From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY
TODAY Tuesday July 22, 2008
By Dr James Dobson
We have talked about the many stories in children’s traditional literature that emphasise the importance of being gorgeous, especially if you are female.
I mentioned a few of them yesterday, such as Sleeping Beauty,The Ugly Duckling and Snow White, whose evil queen asked the question, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” Now why would the queen say that? The fairest was the most beloved and respected person in the land, that’s why.
And what about Cinderella? If you’ve ever seen the illustrations in Cinderella, you would have seen the huge difference between Cinderella and her step-sisters. Sure, she was ragged and uncombed, but the basic ingredient was there. It wasn’t the tiara or the gown that shook up the prince when Cinderella arrived at the ball. You can bet she was a pretty little thing.
There’s a serious side to this fixation on beauty in kids’ literature and what they see on television and in the movies.
Many little girls, grow up believing that if they’re physically imperfect in any way, they’re worthless human beings who will never be loved or respected. This can lead to anorexia, bulimia, or even suicide. There has to be a better way to raise kids.
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