Where were your parents when you were modeling in Europe?
TOP The agents in the modeling industry did not encourage my parents to
attend every photo shoot, job or trip with me. They believed that my agents in Europe
were watching out for me, and remained at home while I traveled abroad. The majority of my years traveling abroad
were spent after I turned eighteen.
Nevertheless, it is our shared belief now that it is unsafe for young
women and if young girls pursue modeling, a parent should accompany her to
every single job, even after she is eighteen.
It is not wise for young women to be modeling in foreign countries on
their own; too many things can happen – as you’ll read in my book, Girl
Perfect.
How do you parents feel about what you are doing now?
My parents are very supportive of my work with women and girls. Like me, they believe that my life experience
as a model, however painful at times, has given me the voice to speak to young
women on the topics of real beauty and worth.
Do you think it’s possible to be a Christian and be a model?
I think anything is possible with God.
I do believe, however, that it is a very difficult and often dangerous
industry for young women. The
temptations to fall into eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual
immorality and to be sexually abused are huge, not to mention the
natural temptation to begin believing that your looks are your value – which is
a complete lie! Often when girls and
women are taught that their outward appearance is the measure of their worth,
they become very insecure, or on the polar end, very prideful. Models receive an enormous amount of
rejection for their appearance; their faces and bodies are picked apart to no
end. This can be a terrible environment
for a young woman to develop a strong sense of self-worth; instead, it can lead
to poor body image, depression, and an intense longing to be loved and affirmed
as she is – without looking perfect.
Personally, I left the business upon becoming a Christian because deep down
I knew that modeling required me to be someone who I really wasn’t at the core;
it required me to wear masks instead of being the authentic girl God made me to
be. Nevertheless, I believe that if God
has specifically called a young woman to work in the modeling industry, if she
has the right support system (a parent who is willing to be by her side and
travel with her everywhere she goes), then she could possibly be a “light” in
that very dark and convoluted world.
Under very few circumstances, however, would I see it as beneficial for
her to miss the chance of going to college, as most models do. I believe girls should be encouraged to get
their education, establish a sense of self-worth apart from their appearance,
discover their gifts, talents and abilities, and learn what it is to shine a
light for God from the inside out, by allowing Christ to be their source of
beauty and power.
It’s easy for you to say “beauty comes from within” – look at you! But what about me? It’s a lot harder for me.
I
do understand this comment, but at the same time I suffered so much with my
self-image that I can truly say I believe beauty comes from the inside
out. In my last year of modeling and the
years after leaving the modeling business, I had tremendous problems with
cystic acne, as well as serious weight concerns – from being anorexic. My body went through a lot, and I had to dig
very, very deep for an understanding of what it is to be truly beautiful from
the inside out. I have studied God’s
Word intensely for an understanding of what it is to be beautiful and valuable
aside from our appearance, and I have truly found my worth in Him. Today, I am a mother of two, and I know what
it is to be frustrated by the changes in my body, to be aging and
changing! Like every woman on earth, I
have struggled with that. It has been
hard to accept myself “imperfect” and “marred with flaws.” But I have realized that I only see myself
that way if I am looking through the eyes of the media, which gives us an
unrealistic, fake image of perfection to measure up to. Instead, when I look at myself through the
eyes of God’s grace and love, I see myself as made in His image, reflecting His
heart in a world that needs it. The more
I see myself through God’s eyes, the more I realize that ultimately, beauty is
an issue of the heart, that spills out through behavior. If I’m ugly in the way I treat people, I’m
ugly, plain and simple. If I treat
people with the kindness, compassion and grace of my Savior, I share His beauty
with the world. That really is the only
beauty that will ever last anyway!
My daughter wants to become a model. Do you have any advice for me?
This
question is the hardest one that I ever get, because I would never encourage my
daughter to become a model. To find out
why, read my book, Girl Perfect
– the reasons are on every page. It was destructive to my self-image,
above
all. It hurt that little girl inside of
me who desired to be loved for more than what she looked like. I have a
very tender soul, and so does my
daughter, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
But at the same time, I realize that God uses some rare people within
the modeling industry to be beacons of hope and light. My suggestion:
read my book first, have your daughter read
it, then really delve into the motivations you have for getting her
into the
modeling industry. Be real with yourself
and with her: Is it for the money? Is it for the opportunity to be
seen? Is it for the glamour and prestige? Or is it because you both
truly believe God
has gifted her with strength, courage and beauty, and she will be a
reflection
of His standards and His purity in a business that doesn’t see enough
of
that? Do you plan on going with her to
each and every interview, audition, photo shoot, and job, regardless of
the
distance or cost? What are her other
gifts and talents, aside from her looks?
What is she good at and passionate about? Will she have to set those
things, such as
sports, college, music, etc., aside in order to put modeling first?
What is best for HER? Are you comfortable with older men taking
photos of her? Are you and is she ready
and willing to say NO to certain outfits, requests for sexually
seductive shots
of her, etc? (That is much harder than
you think when you are in the moment with a powerful and persuasive
magazine
mogul, believe me). Is she already
someone who is desperate for affirmation from men? Does she have sexual
or any kind of abuse in
her background which may lead her to seek approval from men and
therefore
compromise her purity? What are your
standards of purity for her? What are
HER standards? What are HER dreams? Are her dreams of becoming a model
based upon
the illusion of glamour presented by the world, or do you think these
are the
dreams her Creator put in her heart?
What do you think are God’s dreams for her life? I believe the answers
to these questions can
help you discern what is best for her.
If you choose to pursue modeling for your daughter, I have suggested
organizations for you on the References page that can help her connect with
Christians in the industry.
My daughter is obsessed with her looks, her body, her clothes and what guys think of her. Do you have any suggestions on how I can help her?
Again,
Girl Perfect and the accompanying Study Guide (August 2009 release) will be of
huge benefit to her. In addition, I
suggest the DVD “The Perfect Image,” the “Unveiled” Mother / Daughter Audio CD,
and the “Wonderfully Made” 3-talk DVD series (August 2009 release), all
available in the Online Store.
They will go in depth about the issues of beauty and worth presented by
the media, versus the real, lasting beauty we can develop in Christ. I encourage you to pray for her every day, to
model real beauty in your own behavior, wardrobe, purity and faith. I would
also encourage you to have strict standards of modesty in the way she dresses
and presents herself, as long as she is under your roof. Regarding the desire to be noticed by boys,
the most important relationship she has is with her father. That relationship, if possible, must be
nurtured; if not with her biological father, than with a faithful man who can
model for her how she deserves to be treated by a man, as valuable and
precious. Clearly, her involvement in a
good youth group where she is held accountable for her faith and behavior is
also important. I also want to encourage
you that hope, healing and transformation IS possible in your daughter’s life,
no matter the depth of her suffering.
She can be set free from drug addiction, an eating disorder,
sexual impurity or abuse, depression, cutting and the rest! For more information on how to get her the
best counseling, please refer to the Resources page.
I feel so alone. I am (fill in the blank) suffering from an eating disorder, a cutter, sexually abused, unfaithful to my husband, in an unhappy marriage, depressed, addicted to drugs …. Can you help me?
The
best way I can help you is through my book Girl Perfect and its accompanying
Study Guide (to be released August 2009).
It will help you dig deep into the issues you are facing and inspire you
that hope and healing are truly possible.
In both the book and the study guide, I bare my heart and soul to you,
and hold your hand on the journey to freedom.
I believe freedom from the chains that bind you IS possible. Both my husband and I have experienced that
freedom. The Wonderfully Made DVD (to be
released August 2009), The Perfect Image DVD, the Unveiled Audio CD and the
True Beauty Audio CDs in the Online Store may also be very helpful to you. Finally, you may very well need to seek a
wise counselor to walk with you, guide you and help you along your journey to
healing. The Resources page can point
you in the right direction – take a good look at it – it’s full of information
for you.
Jen
mentors a small number of girls and women in her local community, either in
group environments or one-on-one. She
feels that her calling is to speak and write for women and girls around the
world, but at the same time is called to minister to the girls within her local
sphere of influence. She is not a
counselor, however, and she has wonderful references for counselors on the
Resources page.
I would love to support your ministry in some way. How can I help?
Thank
you so much! We are looking for more and
more people to partner with us in this ministry. Check out the Join Our Team page for more
information on how you can partner with us to reach more women and girls with
the message of real beauty, worth and a purpose that truly lasts!
Do you have bulk discounts on Girl Perfect and the accompanying Study Guide?
Yes,
we do. Visit the Online Store to see our
pricing for bulk discounts on both the book and the workbook. If you are ordering large numbers for your
ministry, you can email us at orders@jenniferstrickland.net for a quote. Thank you for sharing it with the women and
girls you reach!
