In Netflix’s Reality Check, writer Maxine Harrison examines the legacy of America’s Next Top Model, the hit series created by Tyra Banks that promised young women a shot at superstardom but left many grappling with lasting trauma. As former contestants revisit their experiences, the documentary raises deeper questions about identity, worth and what it really means to be beautiful in a culture obsessed with perfection.
Netflix’s new Reality Check: America’s Next Top Model documentary spotlights the controversial TV show that saw many young girls compete in the hopes of becoming a supermodel.
Created by supermodel Tyra Banks, America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) first aired in 2003 and went on to have 24 seasons. However, Netflix’s documentary interviewed several of the show’s former participants who shared that the show proved to be a traumatic experience for them. The documentary also revealed how many of the women on the show, who were teens and young adults at the time, had applied to the show after feeling a lack of love from their parents or not fitting into American beauty standards - something that Tyra said the show was initially set up to do.
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The documentary revisited some shocking scenes and tasks contestants were coerced into doing with the belief that it was necessary in order to be in the chance of being America’s next top model. Perhaps one of the most shocking episodes is where a contestant by the name of Danielle Evans, in cycle 6, was told she had to tighten the gap in her teeth to continue as a contestant.
Reality Check highlights the importance of instilling worth into young girls about their inherent beauty from a young age
Reality Check highlights the importance of instilling worth into young girls about their inherent beauty from a young age, so when the world tries to undermine them, they know how to combat it. The Bible is clear that we are all made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Whilst Tyra’s rhetoric is that she believed at the time the challenges were to help contestants navigate a tough industry, not every challenge was worth the trauma it caused. Some of the contestants in the documentary, decades later, were in tears at how they were traumatised by the show. And in fact, many ex-contestants said ANTM did not help their modelling career after the show. Whilst I appreciate Tyra may have experienced many of the challenges in the industry herself, the show perpetuated some harmful beliefs about what it means to be beautiful.
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One way to help girls and women see their worth is to consider a theology of the body and the importance of seeing it as a temple
One way to help girls and women see their worth is to consider a theology of the body and the importance of seeing it as a temple, as it says in 1 Corinthians 6:19). In the Old Testament, the temple was treated with utmost care, and only a very select few people were permitted to work on it or enter. Similarly, we should be treating our body with care physically and how we view it too. If Jesus saw not just our spirit, but our earthly body, worth dying for, then we should also be upholding its beauty and seeing it in the valuable way that God sees it.
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Christian content creator Naomi Pilula is a great example of someone who has challenged Western beauty standards. Last year, the Zambian content creator went viral for a simple “Happy Monday” selfie she shared on Instagram. Many trolls commented, attacking her appearance. Although she went viral for the wrong reasons, she used the opportunity to talk about how she accepts how God has made her. She spoke about the goodness of God with the new social media following she has. The lawyer doesn’t let the haters stop her from being her authentic self, and the joy and elegance that radiate from her content. The 38-year-old often shares videos of biblical wisdom on her page and outfits of the day. Naomi’s authenticity, embracing her natural beauty, has inspired many of her followers - including me.
It shows how there are different ways to respond when someone tries to undermine your worth and attack your natural beauty. You can either give in to it or stand in your God-given truth. The sooner young girls know their value in Christ, the better equipped they are to combat lies hurled at them about their beauty. So, whether you have kids yourself or are child-free, try to take opportunities to remind girls of their inherent beauty and of our fellow sisters as adult women, too.
