Julia Bluhm – Setting a New Standard for Beauty!
Julia Bluhm is a typical teenage girl – she hangs out with her friends in middle school, she enjoys dancing, and she likes to read teen magazines like Seventeen. And, like many other teenage girls, she is affected by what she sees in the pages of those teen magazines. She recognized that the girls shown in the magazines are often not protrayed realistically, but instead are photoshopped to look thinner and prettier. She also recognized the negative impact such images have on girls like herself. So Julia decided to do something about it…..
Julia took action by starting a petition. Her petition was addressed to the editors of Seventeen magazine, and it asked that in each issue Seventeen give one photo spread that showed girls as they really are, with no retouching of photographs. After collecting nearly 50,000 signatures, Julia took her petition to Seventeen’s editors, letting them and all the world know that girls should be shown and appreciated just as they are!
This video tells the story of Julia and her wonderful petition.
Additional Resources:
- Here is the link to Julia’s petition, so you can sign it too!
- Here is the website that contains Julia’s blog.
Topics for Discussion:
- What do you think of images of girls that you see in teen magazines? How do they make you feel?
- Why is it important to show girls as they truly are?
Take Action:
- Talk to the girls in your life about true beauty and make sure they know they possess it!
- Visit the Social Mission page of the Dove skin care website to learn ways to help the girls in your life love themselves for just who they are!
Teacher Features:
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.
