Middle Age Hollywood

We’re used to hearing Penélope Cruz’s name in conjunction with great films and stunning photo shoots. But in a recent interview with The Daily Mail, Cruz opened up a little more than usual, talking about her relationship with Javier Bardem, and most interestingly, about her feelings on media directed at teens.

Like many, Penélope struggled with self confidence in her teens. She admits that she experimented with different looks — even one that involved a bottle of peroxide and a lot of regrets.

Sensitive to such struggles with image, Penélope offers a suggestion:

“I would close down all those teenage magazines that encourage young girls to diet. Who says that to be pretty you have to be thin? Some people look better thin and some don’t. There is almost a standard being created where only thin is acceptable. The influence of those magazines on girls as young as 13 is horrific.”


This isn’t the first time Cruz has spoken out against unfair ideals of beauty in terms of weight. Earlier this year, while editing an issue of French Vogue, the actress commissioned a shoot with Crystal Renn, the virtual face of the plus size modeling industry.

We too believe in the necessity of making models of all shapes and sizes visible in magazines — especially if those magazines are being circulated among teens. But even us, with our critical eye, believe teen magazines have been making concerted efforts to show multiple ideals of beauty — though they may be a bit tone deaf when it comes to their headlines. So before we start any “Fold Seventeen Magazine” riots, let’s at least praise the teen mags for doing what Penélope may not yet have seen.