A Mississippi middle school has offered body-slimming shapewear to female students this month, leading to furious backlash.
Southaven Middle School in northern Mississippi sent a letter home to parents of teen and tween girls, educating on the issue of negative body image.
It concluded with an offer from the school’s counselors to provide shapewear — a foundation garment that’s used alter a person’s body shape — to any of the students, aged 10 to 14, whose parents agreed to it.
The shocking letter was shared on social media by mom Ashley Heun, who said that she was ‘beyond p***ed.’
Southaven Middle School in northern Mississippi sent this letter about body image to parents of girls at the school, who are aged 10 to 14
Mom Ashley Heun shared the letter online, slamming it for perpetuating the problem of negative body image
‘This is what was sent home with my 8th-grade daughter,’ Heun, whose daughter Caroline attends the school, wrote on Facebook.
It concluded by offering literature on body image as well as bras and shapewear for the top and bottom, asking parents to provide sizing for their daughters (stock image)
The memo is headed with the nonsensical title ‘Why Do Girls Suffer from Body Image?’ — which should more accurately say suffer from ‘bad’ or ‘negative’ body image.
The memo goes on to discuss how ‘social and cultural experiences’ create a ‘desire to adhere to an “ideal” body shape,’ and how girls are ‘more likely than boys to have negative body image.’
While the memo is mostly thoughtful, noting that ‘women in the United States feel pressured to measure up to strict and unrealistic social and cultural beauty ideals,’ it also asserts that girls with a positive body image are more likely to have good self esteem, physical health and mental health — and it offers a surprising way of supporting that.
‘We, the counselors of Southaven Middle School, would like to have an opportunity to offer some healthy literature to your daughter on maintaining a positive body image.
‘We are also providing girls with shapewear, bras, and other health products if applicable.’
She wrote: ‘I am beyond p***ed, though I’m not sure if I’m more pissed at the fact that they had the “balls” to send this home or the VERY IGNORANCE of the ‘counselors’ at the school’
At the bottom of the form is a tear-off section that parents can return, which allows them to agree that their daughter receive ‘the healthy literature, shapewear, bras, and other products given by the counselors.’
It includes a list of sizing that parents can circle for shapewear, top and bottom, as well as bras.
Heun was shocked by the letter, and told Today that she turned to social media to ‘rally the troops to change this and to really let the school know how exactly tone-deaf it was.’
She wrote on Facebook: ‘I am beyond p***ed, though I’m not sure if I’m more pissed at the fact that they had the “balls” to send this home or the VERY IGNORANCE of the ‘counselors’ at the school.’
‘So you begin this masterpiece detailing how damaging a negative body image is for girls, how the stress of conforming to an impossible perceived image can adversely affect their mental health, and then OFFER TO GIVE THEM SPANX SO THEY CAN BETTER FIT THE PERCEIVED IMAGE?!? What. The. Very. F@%text.”
Other social media users have expressed their disgust as well.
A representative for the school has since said that the initiative had been ‘discontinued’
‘What the holy hell is this,’ wrote author Glennon Doyle. ‘What school is passing out “shapewear” to female students?? It’s too early in the day for this s***t but fine tell me where to show up for f***s sake.’
‘I am in utter disbelief that those entrusted as counselors to impressionable young women would perpetuate this completely atrocious information,’ wrote a Facebook commenter.
‘This is unacceptable. This is going to do so much more harm than good,’ said another.
‘The best way to teach our girls to love themselves is to give them shapwear? I’m a grown woman in shapewear and still trying to figure out self love. Someone has really missed the mark here,’ wrote a third.
‘I can trace like 70% of my body image complex back to extremely sexist, degrading and inappropriate school dress codes. Why were so many male school staff commenting on my body the moment I hit puberty?? And why, 20 yrs later, are we still feeding even worse BS to our girls?’ a Twitter user chimed in.
When reached for comment by Today, a spokesperson for the school said that the initiative had been ‘discontinued,’ though it was not acknowledged as a mistake.
Social media users, including author Glennon Doyle, have also criticized the ‘unacceptable’ policy
‘The district has been made aware of the parental permission form sent to parents by Southaven Middle School,’ Lauren Margeson, the DeSoto County Schools’ assistant to the superintendent, said.
‘District officials understand how this type of information causes serious concern from parents,’ she added.
Heun said that she was notified that bras, underwear, and other health items would still be available to all students, adding: I am 100% behind that. I don’t want ANY child to go without.’
‘What I do hope is that with this receiving the attention that it has, I hope parents are thinking about the messages their daughters (AND SONS) receive about body image and the pressures out there to be “perfect,”‘ she said.
‘I hope that it can lead to conversations between parents and children, teachers, counselors, and school administration. Raising a child, especially a teenager, is like walking a tightrope, trying to balance nurturing a good self esteem and teaching personal responsibility, trying not to project your own insecurities on to your kids.
‘Bottom line is I never want any child to feel “less than” for their appearance. They are all perfect just the way they are.’
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