Girls, Body Image, and the Media

 < PALEYEDUCATION : Onsite Classes

Grades 7–12

Class Description

Girls see images that—despite recognizing as unrealistic, unattainable, and often not even real—they aspire to meet and then suffer when they can’t help but fail to do so. In our society, we know that girls’ self-esteem and their health are inextricably linked to body image. In this class, we will look critically at television programs targeted at girls which send messages, both positive and negative, about their body image and concerns. Our goal is twofold: to encourage students to think more deeply about how they are reflected in the media, and to better prepare them to challenge constructed the images of girls that we see represented most frequently.

Pre-Visit and Post-Visit Information

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 Pre-Visit Activity | Post-Visit Activity

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The Paley Center is pleased to offer Girls, Body Image, and the Media as part of a collaboration with the NYC Mayor’s Office and SPARK Movement. In 2014 the City of New York launched a first-of-its-kind city-led educational initiative to tackle the issue of girls’ self-esteem and body image. As a key cultural partner in this campaign, the Paley Center continues to focus education initiatives on the role media plays in influencing young girls’ self-esteem and perceptions of health and beauty. The Girls class is designed to promote media literacy and examine how media can positively or negatively impact girls’ self-esteem and self-image.

Read the New York Times article about this project.

In partnership with the Mayor’s Office of the City of New York and
the NYC Commission on Women’s Issues