Posted on 01/27/2003 8:34:53 AM PST by 68skylark
Editor's note: The following story contains subject matter and descriptions that might not be suitable for some readers. Discretion is advised.
News flash: Girls care deeply -- way too deeply -- about how they look.
Tell it to the wicked queen from "Snow White," who was neither the first nor the last female to find both her life's obsession and the key to her own ruin simply by looking in the mirror. A girl's driving need to be the fairest (prettiest, thinnest, youngest, blondest, best-dressed) is one of the oldest stories in the book, and we all know that for a few, the need can have deadly consequences.
But while photographer Lauren Greenfield hasn't uncovered some new phenomenon in her "Girl Culture" project -- a book, an educational Web site and an exhibit now on display at the Snite Museum of Art -- the images are startling nonetheless. Standing face to face with strippers, topless spring break revelers, fat camp inmates, anorexics, debutantes, cheerleaders, models, junior high clique queens and pint-size Britney Spears wannabes, one gets the sinking suspicion that a once relatively harmless fixation has become a full-blown, national psychosis whose victims just keep getting younger and more numerous.
"I really want to be a teenager. Now. Really fast," says Lily, 6, in one of the revealing interviews that accompany the photographs. "(Teenagers) dress up cool so boys like them. I saw it in a movie. They get dressed so fashionable, like a doll and stuff. They usually do this cool makeup, like lipstick. And a really blushy face. It's cool."
"In college," says Erin, 24, "I would go into the bathroom to purge, and someone would come out who just did, and (we would) look at each other and just know." Photographed by Greenfield at an eating-disorder clinic in Florida, Erin stands on the scale backward, not wanting to see how much she's gained -- but even the "blind weights" are a kind of torture: "I'm getting to where I can hear the clicks, and I'm afraid to hear that second click at a hundred. My total fear every morning is to hear it slide all the way over."
Greenfield's glossy, saturated color prints at first seem to emphasize the surface lives of these girls and women -- their various failures or successes at attaining the all-but-impossible feminine ideal -- but the interviews uncover worlds of hurt and anxiety (and in a few cases, hope) hiding just under the skin. And once the viewer gets there, even the photographs unaccompanied by text begin to speak volumes.
"Teens are not surprised at all by what's in the book," Greenfield, talking by phone from her studio in Venice, Calif., said. The artist said she's received hundreds of e-mails in response to "Girl Culture," many from girls and young women thanking Greenfield for shedding light on so many wrenching, formerly hidden rites of passage.
"Mothers, women of another generation, are often more surprised and disappointed by the photographs, and kind of shocked," Greenfield added. "They ask, 'Where are the smart girls?' It looks more one-sided to them. Of course, it's not meant to be the full picture of girls growing up today."
True, we see more cheerleaders here than valedictorians, but anyone who thinks the mostly maladjusted girls of "Girl Culture" represent some fringe minority is in denial.
"She makes the point that the extreme is becoming the norm -- that these patterns of behavior are becoming more and more common, and it starts at an earlier age than we think," commented Steve Moriarty, photography curator of the Snite. He pointed to a pair of images hanging side by side: On the left, a willowy lingerie model stands on a beach in mesh bikini panties and a matching bra she's just unhooked at the chest. On the right, three little girls in sequins and ballet outfits primp around a table littered with makeup. Calli, 5, stares probingly into a silver hand mirror held by her friend. It looks like the beginning of a lifelong, love-hate relationship.
Mirrors are everywhere in this series, from the basic bathroom vanity to the reflective sunroof of the Ford Explorer limo whisking the "damas" (maids of honor) to a lavish "quinceañera" ("sweet 15" party). And there are figurative mirrors as well: between a mother and her pre-adolescent daughter -- both doing everything they can to look 19 years old -- at an upscale beach resort; in the eyes of three admiring workmen, scoping out a model named Sara on a New York City sidewalk; and in every image where the female viewer might see traces of herself.
Boys, too, might be uncomfortable with the reflections they see.
"One guy said, 'I felt really nauseous going through the show. I was thinking about all the terrible things I did to girls in high school,'" said Greenfield, recalling the first showing of "Girl Culture" at the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona last fall.
The men and boys we do see here -- bare-chested hardbodies on spring break hoisting an agile woman into an inverted fellatio pose; tattooed bikers ogling a woman's exposed breast, and only her breast, in another beach crowd -- make a sorry display, but again, Greenfield doesn't intend to reflect maleness in all its complexity. Rather, the images challenge us to consider how "girl culture," as Greenfield defines it, couldn't possibly exist without the willing participation of everyone involved.
"One of the things I looked at is how girls are complicit in this process," the photographer explained, adding that back in her own student days at a progressive school, she was taught to blame the male-dominated media, the exploitative fashion industry and so on. Now, she believes there are more complicated forces at work.
Greenfield also captures ironic intersections of what Trudy Wilner Stack, the traveling show's curator, calls "the girlish (ribbons and bows) and the girlie (g-strings and pasties)" realms: a condom blown up into a toy balloon; a "fetus bingo" game at a high school for teen mothers (we see one player's chipped blue nail polish); the shot of Lily, just 5 at the time, browsing with pursed lips through a rack of belly tops at the same Los Angeles boutique that outfits Spears. Lily's outfit -- a fuzzy white bra top and matching shorts, with fuchsia silk flowers at the chest, tucked into her big hair and onto the vamps of her chic slides -- is more shocking than even the skimpiest showgirl getups Greenfield documents in Las Vegas. One can't help wondering, Where is this child's mother?
While parents and other supposedly influential figures are mostly absent from these images, their permissiveness and even complicity in the beauty industry's reign of terror over their daughters -- after all, someone's got to be paying for all these clothes, cosmetics and summers at fat camp -- lurk just outside the frame. Ultimately, "Girl Culture" serves as one big mirror in which we as an American culture must confront this perverse sequel to decades of supposed progress in gender equality.
Early on, though, Greenfield had no idea the photographs she was making -- often in very intimate, private settings -- would end up telling such a big, public story.
"This really grew out of the last book I did, 'Fast Forward,' which was about kids growing up in L.A., how they grow up so quickly, and specifically looking at the culture of materialism," she said. "I just started to get interested in girls and how they acted within the material culture."
She continued the investigation while on assignment for other, short-term projects, chiefly for The New York Times Magazine. Gradually, over about five years, the big picture became clear.
"She has a good antenna, and good instincts for what's going on in a culture at a particular time," Moriarty observed. "We may take a little flack" from conservative voices on campus, the curator added, for the sheer flesh factor of this show and its exposure of social problems some might like to believe have no home at Notre Dame. "I hope people see themselves in these."
Picture Captions:
Discomfort lurks beneath the winsome smiles in this image from "Girl Culture," captured at the Fitness America competition in Redondo Beach, Calif. Photographer Lauren Greenfield visits the Snite Museum of Art today to discuss the controversial show. Photos provided/LAUREN GREENFIELD
"I want to be a topless dancer or a showgirl," says Sheena, 15, shown here with her friend Amber in a department store fitting room in San Jose, Calif. Many of Lauren Greenfield's "Girl Culture" subjects are photographed looking (usually unhappily) at mirrors, although in this case the mirror is just out of frame.
In "Girl Culture," Lauren Greenfield documents the many "body projects" -- such as the fresh pedicure of Nikki, an aspiring Hollywood actress, displayed here in Gucci shoes -- that take up so much of American females' time, attention and disposable cash. Photo provided/LAUREN GREENFIELD
Additional Information:
'Lauren Greenfield: Girl Culture' Through March 9 at the Snite Museum of Art, on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. An opening reception will be from 2 to 4 p.m. today, with a lecture by Greenfield at 3 p.m.
Also on display: "Contemporary Impressions: Art by Native American Artists" and "Notre Dame Architecture Student Drawings: Designs for a New Snite Museum." Regular gallery hours are from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Admission is free. Call (574) 631-5466 for more information.
In addition, photographs from Greenfield's last book, "Fast Forward," will be on display through March 23 at the Brauer Museum of Art, on the campus of Valparaiso University. Call (219) 464-5365 for more information.
The ole "It's art" or "It's for research" excuses are still working.
For the most part, I think human nature doesn't change much over the generations. So I'm suspicious when people assume the past was better.
Pardon my spelling error -- I'm sure this example isn't my only one today.
That's only part of the solution. Once she's away from your house she may still have the desire to immerse herself in this sub-culture.
This problem is a problem of the heart. Restricting what we see on TV or in advertisements seems like a really simple thing to do but it doesn't address the issues beneath the surface: these girls have no sense of self worth, and it's usually because they have no father figure in their life to help them feel good about themselves. Mothers can only do so much to complete the picture for a girl when she is growing up. Girls need the love and acceptance from fathers to keep out of this kind of trouble.
Anyone watch the show, "Eight simple rules for dating my daughter"? ... the title implies that he's trying to figure out how to control boys around his daughter. What he really needs to do is control his daughter. have "
RonF, you make some really good points, but the best is perhaps your exhortation to worry less about the boys and more about your daughter. Several points are very important here:
(1) Your daughter has to choose to not make the mistakes and bad choices that we dads fear so much.
(2) Part of your daughter's motivation for her choices is not only fear (of AIDS or STDs) or training or education but a conscious decision to please her parents in spite of the pressures from the outside world. Yes, she will be curious about sex and perhaps imagine herself doing it with another boy. But what counts is her decisions at the crucial moments -- does she date the boy that is paying her lots of attention even thouth everyone warns her that his trophy case is full of names of her classmates? Does she go to the party that is unchaperoned?
A girl makes these decisions in part based on her relationship with her parents. This is an incredibly important point.
(3) Don't give your teenage daughter too many "don'ts" but do your best to train her to make the right decisions.
For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, try reading John Rosemond's book "Teenproofing your Home." John teaches discipline the way that Grandma used to discipline. No mushy-headed psychology from his lips or his pen. Pure common sense, with a foundation in the Bible.
Lastly, RonF, although you were joking about the "8 Rules" you are absolutely right that part of a Dad's challenge is to instill fear in the boy that is dating the daughter. Some of the best techniques are:
(1) Telling the boy that the family is "very close," meaning that any attempts to get inside her blouse or pants will be known the next morning at the breakfast table.
(2) Letting the boy meet your son, who hopefully outweighs the boy by 50 pounds. Add this visage to the "very close" statement.
(3) Doing nonverbal things like shaking his hand incredibly hard upon entering the house.
(4) Showing the boy who is in charge by sending him home if he is dressed poorly and telling him that if the girl is one minute late you will hold him responsible.
Robert Wolgemuth tells the hilarious story about his 16-year old daughter's first date. The boy comes over, visibly nervous because the girl had warned him about her dad. But dad only takes the boy into his office and they chat about sports, cars, etc., until dad asks the boy what is most important to him. The boy replies, "My car!" and then continues telling the dad how lovingly he maintains and cares for the vehicle, and how proud he is of it. The boy clearly does not see the trap he is making for himself.
Then Wolgemuth asks him, "You know, my car broke down today. May I borrow your car when you're done tonight?" The boy looks at him, and then stammers, "Sir, I can't do that. That car is very important to me and I've just never let anyone else take care of it."
Now Wolgemuth looks at the boy like a hound smacking his lips at a treed fox. He replies, "Young man, you come here wanting to date my daughter. I can confirm to you that I love her far more than you will ever love you car. And, young man, you are borrowing her for the night! So I am making a far greater concession in letting you date her, than you would ever make in loaning me your car!"
Of course, the boy's mouth drops and his complexion turns a shade lighter than white. Wolgemuth looks at him as firmly as he can, and says, "So you'd better appreciate my decision to let you date her, and I darn well expect you to take better care of her than you take care of your car." The boy stands up to leave. Wolgemuth's final words are, "And don't mar the finish!"
The warning worked. Wolgemuth's daugther dated the boy for several months, and it was after 4 months that he finally asked her, "What did you dad mean by 'don't mar the finish'? "
Just my thoughts. Good luck to all you dads out there agonizing how to handle this very important phase of your parenthood.
I'm so glad you brought this point up. Homosexuals for the most part are the driving force behind the fashion/beauty industry. I have maintained for quite a while that they are purposefully making women less feminine. The very, very thin bodies. Breasts and hips are "out". Scraggly hair, usually cut short and make-up that looks like it should be in a horror film.
They (the homosexuals) want to look prettier than real women.
http://www.mirror-mirror.org/myths.htm
Don't let your eyes fool you. It is one of the most common myths that all anorexics are extemely thin. It is not about actual body appearance it is a personal body image and the dangerous behavior that accompanies a distorted image of yourself.
Uhh...no.
"I could be happy my whole life, knowing I will never have to live through junior high school again." - Mavis Leno (roughly, I don't have the exact quote in front of me)
No you are right. The difference is that a person can go through life for quite a few years being chubby and gaining weight. The effects aren't quite so immediate, there is time for a girl to figure out how to fix this. Whereas with anorexia and bulimia the health effects are quickly deadly. And we must intervene ASAP because there isn't time to sort it all out later.
Now here's an odd situation for me -- I don't think I've ever had anything good to say about male homosexual culture. But they can hardly be blamed or credited for fashion trends -- women choose where to get their hair done, what clothes to buy, what magazines and movies to see, what to eat, how much to exercise, etc. If any group of people were putting out messages that women didn't choose to embrace, they'd be finished in the fashion world in a heartbeat. Am I wrong?
Blessed be the plastic surgeons they really do save lives.
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