Who benefits when girls and women feel bad about their bodies?

Who makes money off of women’s insecurities?

Found these questions in an article published in The Atlantic titled “Mothers Are Teaching Their Daughters Bad Lessons About Beauty”

As a mother of a young girl (and a little boy too) this is something I’ve thought a lot about. What messages should we be teaching the next generation about beauty?

Here’s a long quote from the article that seemed like something worth sharing.

“(Researcher) Engeln says the evidence is unequivocal that talk focusing on weight, even with an eye toward “health,” is not helpful. The best practice is to portray food as fuel and to value the human body not for how it’s shaped but for what it can do. Engeln also suggests that parents, in talking with teenagers in the depths of turmoil over their body image, try to help them channel their anger and angst into answering questions such as: Who benefits when girls and women feel bad about their bodies? Who makes money off of women’s insecurities?”

Great suggestions. Have you got anymore? What do you avoid saying or want to reconsider?

PS. I definitely suggest reading the whole article! So interesting!