Letter to the President

Dear Madam or Mr. President,

In today’s society, girls are feeling pressured into fitting in with societal norms. Young girls in high schools, middle schools, and even elementary schools are bullied and pressured by their peers to fit in. Girls are often self conscious and have insecurities regarding what they look like and what others think of them, which causes them to either try too hard or become someone they really aren't. When teenage girls want others to recognize them and gain their approval, they will usually try and be just like that person. For example, they will try and dress like others, have the same hobbies, and even act like the person they are trying to impress. If they don't do these things, they believe they will become the outcasts of society and not be accepted as a person. This causes many girls to have even more insecurities about themselves because they’re trying to be someone else and also trying to hide who they really are, for fear of what others might think. This is a topic I am very passionate about because I live it everyday with many different people that have very different personalities and different insecurities.

In our society teenagers have come to think that no matter what the clothing, song, or mindset is, it has to be popular. This causes everyone to want that certain “thing”, even if they don't like it, just to fit in and be like everyone else. “Early on, the chase for popularity is not about being internally strong, it is about looking a certain way or having the right colour notebook. This puts an unhealthy emphasis on superficial qualities such as body shape, skin tone or hair style and can lead girls to emphasise their physical being over their internal one. Kids who focus on popularity when young set themselves up for a host of potential problems.” Dove included this quote in their self-esteem project stating that girls and guys will try to have higher self-esteem by focusing so much on popularity and where they stand, not realizing that this really brings down their self esteem. This causes many teenagers to harm themselves and have thoughts that lead to suicide. There are about 4,400 young adult suicide deaths per year, and 14% of high school students today have thought about committing suicide, while about 7% of students have attempted it. Girls need to realize that they are letting themselves down if they are forced into accepting society's standards and letting it rule them. Some readers may challenge my view by insisting that some girls are overconfident. This causes them to think that they are better than others and it allows them to bring down girls that aren't as “popular”, which makes them the “outcasts”. Girls and guys have so much more to live for than just comparing themselves to what's considered popular and to focus on themselves and their inner beauty. Now there are those who think they are better than others who aren’t just like them. They need to accept people for who they are. No one is the same and all of us have a different view of the world. We might not get along with each other but we can at least try to accept everyone for who they really are.

“Teens are teased about their looks: 64 percent have been bullied because of their appearance, weight, and clothing, more than any other factors”. These are the reasons why in every high school and primary school, there are kids that will try to stand out and change for others, so they won't be judged. But some people will go to the extreme and try to create a different appearance for themselves that others will like, not knowing that this can lead to even more harassment and judgment by trying to hard to be someone they aren't. Teenage girls need to believe in themselves and not let others words and actions take over all of their thoughts. They should be able to wake up in the morning and not worry about what people will say about them and their choice of outfits or style they like. Every single girl has a different personality, likes, and skills. They should embrace the way they look and act and take what's good in their life to enjoy what they have.

Madam or Mr. President, I would really hope that when you get elected that you will do something about this issue, and stop societies norms of the “popular s” and the “outcasts”. Doing this, it would bring us all together to avoid the low self-esteem and abuse that teens all over our nation put themselves through. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Renee Ledbetter

Sites-

http://selfesteem.dove.us/Articles/Written/Peer-groups-and-pressure.aspx

https://www.stopbullying.gov/news/media/facts/#Bullying and Suicide

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/mean-girls-why-girls-bully-and-how-to-stop-them#1