Girlfriend Teaches Media Literacy With New Campaign

Did you know?
* Magazines airbrush sandwiches, as well as models?
* It took 13 people to make the current front cover of Girlfriend magazine perfect?
• Girlfriend has uncovered a fresh faced cutie in New Zealand?
(and, you can see her on the front cover Girlfriend Magazine – go Gretta!)

In a publishing first, Pacific Magazines’ Girlfriend is not only ‘talking the talk’ about self-respect, but making significant changes in their publication to ensure readers become media literate. Throughout their year long Self Respect campaign, launching with their January issue, the magazine will clearly point out to readers where photoshop has been used and where hair and makeup artists have styled shoots.

With a general market feeling that magazines contribute towards how readers feel about their body there is no longer any excuse to not educate the reader about this major influence in their lives.

Girlfriend are empowering their readers to take control and encourage teens to become full of health and energy. Raising awareness that seeing is not always believing, and that the images presented by media are not always natural or realistic, is the first step in the modern teenager having a healthy self image, so Girlfriend are starting here.

Girlfriend Reality Checks logos throughout the magazine when needed – are now a regular addition to the magazine, to point out when graphic artists have altered images, be it through evening out the colour tone on a sandwich, or smoothing out lines in clothes and models.

Girlfriend Random Compliments logos are scattered throughout the magazine, and also available via email direct to your inbox, to encourage readers to focus on their many positive traits and achievements, and to help them accept kind words rather than shrug them off.

Banning of celebrities and models who do not show positive Self Respect, as voted by Girlfriend readers. Whether this is because the person may be over or under their healthiest weight, or they involve themselves in drink driving and other negative behaviors, Girlfriend are boosting the profile of positive role models and encouraging readers to vote for people who embody Self Respect by eliminating those who don’t.

Tips for Parents/Guardians to encourage positive Self Respect in their teens:

• Parents and Guardians are the major influences on how teenagers will develop a healthy self-respect. Girlfriend encourage you to use positive language when speaking about foods No more labeling of certain items as “junk food” or “bad”, but rather “healthy” food, and an ‘everything in moderation’ approach.

• Provide abundant and colorful fresh fruit and vegetables at home for your teens to eat whenever they are after a snack.

• Lead by example, and don’t make exercise out to be a chore. Find something you all enjoy and work it into your weekly schedule. Don’t bemoan them the fact you need to drop them off to sport – applaud their participation!

• Don’t underestimate positive compliments. Forget the ‘have you lost weight?’-type loaded compliment, but be liberal with kind words and acknowledge even the smallest steps in the right direction.

Supermodel Linda Evangalista might not get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day, but even she doesn’t roll out from under the covers looking ready to step on a catwalk. It’s time to start treating our minds, bodies and spirits in a respectful way, and we invite you along on this journey.

PLUS: Make sure you check out our winner of this years Girlfriend’ model comp search Gretta Schumacher. Gretta’s vibrant, chatty and so down to earth. She’s a real natural, she’s on this months cover and importantly Gretta loves the idea of strong “Self Respect”… You Go Gretta!!!

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