7A # ® OlEWaWJe CJatlotte #o«t
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Girls face self-esteem issues
Continued from page 1A
particularlj^ does it have an
effect on the self-esteem of
black girls? Some may not
believe these songs are
geared toward youths, but
urban stations WPEG and
WTBTs target audience is
between the ages of 12 and
25.
As well, clothing has
become increasingly provoca
tive in recent years. Micro
minis and pants with words
across the butt were very
popular, but are those clothes
appropriate for the age group
they are marketed to?
In a 2005 New York Times
article, author Denise Brodey
examined how “Blacks
Joined the Eating Disorder
Mainstream.” The subject
has gained momentum in
recent years, as the numbers
of bulimics and anorexics in
the African American com
munity have increased. Once
thoi^t a problem for other
cultures, Brodey explained
that, “comparisons to white
peers and images of white
celebrities in the media” have
lead some black youth to hate
their bodies, and strive for
xmattainable figures.
Even more prevalent is the
increased ixse of laxatives as
a weight loss tool, in the black
community White women in
their teens and 20s still
account for most anorexia
cases in the U.S. A 2003
study published in The
American Journal of
Psychiatry foimd “yoimg
black women were as likely
as white women to report
binge eating.” In an earUer
study published in 2000 in
Ardiives of Family Medicine,
black women were found to
be “as likely as white women
to report binge eating or vom
iting and were more likely to
report fasting and the abuse
of laxatives or diuretics than
their white peers.”
For years the medical com-
mimity did not believe eating
disorders were a problem for
blacks because of the self
Rice: Civil
war, Iraq
are similar
By Bary Schweid
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON ■ Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice is
drawing a parallel between
the Iraq war and the Civil
War. Both had their critics
but both were justified, she
says.
B ln both cases,
it was the right
decision to
fight and see
the wars
throu^, Rice,
who is black
p. and is from
Alabama, said
in an interview
with Essence Magazine.
Asked if she stiH thought
the decision to go to war in
Iraq in 2003 was right, con
sidering the cost in lives and
treasure, Rice said,
“Absolutely”
Rice then offered a parallel
between critics of the admin
istration’s Iraq policies and
"people who thou^t it was a
mistake to fight the Civil War
(in this country) to its end
and to insist that the emanci
pation of slaves would hold.”
‘T’m sure that there were
people .who said, “why don't
we get out of this now, take a
peace with the South, but
leave the South with slaves.”
“Just because things ai’e
difficult, it doesn’t mean that
they are wrong or that you
turn, back,” Rice told the mag
azine, which has a large audi
ence among African-
Americans.
Rice, a former academic,
said she spent the summer
reading biographies of the
Poundir^ Fathers and said
she was certain “there were
people who thought the
Declaration of Independence
was a mistake" as well.
image of black women as
“brick houses.”
“Curvy African-American
women were celebrated,” said
Dr. Gayle Brcroks, anAfiican-
American psychologist and
vice president of clinical ser
vices at the Renfiew Center
in Cocpnut Creek, Ma., an
eatir^ disorders treatment
center. “These girls didn’t
experience anxiety and
shame about their bodies.
Being cuivy or large was a
source of pride within the
Afiican-American communi
ty”
Yet in recent years that has
chained. “In the past 10
years, there has been a
tremendous cultural shift;
The image of the ideal body
image is narrower,” said Dr.
Ira Sacker, an expert in eat
ing disorders and foimder of
the Helping End Eating
Disorders Foundation in New
York. “Black women, Latina
women, they all feel the need
to be thin to fit in.” In some
cases, minority women
believe beir^ thin wOl hdp
them fit into mainstream
white culture, on the profes
sional level, and on the play
ground.
Anorexia is tiie third most
common chronic illness
among adolescents and 95
percent of those with eating
disorders are between the
ages of 12 and 25. According
to the Office of Women’s
Health, 50 percent of girls
between the ages of 11 and 13
see themselves as over-
weight.One possible reason
for this change in perception
could be that black women
pictured in magazines today
often have body types similar
to white women. For eveiy
Beyonce, there are still more
Ya-Ya’s, and even Beyonce
isn’t as thick as she used to
be.
One industry that has been
accused of creating unrealis
tic views of shape and women
in general is the exotic dance,
or stripper community
However, not everyone
Hines-Brown manages 42
female and male exotic
dancers. She says the prob
lem in her dau^ter’s case
has nothir^ to do with the
industry she wca-ks in, but
rather what they see in
school.
“She looks around her and
sees other high school stu
dents in high heels (some
higher than the girls wear
dancdi^), girls wear halter
tops, and tops with spaghetti
straps to school these days,”
she said. “They wouldn’t let
us wear a tube top or halter
top when I was in school. My
daughter looks around her
and thinks she’s behind, or
I’m b^iind because I won’t let
her wear that stuff”
As a parent, Hines-Brown
keeps a dose watch on what
her dat^ter wears. “She
had on a t-shirt one time that
said, “Smile —Your Boyfiiend
did last night.’ I asked her
T)o you know what that is
implying That you were with
a man last night, and he
enjoyed himself,’ TTiough
other kids at her school are
wearing shirts like that, I
took her back to the store to
pick out a different shirt.
Tlxat is not a shirt I am going
to let her wear.”
Hines-Brown’s son, 18, and
daughter, 16, both are aware
of what their mother does for
a living and are not allowed
to see shows. However, what
is good for the goose is not
good enough for the gander.
“Would I let her dance if she
was 18? No. Would I let her
dance at any age, no,” said
Hines-Brown. ‘Yes, it’s a
legitimate form of making
money but I wouldn’t want it
for my duldreai.”
‘T want them to make there
own way This is how I sup
ported my children; my moth
er cleaned houses, and made
a good living doing it, but she
didn’t want us to do that.”
Even in the industry she
works, Hines-Brown finds
tiiat it is visually the more
attractive girls who feel inad
equate.
Cliai-lestoxx Hoxise
on The Plaza.
A T_c.-w Country Restaurant
...11:30 a.
..5:00 p.r
3128 The Plaza
Charlotte, NC 28205
704-333-4441
T_ols of good food arid Leverages!
Wf 11 feed’ you til we fill’ you up, fuL true!
your 2006 Even t By Septemher 30, 2006
and 25% off
I3ooL Your:
■ YC^dding Receptior IS • Rehearsal Dinners *
• office Parties • Family Re unions •
Fkr1gin^a%>ai1ahle
nd shuttle
services
offu
Monday • Wediesday Only;
100.00 Mlmbraids INCLUDm Human Hair
Aabics
HAIR BRAIDINfi
all-day, meryday.
704.370.0828
Darlene Hines-Brown,
owner of Maryland-based
Entertainment With Class,
Struves to help her daugh
ter with self-image and self
esteem issues.
“My daughter is not secure
in herself,’’ said Hines-
Brown. “She’s had problems
in school. She lets people tell
her she’s ugly, and she
believes it.”-
Come on in.
The rates
are great.
Money Market Accounts
Certificate of Deposit
4.25 S 5.25
12-Month CD
• High rates
• Locked-in rate of return
• FDIC-insured
for balances of $5,000 or more
• Great rate
• Easy access to your funds
• FDIC-insured
Pius, you'll get a $50
bonus!' Mention code
CPB17.
For more information or the latest rates, contact the local
MetLife Financial Services Office listed here:
Al Grier, CLU, ChFC Rnanoal Planner
have you met life today?
iSlfe
MetLife
It Genesis is to help transform your personal
vision Into reality by empowering you ttirough financlel planning.
Most financial plans begin and end with the numbers. Our
process will begin with you —
Wnat’s Important to you?
Where are vou at today?
What is your vision for the future?
Are you moving In tho right cilroetionT
News you can get
your hands
on
Cjiarlotte
'A lifetime of health starts here. ’
rT - —-
Urgent Care • School/Sport Physical
Sports Injury • Allergy Test
MinorTrautna • In-House Lab/X-Ray
• Immunization
f
Andrew Ighade, MD FAAP
BOARD CERTIFIED
4G OUT
f’e.OfiMCTiOfllS
Proudly Presentu
I
The HiiaHouf Hit Stag* Playt
Coming to
Ovens Auditoduim
S«tut4*y SoptemImrMi Jpm mi4 Spm
Bundity Wth M
&
Monday-Friday 8;00am-5:00pm • Saturday 9;00am-1,;00pni
CALL NOW FOR APPOINTMENTS
2540 West Arrowood Rd. Suite 100
Charlotte, NC 28273
www.midcarolinaped.com
(704) 588-0232 phone (704) 588-0445 fax
Se Habla Espohol
AU MAJOR INSURANCES ACCEPTED • WALK-INS WELCOME
Ttciwt* VltM (ot 3pm Sliow* «Mi $26M Night
tor more into go to
ctwp'-