Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families
#1210 - Breaking Free from Beauty Sickness
Published: 25 March 2025 at 18:00 Europe/London
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Episode notes
What happens when the mirror moves from our wall to our head? In this preview of Saturday's interview with Professor Renee Engeln, discover how beauty sickness affects women and girls, why being "ladylike" might mean "stay small," and how to teach children to value their bodies for what they can do rather than how they look. Plus, understand why having two social media accounts might signal a deeper cultural problem.
Quote of the Episode: "Bodies are super cool... teach your children about how cool they are, like all the amazing things they can do—not so they can look good to other people."
Key Insights:
- Self-objectification develops when external scrutiny becomes internal.
- Beauty standards affect women disproportionately.
- "Ladylike" behaviour often teaches girls to stay small.
- Social media creates additional appearance pressure.
- Cultural expectations create exhausting beauty demands.
- Body appreciation should focus on function over appearance.
- Simple activities like hugging and smiling show body value.
- Cultural change is needed more than individual change.
Resources Mentioned:
- Beauty Sick by Renee Engeln
- Northwestern University research
- Happy Families
Action Steps for Parents:
- Focus on what bodies can do rather than how they look.
- Avoid appearance-based conversations.
- Enable physical exploration and movement.
- Celebrate body functionality over aesthetics.
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