Parents upset by school's 'body image' program which offered 'shapewear' [View all]

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. (TND) — A new body image program at a middle school in Mississippi has been shut down by the district after it upset parents.

Counselors at Southaven Middle School sent students home with a form titled "Why Do Girls Suffer from Body Image?" On the form was a permission slip, asking if parents would allow their daughters to receive "healthy literature" along with "shapewear", bras, and other products to aid in maintaining a "positive body image," according to WMC News.

"Shapewear" is, according to fashion website ChatElaine.com, an undergarment meant to "sculpt your figure" and "highlight your natural curves". It squeezes parts of your body, like your stomach or legs, to make them look "skinnier" and therefore more "attractive".

The suggestion their daughters needed guidance on their bodies apparently upset some parents, leading to a backlash against the program and school. Speaking with WMC News, one parent said she felt the letter "really missed the mark in so many ways."

https://krcgtv.com/news/nation-world/parents-upset-by-middle-schools-body-image-program-which-offered-shapewear-bras-girls-daughters-mississippi-southaven-skinny-ashely-heun