The fight for female self–esteem gets pretty ugly

0 Comments | USA TODAY, December, 2006 | by Ann Oldenburg

Ugly is the new beautiful. That's the message behind a new public service campaign, "Be Ugly '07," being announced today by ABC off its fall hit comedy Ugly Betty. The purpose -- aside from drumming up new viewers -- is to promote a positive message for young women: "Be real, be smart, be passionate, be true to yourself and be ugly." Main character Betty Suarez (played by America Ferrera) is not movie-star pretty, but she's smart and capable and has a good heart.

And more than 13 million viewers a week love her for it. "The irony is that this girl is perceived this way," says Silvio Horta, Betty's executive producer. "The second you get to know her, she's beautiful." The campaign is the latest entry in a backlash to the images of rail-thin models that bombard young women...