A new poll from youth website www.bellaboobabe.com has revealed that young women today look up to celebrities like Paris Hilton, Mischa Barton and Lindsay Lohan as role models simply because these women are in the media spotlight. The 600 girls polled also revealed that they are lacking positive role models and feel not enough is being done to promote positive role models. The results have prompted the youth site to launch its Get Real Campaign aimed at promoting positive role models and giving young women inspiring information around Getting Real about beauty, body image, and self esteem.
(PRWEB) November 19, 2008 -- Poll results released today from website, bellaboobabe.com, reveal that young women rate the likes of Paris Hilton, Kate Moss and Mischa Barton as their role models over Germaine Greer and Anita Roddick.
Other alarming news from the poll show that 35% of girls feel that they lack positive role models. A staggering 90% feel that there is nothing being done to promote positive role models for young women, yet 92% think having good role models is important.
These results have spearheaded a campaign that launches today to help promote positive role models for young women. Bellaboo Get Real Campaign is 100% focused on giving young women access to positive role models vs celebrities famous for their jail stints or drug habits.
It's not all bad news, encouragingly girls rated J K Rowling and Cathy Freeman as their number one choices when it comes to positive role models. But, those stellar choices were then followed by the likes of Paris, Mischa and Kate.
A key feature of the Bellaboo Get Real campaign is its Role Model Wall of Women. A smorgasbord of women from all walks of life who have passed the positive role model test set by Bellaboo. Australian women like Cathy Freeman, Sarah Murdoch, Elka Graham, Catriona Rowntree, Symantha Perkins, Bianca Dye, Mia Freedman, Katrina Warren; women from business; women who have contributed to charitable works; or simply excelled in their chosen field, are the faces of Bellaboo's Get Real Wall of Women. The site plans to grow the wall and add inspiring women from all over the world.
Consultant Adolescent Psychologist, Dr. Michael Carr-Greg, said of the campaign, "In light of the current crisis in Australian youth mental health with record levels of depression, anxiety and self harm especially in young women, this campaign that focuses on self esteem and positive psychology is both welcome and timely."
Bellaboo Managing Director, Snezna Kerekovic, said, "Our poll was a wake up call that young women desperately need positive role models. Media fixation with car-crash celebs has resulted in them being the poster girls for this generation of young women. We decided to stop the rot and create something positive that will give girls instant access to role models that have earned the title, whilst helping bust myths that feed insecurity in girls and inspiring them to believe in and love themselves."
The Bellaboo Wall of Women gives girls direct access to role models from all walks of life via a space online - www.bellaboobabe.com. Girls can also nominate their choice of women to become part of the Wall of Women online. Only women who tick all the right boxes will take their place on the Get Real Wall of Women Role Model Registry.
Snezna said, "The Bellaboo Wall of Women makes positive role models just a mouse click away. Girls can simply click on their chosen role model's image to get access to more detailed information about her, her thoughts on role models, her own teen experiences, and her inspiring tale of who she is. We aim to add role models based on our selective criteria and hope to have hundreds if not thousands of positive role models for young women to access."
"We also hope that this campaign will inspire girls to look to their friends or family doing incredible things as potential role models as opposed to celebrities famous for little more than partying or getting into strife," Snezna said.
The Get Real site also features facts sheets on Getting Real about media, beauty, body images, self esteem as well as interactive and proactive things girls can do to spread the word about Getting Real. Another key feature is the Hall of Fame and Hall of Shame - highlighting ads that promote positive messages and images for young women and those sending out the wrong messages that can add to girls' insecurities and self image
Newsreader and author Jacinta Tynan, one of the Bellaboo's Role Models said, "What I would have given to have had a campaign like this when I was a teenager: Instant role models!"
Whoever said the teenage years are the best of your life clearly wasn't one. They are tough years when your body starts to change along with your friends. You're no longer sure your parents know best and you're impatient for your 'real' life to start. It's also the time when you start making decisions about who you are and what you want to do with your life. How liberating to be able to do that with the guidance of women who've trodden the path before. To be able to see that this bevy of successful, inspiring women on the Bellaboo Role Model Wall haven't always had it easy and have had to make their own way means so much is possible.
For media interviews and photography requests with Snezna Kerekovic or one of our Get Real Role Models contact:
Yvette Done Vivid Publicity
P. 02 9817 8731
M. 0412 064 066
E. yvette @ vividpublicity.com.au
###
Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/Q3Jhcy1Ib3JyLUhvcnItQ3Jhcy1UaGlyLVNpbmctWmVybw==
|
