have found myself contributing to this stereotype to try and achieve the social norms, but now that I am more aware, I am going to try and bring more awareness to this issue.

Some of the stereotype’s girls face are the need to be tan. Having that golden skin is key to beauty and if you do not have that quality most girls are forced to think they must go out and find a way to achieve it. On social media you see the influencers all have tan skin, but if one were to be pale you will see people comment “oh my gosh why is she so pale, go out and get some sun”.  When people see that there automatically assuming there is something wrong with not being tan since someone is saying something about it. But not everyone’s skin tans, and that is perfectly okay. In the photo you can see the girl is in her bathing suit getting ready for the beach and there is the perfect glow tanning lotion in the photo, displaying that the girl in the image is conforming to the tan skin stereotype. She is trying to make sure she is all tan before going to the beach. The next stereotype I would like to discuss is the obsession to be thin. I’m not going to lie I have been sucked into this stereotype my whole life, I have to be skinny to be beautiful, if I’m “fat” in any way I must be ugly and disgusting to everyone, nobody will want me. In the photo you can see the girl is going to the beach and has a measuring tape around her like a coat. This symbolizes the thin expectation because as long as that measure tape says she is within the numbers she wants and that are perceived as beautiful, then she is comfortable. Just like coats provide a sense of comfort and shelter for people under permitting circumstances. In a way this measuring tape is her shelter or shield from all of the negativity she may and is afraid to face. Therefore, her safety from not being perceived as beautiful depends upon this tape measure. Lastly you can see in the photo the gaze of the girl. She is looking down, almost as if she is sad, she relies on that tanning lotion and tape measure to feel good about herself.

Greenfield , Lauren. “Girl Culture .” GIRL CULTURE - Lauren Greenfield, 2001,

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