About
As you watch television or flip through a magazine, you will probably notice a general trend in the women portrayed: young, white, and ultra-thin. The media portrays women in a way that is not always realistic. Many models and celebrities are extremely thin due to eating tissues, starving themselves, and going on hospital drips. In addition, many of these celebrities and models have also received plastic surgery, such as breast implants, facelifts, and nose jobs. These women are trying to live up to what they believe is the "ideal" body type, but these "ideals" are not naturally attainable. Even after receiving plastic surgery and becoming extremely thin, the models are still not good enough. Instead, Photoshop is used to make adjustments to their thighs, waists, hips, arms and neck to artificially enhance.
Advertisements are setting standards for women everywhere, making them believe that in order to be beautiful, they must look like these models. Women are left to compare themselves to something that is not even possible, causing them to have a poor body image because they will never be able to look like these “beautiful” models. Due to their poor body images, women and young girls are developing eating disorders. In fact, according to an article about body image, one in 10 preadolescent girls shows symptoms of an eating disorder, and one in three is trying to lose weight. These numbers are alarming and prove that a change needs to be made.
Because there is an overwhelming number of models, celebrities, advertisements, shows, and movies that portray the “ideal” yet unattainable female body, there is no simple solution to stop the media’s influence and help women develop a better body image. There are some who believe that making advertisements more realistic by limiting the use of Photoshop or putting labels on advertisements to warn readers that pictures have been manipulated would help women see that these bodies are unrealistic and, in turn, would help them have a more positive perception of their own bodies. There are others who think that banning excessively thin models and using real women in fashion and advertisements would help women have a better body image because they would no longer be comparing themselves to something that isn’t realistic; instead, they would be shown how women actually look and that there are different definitions of beauty. However, many people also think that the media will not be changed, so women and girls need to be educated on how to become more critical of the advertisements they see and stop comparing themselves to celebrities and models in the media.
Advertisements are setting standards for women everywhere, making them believe that in order to be beautiful, they must look like these models. Women are left to compare themselves to something that is not even possible, causing them to have a poor body image because they will never be able to look like these “beautiful” models. Due to their poor body images, women and young girls are developing eating disorders. In fact, according to an article about body image, one in 10 preadolescent girls shows symptoms of an eating disorder, and one in three is trying to lose weight. These numbers are alarming and prove that a change needs to be made.
Because there is an overwhelming number of models, celebrities, advertisements, shows, and movies that portray the “ideal” yet unattainable female body, there is no simple solution to stop the media’s influence and help women develop a better body image. There are some who believe that making advertisements more realistic by limiting the use of Photoshop or putting labels on advertisements to warn readers that pictures have been manipulated would help women see that these bodies are unrealistic and, in turn, would help them have a more positive perception of their own bodies. There are others who think that banning excessively thin models and using real women in fashion and advertisements would help women have a better body image because they would no longer be comparing themselves to something that isn’t realistic; instead, they would be shown how women actually look and that there are different definitions of beauty. However, many people also think that the media will not be changed, so women and girls need to be educated on how to become more critical of the advertisements they see and stop comparing themselves to celebrities and models in the media.