Discovery Girls is a magazine for girls 8 to 12 years old, so you might think it would steer clear of anything remotely resembling body-shaming—but you would be wrong. A recent article called “What Swimsuit Best Suits You?” breaks down readers’ body types into the categories of “curvy up top,” “straight up and down” and “rounder in the middle.” Though women’s magazines are known for doling out similar advice, critics argue that the article encourages young girls to feel self-conscious about their bodies and to worry unduly about what they should or shouldn’t be wearing to “suit” them.
It all started with writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner, who took a picture of the magazine spread and posted it to Twitter:
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Others began to respond, asking Discovery Girls to reconsider how they approach their young audience:
Read more: How I Developed a Healthy Body Image
Discovery Girls has yet to respond to the controversy on Twitter and did not respond to Motto’s request to comment.
