Scrutinizing fashion photography to detect evidence of Photo-shop retouching has become a sort blood sport for many people. Meanwhile, others are outraged by this as sad commentary on how the media manipulates the concept of a desirable body image among young black girls and black women.

While most serious news organizations adhere to strict rules against photo manipulation, you’ll find no such code of honor among fashion, women’s and lifestyle publications. Publicists, editors and advertisers routinely ask photo retouchers to “enhance” a model’s appearance. They’ve become masters of deception, straightening and whitening teeth, filling in hairlines, enlarging eyes, trimming ears, and elongating their already narrow waists, necks and legs. Sometimes, in fact, the model’s hands, legs or feet are altogether replaced.

But there’s a growing backlash against the digital Barbie-tizing of nearly every actress, model, and celebrity. In United States, Britain and France, governments have been considering ethics codes that would limit how far this Photo-shopping can go. The targets of these efforts are media outlets that are feeding starvation as a lifestyle choice (that sometimes leads to death). In France, for example, it’s estimated that about 40,000 young women suffer with anorexia or bulimia.

While in the U.S., we’re finally starting to deal with a disease that’s equally deadly – childhood obesity – African American parents should be doubly vigilant about the impact of faked media images on young black girls.

In the 1940s, black psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark used dolls to study children’s attitudes about race. The Clarks’ startling findings revealed that, given identical white and black dolls, 63% of African American children preferred to play with the white doll, and 44% identified more with the white doll.

In March of 2009, Good Morning America recreated the Clarks’ groundbreaking study of color preferences by African American children. This time, 42% wanted to play with the black doll, and 32% with the white doll. When asked which doll was prettiest, 47% of the girls said the white doll was.

Clearly, not enough has changed. While stars such as Beyonce and models like Naomi Campbell grace world stages with pure confidence, many black girls can’t even walk their elementary schoolyard with their heads held high. Our children are so bombarded with false beauty images that many feel depressed after spending just three minutes leafing through a fashion magazine.

Self-esteem is hardly a new issue among black children, but in the age of airbrushing everywhere, it certainly deserves more special attention than we often give it. With music videos, commercials and retouched fashionista images playing such a monumental role in the lives of young black girls, today’s parents must take extra steps to nurture a healthy body image.

In fact, what are we, as Black parents, projecting and “modeling” by osmosis? Are you looking good and feeling great “as is,” or are you subconsciously conveying that something about your appearance needs a cosmetic overhaul?

For better or for worse, we are the primary teachers in our children’s lives; they interpret and reflect the values that we espouse. So, until we as mothers and older sisters hold high our own brand of natural beauty, we may continue to see too many precious black princesses secretly haunted by feelings of inferiority.

To Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel,

Esthetician/Publisher

NYRAJU Skin Care

http://www.nyrajuskincare.com