GUEST COLUMN: "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall"

Two years ago on nationwide television, Oprah Winfrey rolled out a wagon of meat corresponding to the 60 pounds she had lost on a liquid diet. The episode garnered her highest ratings ever. Why were we so inspired and why did Oprah suddenly become America's role model? Because she chose to conform to society's ideals of beauty and lose weight in the fastest way possible? Why did we even care? Our image of beauty is one word -- thin. This "beauty myth," as it is sometimes called, is supplied by the media, parents and peers, and is perpetuated by society. And how about your emaciated roommate who is convinced she is fat? What about that hot guy in your chem class who gets all the women? Or that beautiful blond in your history class -- you know, the gorgeous one every guy is in love with? Are these people really happy? They may look good on the outside, but many are suffering. They may have very low self esteem, and could be destroying their bodies. Isn't it usually that hot jock who you suddenly find out is using steroids, and that gorgeous woman who cries herself to sleep because she thinks she is too fat? This is a reflection on society's values today. Thinness is the rule we play by -- only in this game there isn't any room for exception. Before we superficially judge those around us, maybe we should all take a deeper inward look. "Mirror, mirror on the wall . . . " Maybe you've seen these signs around campus during the past week. This has been GUIDE's attempt to encourage that deeper look. GUIDE -- Guidance for Understanding Image, Dieting and Eating -- is a two-year-old peer education group whose workshops explore society's mixed messages on body image. We address how to recognize destructive behaviors, and provide techniques to offer support and assistance. If you have not heard of us, this may be because body image and self esteem are not considered critical issues at Penn in comparison to issues of sexual assault, sexual health and alcoholism. In actuality, body image and self esteem are contributing factors to these problems, although we often fail to recognize it. Destructive patterns are especially prevalent in a college environment where peer pressure and desire to fit in are the norms. Still think this isn't a big deal? Okay, let's take it to a more personal level . . . Pick a friend -- you must have more than one who constantly talks about how much weight she has to lose before summer. Okay, now think of another one, one who flips out if he misses a day at the gym. Or your girlfriend who only orders salad and will only make love when the lights are off. And more seriously, how about your emaciated roommate who is so skinny you can't imagine how she has the strength to make it through the day? Or the athlete who chews his or her food and then spits it out to maintain a proper competing weight? You may not be worried about these people -- these behaviors are extremely commonplace. However, it is important to realize that these actions are signs of negative self esteem and can develop into more serious problems, such as excessive dieting, compulsive exercising, anorexia or bulimia. Most of us accept the images presented to us without question until we see the extreme effects of negative body image in anorexics or bulimics. But everyone can be negatively affected by images and ideals, even if they are not starving themselves or throwing up. These images can subtly chisel our self esteem away. We know that we should love ourselves for who we are, yet few of us actually do. How can we feel good about ourselves when we are told by society how we should look and feel? Remaining silent and ignoring the problem are not solutions and will not make it go away. Maybe the next time you hear a negative comment about that fat person, you will speak out -- if only to make your friend stop and think twice. There is no easy solution. The power to change comes from within us. It takes courage to stand up and challenge society's values, and it takes equal courage to love yourself the way you are. Bodies come in different shapes and sizes, yet rarely is this diversity seen as positive. Two of our slogans are "Relax, you're more than okay," and "Love your body, it's the only one you've got." Words to live by? Maybe not. But we should think about them before we are so quick to judge ourselves and one another. Oprah is one of the most successful women in television, yet we still focus on the fact that she is "overweight" and gained back the weight she lost. Despite the scrutiny, Oprah claims she is happier now than ever before. She has come to terms with her body and has learned to accept herself for the person she is. Can we? Marci Gluck is a senior Psychology major from Princeton Junction, New Jersey, and founder of GUIDE. Kammie Gormezanno is a College sophomore from Brooklyn, New York, and a GUIDE Peer Health Educator. Students are invited to attend an open workshop tonight at 6:00 p.m. in Houston Hall's Ben Franklin Room. For more information or to schedule a group workshop, call 662-7126.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.