Hollywood

Mandy Moore Drops Some Knowledge: Magazines ‘Absolutely’ Have Negative Effect On Girls

America’s sweetheart Mandy Moore may have graced the covers of countless magazines in her career, but that doesn’t mean she thinks the publications always have the best interests of female readers in mind. During a Thursday morning appearance on “Starting Point,” the Dove spokeswoman said that self-esteem problems are common among girls and that these young ladies need “tangible” day-to-day role models–such as their mother or teacher–to look up to.

When asked by a male CNN panelist whether “modern beauty magazines have a negative effect on the self-esteem of young women,” Moore answered, “Yeah, absolutely. I think they do” after stating that her mother has always been her role model.

This argument is as old as time itself, but tough to counter. On one hand, photospreads splashed across the pages of magazines can inspire readers, yet these pictures can also make tweens and teens feel inadequate. That is partly why 14-year-old Julia Bluhm staged a mock photoshoot outside Seventeen magazine’s headquarters and petitioned to get the publication to print more unaltered snapshots of models last month. She felt the mag was doing its audience a disservice by publishing doctored, unrealistic images of women. Moore explained that she understands the struggle of self-consciousness all too well, as she stands tall at five foot ten and has towered over others for much of her life. Of course, little came out of Bluhm’s protest, but perhaps if famous figures such as Moore speak out about his issue more often, magazines will take the hint that they may be doing their loyal readers more harm than good.

TAGS: julia bluhm | mandy moore | seventeen magazine

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