gstroop40861 beyoutiful

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Beyoutiful

A magazine showing you are beautiful just the way you are.

by troop 40861

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Draw a beautiful person.

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Table of contents

About this magazineThis magazine was created by the Girl Scouts of Troop 40861 as their Take Action Project for the MEdia Journey. Its purpose is to show how media can be used in a helpful and cre-ative way while instructing about the possible pitfalls kids of all ages may be exposed to. The girls are Angela N, Ciara W, Mackenzi H, Madison L, Mira M, and Sophia N.

The charts and quotes shown in the magazine all come from a survey the girls created, with 42 girls participating, ranging in age from Kindergarten through 12th grade.For more information, contact us at [email protected]

How Much Does Media Control Your Life?

by Mira M ................................................................................... 4

Your Media Status: A Quiz

by Madison L. ..........................................................................6

How the Media Affects Girls Like Us

by Mackenzi H. ...................................................................... 7

MEdia Crossword Puzzle

by Madison L ...........................................................................8

Pros and Cons of Photoshopping

by Ciara W. ................................................................................9

Miss Media’s Advice Column

by Angela N. ..........................................................................10

A Comic Strip About Media

by Sophia N. ........................................................................... 11

MEdia crossword puzzle

Across

3. The application commonly used to edit photos and more

6. The impression you have of yourself

Down

1. The thought of what one’s body should look like

2. Belief in yourself

4. The word that describes no flaws or mistakes

5. Communication through internet, books, TV, newspaper and much more

(Answers)

Word Bank:

Confidence Body-‐Image Perfect

Photoshop Media Self-‐esteem

Answers to MEdia Crossword Puzzle, page 8

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How Much Does Media Control Your Life?

by M i ra M .

Media plays a huge role in everybody’s lives, but few people actually think about the media. If you think about it, almost all of

the information you get is from media. Most of what you know isn’t from personal experience; it’s from a book or the internet. The media is an amazing and fast way of getting information, but you should learn information from living life, too. So, how do you get to your perfect balance?

You should probably start by figuring out what an appropriate balance is. You should spend an equal amount of time physically hanging out with your friends and family or engaging in new, cool activities. This will allow you to have experiences to learn from, so you don’t have to rely on the media for information. Through personal experiences, you can learn about dif-ferent sides of arguments and begin to understand the full meaning of the facts you see on the internet. Being balanced also means that you form your own opinions. It means that you look at the facts you get from both your experiences and the media, and decide which side of the argument makes more sense to you.

It might seem like this is obvious, or everybody is already having personal experiences from which to learn. The truth is that everybody has experiences, but they are not having enough of them. According to a survey conducted by Troop 40861, most people use media “all the time” (meaning more than once a

day). This means that most people are being exposed to media most of the time. Another study, by CNN, found that teens use media for about nine hours each day. This is 37.5% of their day. The average teen, how-ever, spends about seven hours sleeping. This means that teens spend over half of their waking day using media. School takes up another 35% of a teen’s wak-ing day. After factoring in extracurricular activities, eating, and homework, there is very little time left for teens to spend having new experiences.

If you have read everything in this article so far, you are in a good place. You have a goal, you have identified the problem, and you know what the cause is. Now, you need to start accepting it. It may be hard to understand why getting all of your infor-mation from the media is a problem. The media is a good place to learn facts, watch videos, and even read news. The issue is that the media can, at times, be extremely biased towards the side of an argument whose supporters pay more. Media is, after all, a business. Life is not. Bias is also extremely common in the media because sources that are considered “re-liable” are owned by a limited number of people, and the opinions that are out in the open are also limit-ed. In addition, people are more likely to learn from personal, emotional experiences; emotion resonates with people more than any statistic or fact. While media has the ability to provide users with emotion-

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ally backed information, personal experience is much more likely to do so. Therefore, the media should not be your only source of information.

Making a goal is a lot easier than achieving that goal. First, you need to create a plan of how to achieve your goal. In this case, your goal can be achieved only by solving the problem identified earlier in this article. You need to have more personal experiences, and you need to spend less time using the media. This may seem like a difficult thing to achieve, so I have included some tips to help you. After looking at the tips, outline your own list of steps to achieve your goal, and create a schedule to carry out those steps. This will help you to ensure that you achieve your goal. The basic steps of a simple and effective plan to solve your problem and reach your goal are as follows:

# Tip Try to ... For example ...

1 Be mentally present during the time you already spend physi-cally hanging out with people.

Don’t use media while you are spending time with someone else.

If you are hanging out with your friend, you shouldn’t also play on your phone.

2 Be efficient about the time you already aren’t using media.

Do something interesting when you aren’t using media.

You should play outside rather than sitting around on the couch.

3 Minimize the amount of time you spend using the media.

Do what you want using the media fast.

If you are writing an essay, come up with a plan before you write it. This will allow you to write it faster.

4 Be friendly, and spend time with new people.

Make new friends; the right people will make you want to get off of the media.

If there is a new kid at school, talk to them.

5 Only use media for a little bit at a time.

Take a break from media after spending a while using it.

If you have been playing a game for 30 minutes, go eat a snack or talk to your siblings.

If you were to put media on a scale, you would want to put life experiences on the other side of the scale, and have it stay even. If you don’t use enough media, the life experience side of the scale will weigh you down, and you might not be doing things effi-ciently. If you use too much media, the media side of the scale will weigh you down, and it might keep you away from the people that matter to you in life.

Pass the message along to your friends and family, so you can improve your relationships and help them improve their lives. heart

Check out these sources I used to learn more information:http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/03/health/teens-tweens-media-screen-use-report/http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/sleep-in-adolescents

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1. What do you do when you first get home?a. Check my Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and computer, I need to stay informed. b. I run to get a snack, and sometimes I check a few social media accounts. c. I come home and make myself a tasty snack, and go outside to eat it.

2. How do you feel after you check social media? a. It depends on how many likes I get on my post.b. I feel interested in the lives of others. c. I don’t have any social media accounts, and if I do I don’t check them.

3. How many social media accounts do you have?a. 5 or more b. 2-3c. 0-1

4. How much time do you spend on social media per day?a. More time than I can count. b. About a half an hour. c. Less than half an hour

5. You are going on a trip, what are you most likely to grab first?a. My laptop, phone, a magazine, how can I choose just one? b. A good book. c. Some food, I mostly just relax and enjoy the fresh outdoors.

6. How would you ask a friend to come over to your house?a. You text them on your cellphone, Snapchat or through Facebook chat. b. You call them from your home phone. c. You ask them at school or just walk over to their house

by Madison L .

Your Media Status: A Quiz

Results:

Mostly a’s: You rely on the media: You rely on media too often and should try to take a break once in a while.

Mostly b’s: You have a balance: You rely on media some of the time, but not overwhelmingly. Try to take some breaks once in a while.

Mostly c’s: You do not rely on media whatsoever: Media is not always a bad thing; it can be useful for school and making plans with friends.

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I think that the media affects girls like us because they treat girls like they are not as important unless they play a sport or they do anything

manly. This is why women/girls/mothers stay home and cook and don’t go too work. This is one reason why girls/women are treated badly in media.

In the media such as video games, books, TV shows, music, etc., girls are being not being included, because in video games there are no girl characters such as in Halo. And in music girls are the one usually being referred in a sexual way. The girls in the media are being treated badly.

In media girls think that they need to live up to the expectations such as in Barbie. But in reality girls should think whatever they feel like doing whether being a lawyer or a video game maker. Girls should live up to what they want to do with their own life, not what some character tells them to be.

In conclusion, girls are affected in the media but we can change that as long as we try. heart

by Mackenzi H .

How the Media Affects Girls Like Us

DID YOU KNOW?FROM OUR MEDIA SURVEY

3/30/16, 7:20 AMGirl Scout "MEdia" Survey - Google Forms

Page 4 of 16https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11NqBjLsZIQbuUGHQQEQGb_EaSsE-vzvdNVi5T7KNs1c/edit#responses

Do you feel that Photoshopping and retouching of images has gotten out ofcontrol?

(42 responses)

How do you think Photoshop affects your ideas of what girls should looklike?

(42 responses)

Please elaborate and explain your choice for the above answer. (42 responses)

If everyone shows the girls are perfect. Then the girls will think they have to live up to that.

YesNo

76.2%

YesNo

16.7%

83.3%

I think it's good - why shouldn't peopletry to look perfect if they can?I think that Photoshop is okay as longas they're still recognizable as theiractual untouched appearance.I think people look like robots!I think it's a bad idea to touch peopleup, and it raises the bar way too high.I think that Photoshop is completelyunrelated to the idea of what girls s…

19%45.2%

33.3%

DOES THE WAY THE MEDIA SHOWS CERTAIN GROUPS UPSET YOU?



This video just proves my point about photoshop: it creates a person that doesn't exist. Young children need to bepraised for the way the look and the "flaws" or differences we have!

I have already seen it

Just like i said it as an impact on some young girl around my age (about 12-16) and that impact is that they thinkthat thay have to look just like the picture and just have a "perfect body" and just it's just not good for them tothink that they have to change not the photo. And you may be thinking what about you? Well i have the best momever and she alwasys has called me beautilful and that what is in the magazins are just all lies.

its bad to do this to a person

I think it definitely makes me realize how out of control Phitoshol has become.

She looked fine the way she naturally was, she didn't need to use the makeup to make her look better. She didn'teven look that much different so she didn't need the Photoshop and she just wasted make up for no reason.

because i thiunk they made her into a new person and thats not here

I think that people get out of hand

NA

I think she was pretty without any make-up. The make up and hair design was great - they did not need to do anycomputer touch-ups. If someone did that to my picture it would make me feel sad.

.

Does the way the media shows certain groups upset you? (42 responses)

Why did you answer the way you did for the above question? (42 responses)

I don't know

YesNo

33.3%

66.7%

“ So much about the media is disturbing. I hate that I will raise children in an environment that is so focused on the media and the portrayal of specific groups of people while conveniently leaving others out. We live in a scary world and I want things to change so that women are fully respected in our society for who we are and not who we could be.”



they are very popular and im not

Would have like the option to say sometimes. Don't like the way they tend to sterotype.

Because this is the reason for my own self esteem problems when I was younger so I don't want anyone to gothrough that!

Because you feel lied to

i don't really know.

I think it's okay at least the media I watch.

i think its right

I think that everybody should be respected.

Because of stereotypes. For example, race, they put black people out as bad people, and white people as goodpeople, and then other races being in certain groups killing people.

hfbh

because there no really real just pepole try to be

it doesn't upset me

because the media plays up the differences - their weight, their intellegence

I don't let it bother me, but I'm not on facebook

Do you feel like you are being shown disturbing content regarding females?(42 responses)

Who isn't being shown in the media? Who's left out? (42 responses)

YesNoI know it exists, but I haven't actuallyseen it.

42.9%

26.2%

31%



they are very popular and im not

Would have like the option to say sometimes. Don't like the way they tend to sterotype.

Because this is the reason for my own self esteem problems when I was younger so I don't want anyone to gothrough that!

Because you feel lied to

i don't really know.

I think it's okay at least the media I watch.

i think its right

I think that everybody should be respected.

Because of stereotypes. For example, race, they put black people out as bad people, and white people as goodpeople, and then other races being in certain groups killing people.

hfbh

because there no really real just pepole try to be

it doesn't upset me

because the media plays up the differences - their weight, their intellegence

I don't let it bother me, but I'm not on facebook

Do you feel like you are being shown disturbing content regarding females?(42 responses)

Who isn't being shown in the media? Who's left out? (42 responses)

YesNoI know it exists, but I haven't actuallyseen it.

42.9%

26.2%

31%

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE BEING SHOWN DISTURBING CONTENT REGARDING FEMALES?

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by Madison L .

MEdia Crossword Puzzle

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Photoshopping is a way of changing a photo. It can be used to change backgrounds, add in something, or take something out. A lot of pictures in the media are

photoshopped. Sometimes the media gets out of control with the photoshopping to the point where people are unrecogniz-able. Though it can be a terrible thing not all photoshopping is wrong. Here are some of the pros and cons of Photoshop.

ProsSome photoshopping that is not as serious can be a good thing.

It can help change the background in case you are unable to go to the scene. Here are just some of the good things about Photoshop:• Small differences that are usually not there can be cropped

out (zits, glares in glasses, bruises)• It can crop people into photos if they are not there.• Photos can be magnified to focus on one person or product• The background of a photo can be lightened or darkened.• Labels of companies can be cropped out.

ConsSerious photoshopping can be a terrible thing. It can be

used to the point that people are unrecognizable. Here are just some of the bad things about Photoshop:• Big changes can be made that are not usual (skin tone,

weight, hair color, eye color).• A company could not be given the credit they deserve if

labels are cropped out.• People can be cropped out of photos.• A picture’s background can be changed making a photo

look like it is from somewhere else and be used to promote a different place. heart

Pros and Cons of Photoshoppingby Ciara W .

DID YOU KNOW?FROM OUR MEDIA SURVEY

“ We have created a distorted image of what girls and women look like. Girls are set up to believe in unrealistic expectations for themselves and their lives. We are putting girls into boxes, ones shaped about the ‘ideal’ woman, which isn’t true, helpful or healthy.”




(42 responses)


(42 responses)



YesNo

76.2%

YesNo

16.7%

83.3%


19%45.2%

33.3%




(42 responses)


(42 responses)



YesNo

76.2%

YesNo

16.7%

83.3%


19%45.2%

33.3%

DO YOU FEEL THAT PHOTOSHOPPING AND RETOUCHING OF IMAGES HAS GOTTEN OUT OF CONTROL?




(42 responses)


(42 responses)



YesNo

76.2%

YesNo

16.7%

83.3%


19%45.2%

33.3%




(42 responses)


(42 responses)



YesNo

76.2%

YesNo

16.7%

83.3%


19%45.2%

33.3%

I think it’s good – why shouldn’t people try to look perfect if they can?

I think that Photoshop is okay as long as they’re still recognizable as their actual untouched appearance.

I think people look like robots!

I think it’s a bad idea to touch people up, and it raises the bar way too high.

I think that Photoshop is completely unrelated to the idea of what girls should look like.

HOW DO YOU THINK PHOTOSHOP AFFECTS YOUR IDEAS OF WHAT GIRLS SHOULD LOOK LIKE?




(42 responses)


(42 responses)



YesNo

76.2%

YesNo

16.7%

83.3%


19%45.2%

33.3%




(42 responses)


(42 responses)



YesNo

76.2%

YesNo

16.7%

83.3%


19%45.2%

33.3%




(42 responses)


(42 responses)



YesNo

76.2%

YesNo

16.7%

83.3%


19%45.2%

33.3%

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Dear Miss Media, Why don’t the people on TV look like everyday people?From, Confused in Colorado

Well, Confused, people on TV have makeup on and they have hair styling so, yes, they don’t look like everyday people.

Dear Miss Media, I feel like I don’t look like the people in ads and commercials. Am I supposed to look like those people?From, Worried in Wisconsin

Dear Worried, you don’t need to look like those people. Accept that you are beautiful in your own way! And guess what — the people in ads and commercials look like that because of makeup, Photoshop, hair styling and retouching.

Dear Miss Media, Is Photoshop a good thing or a bad thing?From, Not Sure in New Jersey

Dear Not Sure, Photoshop is both good and bad. It can be good if someone wasn’t there when a photo was taken and he/she needs to be in the photo and to change the background and many other things. But Photoshop can be bad if someone clearly changes the appearance of someone else (read Ciara’s article on page 9).

Dear Miss Media, I use media all the time and I see people not fairly portrayed in the media. Is that OK?From, Unsure in Utah

Dear Unsure, it’s OK if you use media all the time, and it’s OK if you see people not fairly portrayed in the media, I’m glad you recognize it! You can write to the people who made those songs or videos or ads or com-mercials and tell them that it’s not realistic. Try to tell your friends and family that it is not right for people to be not fairly portrayed in the media. heart

Miss Media’s Advice Column

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a co

mic strip

about m

edia

talk b

y S

ophia

N.

the end

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Now that you’ve read this, draw a beautiful person again.

Has anything changed?

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