'Am I ugly?'

[seabeyond]

In the latest news that will make parents of teenage girls want to shoot their computers and/or become Amish, teen and tween girls are taking to YouTube to post "Am I ugly?" videos, asking the denizens of the Internet whether they are attractive. Because really, who better to reassure insecure young girls about their self-worth than anonymous Internet trolls? Yikes.

Dozens of tween and young teen girls have decided to poll the YouTube audience to find out how pretty or ugly Internet trolls think they are. The girls pose and flaunt, asking strangers to tell them if they're cute. While the girls post videos with headlines reading, "Am I ugly?," the main question for many viewers is whether these vulnerable girls should have such unrestricted Internet access. Please, check your kids' YouTube accounts.

Before you load the shotgun and take the laptop out back, experts say the real answer is to keep hammering home the message to kids that their worth is about who they are, not how they look. Teen therapist Arden Greenspan Goldberg advises TODAY that parents should tell their kids, "You are your personality. You are your talent. Even though they roll their eyes at you, they're always listening."

"That's terrible, my daughter is only 7 and I hope that she never feels the need to do that," wrote Bobbie Jo Dawson. "I've always taught her that natural beauty is true beauty and tell her several times a day how beautiful and intelligent she is... I wish the parents of these girls would take some time and spend with them and let them know how truly wonderful and beautiful they are and that no strangers opinion will ever be worth more than their own self respect."

http://moms.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/24/10498893-teen-girls-ask-the-internet-am-i-ugly

[orpupilofnature57]

1. That's why Jamie lee Curtis should get the nobel

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://www.more.com/news/womens-issues/jamie-lee-curtis-true-thighs%3Fpage%3D2&usg=__iV4s3MgaVdFD9ulHU3oh7pqv1sE=&h=212&w=325&sz=13&hl=en&start=2&zoom=1&tbnid=KYu_8FrnX6CSPM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=118&ei=ll3PT-SzEsmv6gHVx5CxDA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djamie%2Blee%2Bcurtis%2Bphotos%2Bno%2Bmakeup%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4DKUS_enUS317US317%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1

[seabeyond]

5. i really hate how she was represented in true lies, especially snorcher....

but, otherwise, yes, she does a fine job and being an example and helping women and society out a bit on this. i love how she has her two poses in this picture.

[redqueen]

2. Parents can only do so much.

What people seem too afraid to consider is that during adolescence, kids pull away from parents. They start paying more attention to society and peers.

This toxic culture sends the unambiguous message that women's worth is youth and sexuality. How many teen boys (you know, the people these young girls are so worried about pleasing) are out there proving looks don't matter as much as personality?

[seabeyond]

3. how many boys are getting on the puter and saying.... am i ugly.

with my two teenage boys, i have started using the words.... your girl's looks is not you manhood.

and discussing how men are allowing the womans looks to define their manhood. how sad is that. i never addressed it from that angle, but started to see the behavior in my oldest. he at least thinks about it now. he does NOT like the idea of society guiding or directing him, having control of him. so he just needs a mention to think about it. he is pretty firm in defining himself.

[redqueen]

4. Yeah, the message is different for boys.

We see overweight, goofy looking men getting super hot actress girlfriends all the time in the media. Men, personality. Women, looks.

[seabeyond]

6. my son was telling me he is going to the park with some girl to hang out....

he had told me about this girl a while back, but geez, i cant remember. so many girls... lol. but, not in a bad way. after the last break up, he is just hangin with and friends with. he doesnt want to step into that again. once bitten.

he is trying to jog my memory of her and i dont remember nada. so, i say, is she an AP girl?

ya, of course.

then i laugh. i realize that is always my first question. is the girl smart. take school serious. that is the first indicator. told him, do you take note of the first thing i ask? he says, that is the top on his list, too.

a couple years ago my brother came over with a bunch of kids. his and their friends. there was a little 14 yr old. oh, i am so stupid, see how stupid, too stupid. i am just looking at here go on and on. i finally ask

you proud of being stupid?

she screeched to a stop. all the game over with. well, i am smart, just not street smart.

yada yada.

once i walked them out i came slammin into the house. i have like four boys in my house. my son is laughin. i start rantin about girls "actin" stupid and thinking it is cute.

we dont do that in our house.

there was another girl there that really wasnt way bright, but nice... so nice and respectful. give me that girl any day of the week.