Xpress, the Coolest Section of the St. Petersburg Times, is the home for features, news and views of interest to young readers. Most of the work in Xpress, which appears on Mondays in Floridian, is produced by the Times' X-Team. The team of journalists ages 9-17 from around the Tampa Bay area is selected every year at the end of the school year to serve during the following school term. The current team of 12 was chosen out of 150 applicants. Watch for X-Team application forms in Xpress during the month of May.
Read the reviews by Xpress Film Critic Billy Norris
The media message
If you let Hollywood, TV and magazines define your self-image, you are inviting trouble, kids say.
By KENDRA JOHN and REVA LUTH-POWELL
Published June 9, 2003
The media have an affect on the way we as teens view our body image. Whether it's the girl with the nice curves and smile in the music video or the one with the perfect size sporting the latest style in a magazine, there is an image they want to portray as ideal.
But what exactly is this message they're sending to teens?
Samantha Johnson, 15, who just completed ninth grade at Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport, summed it up in three words: "Thin is in."
Samantha and other teens disagree with that Hollywood image.
"I think that the media want you to think that having the perfect size, shape or face is what's going to win you big," said Sheena Turner, 16, who will be a senior at Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg, "but in the real world, all of that isn't necessary to be a successful person."
Marquita Jones, 15, who also completed ninth-grade at Boca Ciega, agrees.
"Looks aren't what is going to motivate you to do your best and be a productive person if you don't like the person inside," she said.
Sarah Belhassen, 13, who just finished eighth grade at Bay Point Middle School, and Hannah Ziegler, 14, who just finished eighth grade at Seminole Middle School, think the world needs diversity or no one would be unique. People need to stand out so that they can make a difference.
Sarah, Hannah and Abbie Grant, 13, who finished her eighth-grade year at Wellington Middle School, confidently said there is no perfect body image, that people are the way they are for a reason. "As long as they are comfortable with themselves," Hannah said, "that's all they need to have a perfect body image."
However, not everyone can have such a positive outlook. Serious illnesses can come as a result. Samantha Johnson was just an observer on the effects thatbulimia had on a friend.
"She wanted to be skinny because she thought that's what everyone is supposed to look like. She eventually became really skinny and still thought she was fat." Sadly, Samantha witnessed the results of her friend binging and purging, which led to serious health problems.
Every day of our lives we are going to have to face self-acceptance.
"If high-esteem came easy to everyone, then body images wouldn't be a problem," said Jalisa Foster, 15, who recently completed ninth grade at Pinellas Park High School.
Letting magazines, music videos and talk shows govern the way we look can have sad consequences. The best way to cope with self-image is to be real with yourself and learn to love who you are.
As Sarah said, "It doesn't matter what's on the outside, but what is on the inside that counts."
- Kendra John, 15, will be in 10th grade at Boca Ciega High School in St. Petersburg. Reva Luth-Powell, 13, recently completed eighth grade at Bay Point Middle School in St. Petersburg.
