Airbrushed Britney Spears pictures will be shown to primary school pupils as part of a new lesson programme that teaches how the media and magazines show “a degree of perfection which is unattainable".
The teaching pack, available to school staff from today, was put together by non-profit organisation Media Smart. The lessons intend to show children that reading magazines can lower their self-esteem, and that the degrees of perfection presented in advertising are largely down to Photoshop.
A PowerPoint presentation that demonstrates how pictures are digitally enhanced is part of the lesson plan, and shows 'before and after' shots of Britney Spears in a swimsuit.The teaching plan states: “Encourage pupils to think about why celebrities might want images of themselves to be airbrushed. Will looking more attractive help their career?”
In 2010, Spears insisted that pictures from her ad campaign for Candie's should be released in both untouched and retouched versions to highlight society's pressure on women to look perfect.
In the untouched pictures, Spears sports dimpled thighs and cellulite, and has a notably thicker waist and calves. In the airbrushed images, the pop star's skin appears smoother and glossier, and she has been made to look slimmer and more pert. The classes will be taught to children as young as 10.