It’s hard growing up and with shrinking sizes and aggressive advertising enforcing confusion and negative self-perceptions in the minds of our youth, counsellors and mental health professionals have had to get creative.
“Body image issues have been around for at least a generation,” Jenni Savigny Project Coordinator, Mental Illness Education ACT (MIEACT) said, “I grew up with them and sometimes I feel like not a lot has changed. So much has been written on the topic in a pamphlet style way, and it just doesn’t have any impact.”
Tuggeranong Arts Centre’s Messenger program in association with MIEACT is working hard to shatter the negative perceptions of young people. With the already booming success of last years ‘Body Image, Body Scrimmage,’ which won the 2006 Yogie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Participation, the next publication is set to cause a stir.
‘Attack of the Barbies’ will be unveiled on the 13th of October by Sydney playwright, Sue Murray. The book contains a collection of stories, poems and drawings about body-image and self-esteem from young people aged between 14 and 18 from Erindale College, Lyneham High School, Gold Creek School, Amaroo School, Wanniassa High School, Calwell High School, Lanyon High School and Alfred Deakin High School.
Stories from ‘Attack of the Barbies’ and 2006’s ‘Body Image, Body Scrimmage’ were workshopped by students into scripts under the direction of Dianna Nixon of the Tuggeranong Arts Centre’s Messengers Program.
For the young participants, writing and dramatising their secret thoughts has been the key to challenging and dispelling myths about body image. The project has explored the way in which unhealthy perceptions of body image cause great unhappiness during adolescence.
“I think that stories are very powerful and I think young people have a lot of stories to tell that are really valuable,” said Jenni. “The project has been about creating a really safe place for young people to be supported professionally to tell stories. But what’s really interesting is while we said it’s a creative writing project, so many of the stories are autobiographical or semi-autobiographical.”
Jenni emphasises how different ‘Attack of the Barbies’ is from other forms of body image communication. “It’s the voice of young people, their own wisdom and solutions to problems. Young people don’t read pamphlets or pay attention to them, but they do listen to what other young people have to say.”
And that they have. Young people struggling with their own identity and sense of self have taken advantage of the opportunity to communicate their fears and hopes to other young people, in an effort to bring about change.
Wade, 16, from Calwell High School got involved in the program through his school counsellor. “I wrote a story about not judging people by how they look. No one is worthless, everyone has something to contribute,” said Wade. “Body image isn’t the most important thing to me, but it is for some other people I know.”
Wade also accepted to partake in drama workshops which resulted in an acting role in the production. “I get to play a different role in a series of skits which are adapted from my classmate’s short stories.”
In addition to this, Wade is proud to be doing his part in helping other young people. “I think my story and the production can help other people with negative body image. I can share my positive outlook.”
Jenny Blake, Messengers Program Coordinator, The Tuggeranong Arts Centre has been blown away by the quality of work produced by the young people, both in writing and on the stage.
“We offered 4 drama work shops to all students who submitted a story for the book. All students received one on one mentoring, it was a creative outlet process that’s been really rewarding for them and us,” Jenny said.
More than just sharing their stories, the young people have produced a resource that is sure to become valuable to schools and parents. “We are providing education for a whole range of audiences. We are not only supporting the people who are participating but its also going to benefit the larger community of young people in Canberra.”
Ashleigh, 17 from Erindale College shares an interesting point in her story. “I wrote about a girl who is looking at beautiful models in an advertisement of a glossy magazine.” The story takes a turn and is then told from the perspective of the model.
Ashleigh was intent on showing that there is always more than one side to a story. “You always have to look at both sides to gain perspective,” she said.
“I hope that the stories and performance get people thinking about body image and how it effects people”
The project has been an exhausting yet cathartic experience for all the students involved, especially Ashleigh. “Sometimes you don’t really know how much something affects you until your part of a project like this. It takes time to develop a positive body image, I think mines always developing.”
With so many different genres of stories, from chat-room discussions and diary style entries to creative cartoon strips, there is something there to speak to every segment of our youth.
“Everyone can relate. You might have personally thought or felt some of these things, or you may know someone who has,” Ashleigh said. “Some people may be fortunate enough to have no experience with the issue, but if you can understand someone else’s point of view, then that’s great.”
The young group will tour ‘Attack of the Barbies’ around Canberra’s schools, taking their messages with them.
The ‘Attack of the Barbies’ book launch will take place on Saturday 13th October at 3pm, with the performances taking place at 4pm and 7.30pm. Tuggeranong Arts Centre will open up its doors on Sunday 14th October at 5pm for a final performance. A gold coin donation is appreciated.
