Unrealistic Body Images Essay - 1153 Words

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In our society today, people would rather see what celebrities are up to than what is going on with our health plan. Watching the news makes us aware of the latest trend, new gadget, who’s in rehab, or who has an eating disorder. In the eyes of society, women like Eva Longoria, Kim Kardashian, and Megan Fox are the epitome of perfection. What girl wouldn’t want to look like them? Unfortunately, this includes most of the girls in the US. Through TV shows, commercials, magazines or any form of advertising, the media enforces a certain body type which women emulate. The media has created a puissant social system where everyone must obtain a thin waist and large breasts. As a society, we are so image†¦show more content†¦Mass media has made the line between the delusion of perfection and reality awry. Media places extreme accentuation on obtaining the so-called body image. Society pays a significant amount of attention to bo dy image, physical attractiveness, youthfulness, sexuality, and appearance. Many other countries argue that our country is based off of sex. After looking at the promotion of sex in all types of advertisement, can we really argue with them? The ideal body size we see projected on TV is about 5’7† and about 100lbs and wears a size 8. The average size of an American woman is about 5†4†, weighs about 160lbs, and wears a size 14; but, more than one third of women in America wear over a size 16. The problem of girls and women comparing themselves to the ‘ideal woman’ has progressed over the years. As the average size of American women tends to rise, the measurements of Playboy centerfolds and Miss America finalists are continuously growing thinner and thinner. As women grow larger, and beautiful women shrink their waists, it becomes more troublesome to have an image of yourself being beautiful. Most women want to be known for being lean, tall, and beautiful. Women are often described by their physical traits rather than what she does or thinks. Should a woman be known for their sexy abdomen or her intellectualShow MoreRelatedMedia and Unrealistic Body Image Essay1053 Words   |  5 Pageswomen across the globe in a position where they are constantly flooded with idealistic images that depict what the media perceives as the â€Å"perfect body.† Quite often, young university-attending females, those who are involved in social identity formation, are exposed to numerous forms of media that fabricate various experiences relative to body image. In the past, researchers have surveyed women who are exposed to body-related standards using multiple forms of mass media as a unified entity, which hasRead MoreThe Controversy Over The Unrealistic Body Image1351 Words   |  6 Pages The controversy over the unrealistic body image portrayed by the culturally iconic Barbie doll has been a topic of interest in sociology for many years. The research on this subject aims to determine the role that Barbie plays, if any, in the prevalence of negative body image and self esteem issues in young girls. The Barbie doll, introduced by Mattel, Inc. in 1959, can easily be considered the most popular doll in the world with 99% of 3 to 10 year olds owning at least one Barbie doll, andRead MoreAnalysis Of Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs 1179 Words   |  5 Pagesare constantly attacked by the messages of the media. A superior message the media is depicting is ultra-thin as a reference point of beauty. Everyday an abundance of women are bombarded with the media s concept and interpretation of the flawless body. The photos being represented in popular magazines typically issued for women all over the country are impractical and illogical. According to Adam Cloe, an author a t Live Strong, the average American woman is about 166.2 pounds and 5 feet 4 inchesRead MoreThe Effects Of Media On Body Dissatisfaction Of Young Girls And Adolescents1214 Words   |  5 Pagesthe lives of the people, there have been many controversial debates on the impact of the media on the body dissatisfaction of young girls and adolescents. Body dissatisfaction can be described as â€Å"the negative self-evaluation of one’s own appearance and to be more physically attractive, and is fairly common in young girls and adolescents. Approximately one hundred studies of media effects on body dissatisfaction have been conducted with the majority of these showing at least some evidence,† (FergusonRead MoreBeauty and the Beast...of Media1237 Words   |  5 PagesMedia tells us who we are and who we should be. Although media has its positive effects, like spreading the latest news quickly, it also has many downfalls for teenagers, specifically teenage girls, who are houn ded with a stream of media related to body image. Today most women always feel the need to look in a mirror whenever they see one to fix their hair or makeup, or even compare themselves to an advertisement featuring an unblemished, blonde haired, skinny woman with perfect hair and skin. EveryRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effect On Society1708 Words   |  7 Pagesas that may sound, there are also negatives to social media. For example, some people use the power of social media to do harm. For most teenagers body image is extremely important. Even if you’re confident in yourself, nowadays people base their self worth on how many likes their picture gets, or even worse, by comparing themselves to the unrealistic, photoshopped pictures of celebrities that clutter the internet. Over time many people around the globe have recognized this problem and small stepsRead MoreEssay on Medias Unrealistic Portrayal of the Ideal Body1118 Words   |  5 Pageson the mind of the viewer and also sometimes creates norms that the society starts to incorporate in the â€Å"Normal norms.† Media promotes the young and adult to disfigure their bodies by portraying an â€Å"ideal† body image for men as muscular and women to be thin as being beautiful in today’s world. The image of the ideal body and beauty for men and women in the world today is completely different from that throughout history. In history beauty was shown through art work such as painting, sculpturesRead MoreThe Effects of Modern Body Image1380 Words   |  6 Pagesjudgment, and shame† (Brown, n.d.). Body image, on the other hand, â€Å"is a complicated aspect of the self-concept that concerns an individual’s perceptions and feelings about their body and physical appearance† (Serdar, n.d.). According to Nordqvist, it is divided into two perceptions: positive and negative body images. He states that positive body image is â€Å"based on reality – the individual sees himself/herself as they really are; they accept parts of their body that are not ideal, but are generallyRead MoreThe Negative Impact Of Social Media And Body Image1452 Words   |  6 Pagesmedia has a negative impact in the consumers and their health, as well as their body image. The idea l body image that is seen by today’s society is tall, thin, muscular, and fit. It is constantly advertised in various forms of media including, such as televisions, magazines, internet, and smartphone devices, which make others feel insecure about appearance and health. The constant reinforcement of the ideal body image throughout the media negatively impacts society through self-esteem, rise of self-enhancementsRead MoreThe Media And Body Image1453 Words   |  6 PagesToday we know that the media and body image are closely related. Particularly, how the body image advertising portrays affects our own body image. Research documented adolescents as they are more at risk for developing unhealthy attitudes toward their bodies. They are at a time where they re focused on developing their individual identities, making them susceptible to social pressure and media images. A major reason many people have a negative body image is because of the impact that the media