The Diva Generation

July 15, 2009

Grace Lin   , Staff Reporter •

Filed under Opinions

“Sit in our flower chairs and become a rock star, fairy princess, or diva!” That may be the last thing you want to do on earth, but for many tweens across the nation, it’s all they’ve ever wanted. And Razzberry Lips knows it. A fashion store aimed at girls ages 5 to 12, the garishly pink-and-purple Razzberry Lips offers a variety of clothing and specializes in diva birthday parties, complete with makeovers for the birthday girl and all her friends. Unfortunately, such makeovers are becoming a growing trend among today’s tween girls, who primarily range from ages 8 to 12. Dubbed the Diva Generation, these young girls are overly concerned with their physical appearance, putting on makeup and clothes that should be reserved for older ages. Though many would argue that this is all just for fun, it won’t be long before the fun turns into a dangerously obsessive emphasis on physical beauty.

With stores like Razzberry Lips and Justice for Girls encouraging walk-in makeovers and spas like Dimples Kids Spa offering facials and manicures specifically for toddlers, it’s no wonder that girls are aspiring to be older at younger ages. The media has also played a principal role in shaping the Diva Generation. According to “Goodbye to Girlhood,” an article from The Washington Post, the American Psychological Association’s Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls released a report in 2007 discussing the sexualization of women and girls in American culture and mainstream media. The report authors found that “such images are found in virtually every medium, from TV shows to magazines and from music videos to the Internet.” TV shows like TLC’s “Toddlers and Tiaras” are particularly indicative of the oversexualized messages that society sends to little girls. Egged on by their pushy mothers, girls as young as 3 are seen parading around in midriff-baring costumes, performing provocative dances for the judges and receiving beauty treatments that include false teeth and spray tans. While these girls are certainly on the extreme side of the Diva Generation, their more-than-questionable behavior is a sign of the dangers that can arise from such an appearance-based culture as ours.

A prime concern is the impact that these social messages will have on the self-esteem and body image of the Diva Generation. The same 2007 APA report cited in “Goodbye to Girlhood” argued that sexualization can lead to “three of the most common mental health problems of girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression.” There has indeed been evidence of a rise in eating disorders among younger children, including both girls and boys. In “Goodbye to Girlhood,” Adelaide Robb, director of inpatient psychiatry at Children’s National Medical Center, commented on the visible difference in ages of eating disorder patients: “A decade ago, new eating disorder patients at Children’s National Medical Center tended to be around age 15. Today kids come in as young as 5 or 6.”

Professionals aren’t the only ones noticing the troubles of the new Diva Generation. Parents are, too. Ms. Edson, whose daughter is age 7, has especially noticed it when she goes shopping for her daughter: “In all the stores we go to, like Old Navy, Nordstrom, and Gap, the clothing for girls my daughter’s age is the kind of clothing you’d see on teenagers. There will be the low-rise shorts and the spaghetti tank-tops. It’s very difficult to find clothing for little girls.” Ms. Taylor, whose girls are ages 6 and 8, has also witnessed this problem: “I see the size 4T jeans that are low-rise and the long shirts made in kids’ sizes. But kids don’t even have the figure to wear those kinds of shirts yet.”

So who, exactly, is to blame for this problem? Certainly the media bears a sizable portion of the responsibility, but ultimately the fault lies with overindulging parents. As examples for their children, parents can have a wide influence over their kids’ behavior, particularly when they are at such young ages. “I think it really does come down to parenting,” said Ms. Taylor. “I think as a parent you need to set up appropriate limits for kids, to really know where you stand, have confidence in your beliefs and not let the media influence you in how you deal with your kids.” Ms. Edson similarly acknowledges the need for parents to remain strong in the boundaries they set for their children: “Parents won’t admit it, but there is peer pressure for them to be the cool parents. No one wants to be the one whose kids say, ‘Oh, my parents never let me do this…’ But ultimately, I think it begins and ends at home. Responsibility falls on us as consumers and parents.”

The Diva Generation’s problem is not that little girls are putting on makeup or getting manicures and pedicures. The problem is that for them, these activities are becoming the norm. Instead of going to a salon on a special occasion or for a birthday party, Diva Generation girls are starting to dress up and receive beauty treatments as a consistent routine. When beauty becomes the focus of their lives, girls start to grow up too soon – and lose their childhood along the way. “There needs to be a line between childhood and adulthood,” said Ms. Edson. “Kids should have time to just be kids.” Ironically, Razzberry Lips thinks so too. Its motto is, after all, “Where girls can be girls.” But with the way things are going, girls won’t get a chance to be girls any longer, unless society and parents begin changing their rules.

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Tags: diva, inappropriate dress