Target’s make-up aisle might be one of the most “oppressive places in the world,” says clinical psychologist, Dr. Kelly M. Flanagan in his Huffington Post blog.
Dads have such a huge impact on their daughters; “Girls learn self-worth and self-esteem from Dad” source. So it’s really important that fathers understand what messages their daughters are being exposed to daily–so they can counter balance it.
Understanding that “words have power,” in his walk through the make-up aisle, Flanagan noticed phrases and words like:
-Go nude
-Flawless finish
-Infallible
-Age-defying
-Go naked
-Instant age rewind
Flanagan says in his blog that he knows that his daughter is just as strong and smart as any man, but he also realizes that the world won’t necessarily view her in the same way. He says, “They’ll see her as a pretty face and a body to enjoy. And they’ll tell her she has to look a certain way to have any worth or influence.”
His response? His blog is actually a letter to his daughter that uses the words he saw in the Target aisle to invoke self-esteem and self-worth. I’ve included a couple below. Check out the full letter here.
+Naked
The world may want you to take your clothes off, but leave them on. Instead be naked by being vulnerable. Take risks, say what you feel and think. Be open.
+Infallible
May you know that infallibility is an illusion. Perfection does not exist–it is only created by those who are seeking money from your wallet.
+Age-defying
You will age and your skin will wrinkle, “but your soul is ageless.” Do not defy the aging of your skin or your body, “resist the aging of your spirit.”
+Flawless finish
These words have nothing to do with the way your skin looks, but with how your life has been lived. “May you grow in wisdom and may your love become big enough to embrace all people.”
Flanagan finished by asking, “Where are you the most beautiful?” He answers, “On the inside.”
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristen-houghton/daughters-selfworth-and-d_b_878010.html