Southaven Middle School.
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  • An American school sent a letter to parents about girls' self esteem and offered them shapewear.
  • One parent said her "first instinct was to go up to the school and yell at every person I could find."
  • The school has now canceled the program.
  • An American school offered female students shapewear in an effort to help them with their body image before canceling the program after widespread outrage.

Parents received a letter from Southaven Middle School in the state of Mississippi on Tuesday, which noted that "many women in the United States feel pressured to measure up to strict and unrealistic social and cultural beauty ideals, which can lead to a negative body image," CNN reported.

The letter noted the negative effect this can have on young girls, but said "we can take steps to help our girls develop a healthier body image."

It then said the school's counselors "would like to have an opportunity to offer some healthy literature to your daughter on maintaining a positive body image."

"We are also providing girls with shapewear, bras, and other health products if applicable," the letter said.

Read the letter here:

The letter then asked parents to consent to their daughters receiving the items, and asked what size shapewear they would need, ranging from small to XXX-Large.

Ashley Heun, the mother of a 13-year-old student in the school, told CNN that when she got the letter, "I had to reread it a few times."

"My first instinct was to go up to the school and yell at every person I could find."

She said she wrote to the school to complain, and met with the principal on Wednesday, CNN reported.

She told CNN that he apologised and told her the program had been canceled.

The school district, DeSoto County Schools, told NBC's "Today" show that the program had been "discontinued."

https://www.businessinsider.co.za/trending/mississippi-middle-school-offered-students-shapewear-help-with-body-image-2022-1