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The Beautiful People

Claire Egan,
Loreto HS, Beaumont, Dublin

Ever seen the hit show, 'Popular', on Sky One? In one episode in September, three of the main characters were in competition to see who could lose the most weight in order to catch a guy. I know, it’s only a show and the characters aren't real, but that is not to say it doesn't happen in real life. And it doesn't have to be over a guy either. For the last 20 years or longer, Irish teenagers have become obsessed with their figures.

Sure we all want to fit into that Debs dress and be the 'belle of the ball' but what some of us can't understand is why some beautiful young people starve themselves to the points where they look like walking skeletons? I know some of us look at fashion shows, see the Cindy Crawfords and the Kate Moss' of the world and wonder 'Jeez, I'd love to look like that'. And some girls will go to dire lengths to ensure they get to be that 'perfect' size 10. This includes starving themselves to the point where they are filled with endless joy at the thought that they have not eaten for days.

Who could blame us for wanting to look like those 'beautiful' people when every time we turn on the television we see in soaps (I blame 'Days of Our Lives'!) with the perfect figure, the perfect face, the perfect bust (implants) and because she is so perfect she has the perfect boyfriend and car. The image has got into girl’s heads that, if we only look like this, we'd have all those perfect things too.

We suddenly start criticising our bodies, always finding something wrong with it and thinking our friends are just saying, "Of course you're not fat", just to be nice!! Well listen to those friends! I know that with my friends they'd tell me if my butt were too big. They don't lie. So don't insult them by not believing what they say.

Ok so here is the dirt on those so-called 'beautiful' people of this world (Kate, Cindy, Elle etc.). When it comes down to it, they're treated exactly like children. They are told what to wear, how to wear it and how to do their hair. Models are treated like "&!*3$!! Models are some of the most tortured souls on this earth and that is how the modeling industry likes to keep them. Some model’s idea of 'Pigging out' is a cup of tea and a slice of toast in the evenings. Models do not wake up in the morning and look like those people we see on T.V. Advertisements. Actually, many a make-up artist has commented that when you are doing a model's make-up you can clearly see the dark lines under their eyes which give them the look of withered old women. Yet when we see them on television or in posters their skin is flawless! Such are the wonders of make up!

As well as the wonders of makeup, the photography contributes to a model's 'beauty'. Sometimes make-up artists have to camouflage the skin of a waif like model (which all models are in my opinion). Why? To give their skin colour so they look alive!! Who would want that?

So come on, when you look at it, the average student is more beautiful than the average model. So be happy with who you are. These women, or girls as they are called, go to some extreme lengths to stay thin and would like to become the sort of person who injects horse urine into them once a day?

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