Social Context post #2

The Expulsion of Teen Magazines In and Out of Schools
By: Sheila Manohar

Sheila Manohar writes the article titled "The Expulsion of Teen Magazines In and Out of Schools." Manohar suggests rather banning the material altogether, why not use the material to create opportunities to help young women think critically.

Manohar begins the article by opening the discussion regarding teen consumerism and
teen marketing, it is astonishing to read some of the statistics that are listed. Manohar moves from the direction of teen consumerism into girls and magazines and offers the statistics as to which magazine is the most popular and what the content is in these magazines. As one can imagine half of the magazine is advisements and the other half is mainly beauty and self help articles that promise unrealistic outcomes.

Most girls reading the magazines stated that they read these articles because it tells them things that they do not learn anywhere else, things about boys, image, womanhood and sex. Many of which have a horrible impact on the reader and provides the girls with a unrealistic view of themselves and the society in which we live. Manohar states that no ifs and or buts about it girls like to read these magazines and that it that.

When discussing the next topic of in school solutions, Manohar takes a critical stance in regard to what suspending the magazines in school might actually do. She explains that the girls will find a way to read these magazines either way, and why not in the schools where teachers have a valuable role to teach the girls how to think critically about what kinds of messages that are being sent through the magazines instead of an outright ban, which in most cases will make the girls even more curious to read them anyway.

Manohar concludes that it is not our job to state if the magazines are in fact bad or good but that it is our job to teach the girls how to think critically about media and the influences that it has on our lives. In addressing these issues we may even have a chance to help boost the girls self-esteem, self-image, and create dialogue that relates to the issues that teens are facing on a daily basis. Manohar provides the reader first with the facts and then she offers ways in which teachers and parents can engage in conversation with girls about the things that they are reading, rather than banning the material we can foster critical thinking and better judgmentnt.

I agree with Manohar. I believe that if these magazines are banned then we are participating in censorship, which can be detrimental to the girls and the school system. I also believe that we have to foster critical thinking and this provides a great avenue. There are so many ways that you can use this material and have it for the good. I also think that it is important to talk about these issues because it is their reality and we have a job to meet our students where there are at and in their culture.

And above all that, when I was a teen I read these magazines all the time and I think I turned out just fine! (Well I guess that is a bit subjective!!