Skinny was not the most beautiful thing for people, and it was not as serious a problem as it is today. So where did the ideals change from the beauty of curves to the beauty of skin and bones? In the 1960s, popular figures like Twiggy promoted being thin as beautiful, around the same time that the Barbie doll was becoming popular with young girls (Bahadur). Of course, many people are born skinny. But some people are born with strong bones and can't do anything about it – and they shouldn't have to worry about that. However, as a society we have altered these ideals because we are constantly exposed to and accepting the media's interpretation of what it should mean to be beautiful. The fact that being taller once meant that someone was rich just shows that our culture has completely rejected this principle. But, as appalling as the problem is, there are solutions to this terrible problem that continues to get worse and we hope it gets better. Instead of letting these vulnerable people look at magazine covers and wish they had different skin, our duty as a society is to promote beauty acceptance and self-confidence in everyone. Motivational speakers, many of whom have had their share of self-esteem issues in the past, need to be brought to the surface and get their messages across even more openly than they already are. Jessica