In The Mix: Self Image--The Fantasy, The Reality

Think about the teenage girls of America, counting the peas on their dinner plates and then working out obsessively in order to lose weight. Or the boys, popping steroids and pumping iron in order to make themselves look like the cover of Fitness magazine. The images of "perfect" bodies presented by the media have driven many of today's young people to hate themselves enough to fall victim to eating disorders and drug abuse without ever knowing the truth: that those images are fantasies and not meant to reflect real life. This edition of PBS' award-winning series In The Mix addresses topics on the minds of a lot of kids today--diets, steroids, eating disorders, body image, and encourages viewers to choose a personal style and adopt good health practices. Teen hosts visit a photo shoot for YM Magazine and uncover some photo retouching. The head of Ford Modeling lets us know "fantasy sells," models are "naturally thin," and what you see on the page is more like a dream than reality. Young men talk of drug abuse, and what they like in a girl "beyond the body." Young women feel pressured to be thin. Learning to love yourself is clearly the message here, and the style is so freewheeling that the intended audience won't feel like they're attending a lecture. Excellent and informative, this tape would make a good addition to any YA collection. Highly recommended. Aud: J, H, P. (E. Druda)