After the blog post about fashion and eating disorders, I received a few comments that reading my essay would be helpful and a good source of knowledge. Now, because I need to give credit where credit is due, I must say that I wrote this essay with a partner (who was amazing to work with). Also, I have a Works Cited that I am not attaching, but just letting you know so you know I did not plagiarize. Always good to put that all out there right away. Now, without further ado, my essay!
BE
THIN... OR ELSE!
80% of women are dissatisfied with their
appearance (Libal 12). 80% of 10 year olds are scared of being too fat (Libal
13). Why do you think this is? Studies prove that the media is so prominent in
today’s society that this major influence can cause things to quickly spiral
out of control in a young woman’s life. Girls should not let the mass media
affect their body image because it provides a false reality of what defines
beauty. This can lower self-esteem and even lead to eating disorders.
So many girls are
sucked in to the sleek pages of magazines or the glamour of their television
shows, and for teenaged girls, the mass media is like the fantasy world they
all lived in as little girls; it’s a false reality. Sarah Murnen, a professor
of psychology and a body image researcher said, “The promotion of the thin,
sexy ideal in our culture has created a situation where the majority of girls
and women don’t like their bodies” (Hellmich 1). The ideal for teens is not
just being thin. A survey of girls showed that the ideal teen body was medium
height, thin, Caucasian and has blonde hair and blue eyes (Heubeck 1).
Promoting the thin ideals of the media is a simple task, when teenagers are
constantly surrounded by all types of it. The average teenager gets approximately
180 minutes of media exposure per day (Huebeck 1). Surveys have even shown that
teens get an average of 22 hours of television every week (Maynard 6).
The alternate
universe, or false reality, the media creates is so unrealistic, it causes
girls to feel as if they have to live up to a ridiculous and impossible goal
for most, that can not healthily and naturally achieved (Maynard 6). Possibly
5% of the female population is 6 feet tall and 109 pounds, yet girls perceive
this to be the norm (Bell 65-7). What females don’t know, however, is that in
order to attain the stereotypical perfect body, magazines employ professionals
to aim for perfection (Trueit 14.) This is proved in a quote from the popular
magazine GQ’s editor, “We do that [photo-shopping] for everyone, whether they
are a size six or a size 12. It hasn’t a lot to do with body size. Practically
every photo you see in a magazine has been digitally altered in this way”
(“Magazine Admits Airbrushing Winslet” 1). What media portrays as “normal” is in
fact abnormal, but that would never be guessed based on the constant
advertisements and television shows that are blasted at teens and youth in
general. “In attempt to emulate countless media images they view, girls often
take drastic measures,” summarizes how the media effects girls (Huebeck 1).
When it comes down to it, looking at pages and pages of thin, unbelievably
gorgeous models can be an exasperating experience to any girl. It is not
surprising girls take such drastic measures to attain this ridiculous measure
of perfection.
Fashion and beauty
magazines are a huge part of the media, but sadly, it isn’t always a positive
influence to teen girls. It has been proven that magazines, not television
shows, are most likely to cause eating disorders in teenagers (Hernandez 88).
In addition, magazines have been titled the single most influential source of
media for everyone of all ages (Maynard 26). The high-gloss pages of magazines
seem harmless, until the reader focuses in on all the hidden messages, such as
you can only get a boyfriend if you are paper thin, or won’t be successful in
life unless you have flawless skin and perfect hair. Teen magazines are filled
with airbrushed models and celebrities, “the best” workouts and healthy eating
articles. Other effective articles are ones that push exercising and watching
what you eat to be “healthy” by reducing calorie intake. The truth is, all
pictures in magazines have had tons of computer retouching, and all the girls
have been digitally slimmed down. Instead of using computer retouching, lights
placed at certain angles can highlight better features and hide worse ones. To
create an ideal model or celebrity, sometimes body parts, like abs, are
photoshopped in to replace the body part of that model or celebrity. Thinking
that these people look perfect everyday can decrease a girl’s self-esteem in a
matter of seconds.
A
girl’s self-esteem is a vital part to her development and her confidence level,
and the media drastically lowers it. A report done by the American Association
of University Women shows that for teenage girls, most think that the most
important indicator of self-worth is “the way I look” (Croll 155). Lauren
Richardson, a 14 year old, quotes, “No one wants to be fat. If I got fat, I
couldn’t live with myself. I’d have no self-esteem” (Bell 65-71). The media has
such a vast effect on young women in today’s society, that it in fact even affects
a young girl’s body image. Many girls suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety, and
more (Burke 1). This suffering is only increased by the hormones in the teenage
body throughout the time of puberty as well as the changes puberty brings
along. Puberty causes girls to round out and usually has an increase in body
fat to go along with it (Croll 155). The physical change in their body can make
teens more insecure with lower self-esteem. Late or early development can also
to the same. During puberty is the time when teenage girls turn to the media
for advice about how they should look, and the answer is never certain. This is
because the media is extremely contradictory; though they say, “happiness comes
from within,” media suggests that happiness springs from looking like a model.
Meanwhile, a model’s proportions are impossible to achieve for the average girl
(Maynard 26). Runway models must have long slender legs, wide-set eyes and
high, and well-defined cheekbones (Hellmich 2). Even losing weight cannot make
a girl look like a runway model, because the runway standards are attributes
that you have to be born with (Hellmich 2).
Furthermore, low
self-esteem is not just a result of a girl’s personal body image; low
self-esteem starts early in life, created with influence from factors like
school, parents, friends, society, activities and of course, the media,
changing how a girl feels about herself (Marano 4). In school for at least 900
hours a year, girls can create a constant comparison between both close friends
and people that a girl does not even know. This can turn into a silent
competition to be skinnier and to look better than everyone else (Marano 2;
Croll 156). Additionally, the media has been known to sway the self-esteem of
girls as young as 5 years old (Heubeck 1). Parents are known to become more
critical of their children in their teenage years, academically and physically
(Croll 157). While encouraging their kids to stay fit and healthy and not
become another childhood obesity statistic, parents are sending a silent
message that girls perceive as, “You must be skinny” (Croll 157). For instance,
if you have ever overheard your mom venting to your dad about how fat she
thinks she is becoming, then it is no wonder that one of the main causes of
eating disorders are moms. If the role model of their life thinks she needs to
lose weight, then isn’t it assumed that you-the daughter-would need to lose
weight as well? Though clearly this isn’t true, many girls perceive it to be.
Having low self-esteem can make other aspects of a girl’s life negative also.
Sports have been known to either raise self-esteem significantly or lower
self-esteem significantly. Sports such as soccer, volleyball and basketball all
encourage team spirit and have no relation to physical appearance (Libal 20).
The teamwork and encouragement that these sports produce can leave long-lasting
positive self-esteem (Libal 20). However, sports that can be judged on physical
appearance, such as dance, gymnastics and figure skating, are known to lower
self-esteem (Heubeck 1). The self-esteem is lowered in these sports when girls
don’t achieve the best score or achieve their personal goal because of their
appearance (Heubeck 1). Studies have shown that girls with low self-esteem are
negatively affected physically, mentally, intellectually and socially (Libal
15).
Eating disorders are
depressing psychological and physical conditions that affect many girls
throughout the world. Perhaps no one fully comprehends this better than the
teenagers affected by these life-threatening disorders. Take sixteen year old
Laura for example; a perfect example of how harmful eating disorders are. When
Laura’s dance teacher told her one day that she had to lose more weight to
become a professional dancer, she was “shoved” into anorexia. Laura starved
herself, but still saw herself as fat compared to the other dancers that she
took classes with everyday of the week. Eventually she had to go to the
hospital because she passed out from starvation (Abramovitz 26). Despite the
fact Laura’s story may come across as extreme and rare, there are many stories
just like Laura, some not ending in rehabilitating the affected person back to
health. An alarming amount of anorexics and bulimics have in fact died due to
their intense condition.
Surprisingly, a
whopping 1% of all teens have an eating disorder (Martin 1). Though this may
not seem like much, when you think about it in real-life terms, if there are
100 people in your grade, at least 1 of them is probably anorexic or bulimic.
As an escape, girls try to deal with the stress to be perfect by taking
complete control of their size and shape of their body (Bjorkland 15). There
are two types of eating disorders, called anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa
(Hellmich 1). Anorexia nervosa is defined as low weight, fear of being fat and
most importantly, self-starvation. Anorexia nervosa is the most common eating
disorder and frequently leads to bulimia nervosa. Bulimia nervosa is
known as the binge and purge disorder (Hellmich 1). Frequent dieting is also
considered a type of eating disorder because it does the same things to the
body that anorexia and bulimia do. All of this to say, eating disorders are
serious conditions that should not be taken lightly. Eating
disorders have the highest rate of death out of all psychological disorders
(Levchuck, Drohan, and Kosek 355). The seriousness of eating disorders is fully
understood by Holly Hoff, of Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention Inc.
“Young people see these images on TV, in the movies and on the pages of
magazines and they begin to think that these images of emaciated thinness are
what they’re “supposed” to look like” (Martin 1). Aspects of eating disorders
include restricting certain foods, extreme weight loss, too much exercising, an
intense fear of being fat, and a distorted body image (Martin 1). Perhaps the
most disturbing statistics about eating disorders include that: 8 million
people in America alone have an eating disorder and media suggests thinness
brings success, power, approval, popularity, friends, and even romance
(Levchuck, Drohan, and Kosek 355). Sadly, girls go to extremes to attain this
thinness, leaving them feeling hopeless and desperate. They feel that becoming
anorexic or bulimic is their only option, but this is not true. Instead, girls
should separate themselves from negative influences and bad media and pursue
their hobby. For instance, they could play a sport they are interested in, join
a chorus or band, or take time to socialize with true friends. Most
importantly, girls should surround themselves with positive influences
and think optimistically about their body. With too much time on a girl’s
hands, one could begin to obsess over how they look and what others think about
them.
In
conclusion, media provides an unrealistic idea of what beauty is. As a result,
it lowers self-esteem and in some cases can lead to eating disorders. By
avoiding comparison to other girls and being healthy, girls can make themselves
stronger against the mass media. Let’s start a revolution! Do not let
the media affect you negatively and understand that each and every girl is
beautiful. What the media portrays is normal is not, in fact, so accept your
bodies for the way that it is. The next time you look in the mirror, remind
yourself that you are gorgeous, because beauty is in the eye of the beholder,
and the only beholder that matters is you. When you learn to see yourself as
beautiful, others will too, and you will prove to the media that happiness
truly does come from within!
Hope you liked it, and that it was helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please comment below! Most importantly, show your friends, so that word will spread about how teenage girls should not let the media affect themselves.
LETS START A REVOLUTION!
Yours in Fashion,
E
Thanks for posting your essay. It was very informative and I will definitely share this with others. I really think teenage girls could have the power to make a difference in the world!!
ReplyDeleteWould you mind if I forwarded this post on my blog? I will of course give credit to you.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind at all. What is your blog called?
ReplyDeletewww.youngdancers101.blogspot.com...I think eating disorders is a problem that dancers should also be informed of.
ReplyDeleteHi, I would like to say that I love your essay and I'm glad I found your blog! I'm really interested in fashion and I can't wait to hear what else you have to say!
ReplyDeleteAhhh E! So impressive! Our essay is official! I love your blog, you are so fashionable, and so much fun in total! Keep up the good work and wow the world with your fashion expertese! (experttise?) :)
ReplyDeleteThere are always to sides of the argument. Here's an article that examines the other side of the 'size zero' argument. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://stashedpotatoes.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/reasons-why-the-size-zero-model-ban-is-ridiculous/
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWhen I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox
ReplyDeleteand now whenever a comment is added I receive four
emails with the exact same comment. Is there a means
you can remove me from that service? Thank you!
Here is my site ... the best Diet plan
I am so sorry, I have no way of controlling that. Try to check at the bottom of the emails to see if you can unsubscribe or opt out of further emails. I'm sorry that this has been causing you trouble.
DeleteEmma
hey i was wondering if you could supply me with your the sources you used in this essay?
ReplyDeleteSorry that this is long, but here are all my citations. Unfortunately I had no other concrete list of sources then this.
DeleteAbramovitz, Melissa. "Mirror Mirror in Your Head: Your Mental Picture of Your Body Can Have a Direct Effect on Your Self-esteem and Behavior." Current Health 2Feb. 2002: 26. InfoTrac Student Edition. Web. 20 Oct. 2011.
"BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Magazine Admits Airbrushing Winslet." BBC News - Home. 9 Jan. 2003. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. .
Bell, Alison. "Eating Disorders & The Toll They're Taking on Teens." TEEN 1999: 65-71. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. .
Bjorklund, Ruth. Eating Disorders. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2006. Print.
Burke, Wendy. "Eating Disorders: Overview." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 31 Oct. 2011. .
Croll, Jillian. "Body Image and Adolescents." Guidelines for Adolescent Nutrition Services. Minneapolis: Center for Leadership, Education and Training in Maternal and Child Nutrition, 2005. 155-64. Print.
Hellmich, Nancy. "Do Thin Models Warp Girls' Body Image?" USA Today 25 Sept. 2006: 1-3. Print.
Hernández, Roger E. Teens & the Media. Broomall, PA: Mason Crest, 2005. Print.
Heubeck, Elizabeth. "Girls and Body Image: Media's Effect." WebMD. WebMD, 2011. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. .
Libal, Autumn. Can I Change the Way I Look?: a Teen's Guide to the Health Implications of Cosmetic Surgery, Makeovers, and beyond. Philadelphia, PA: Mason Crest, 2005. Print.
Marano, Hara Estroff. "Skinny Sweepstakes." Psychology Today 1 Jan. 2008: 1-4. Print.
Martin, Patti. The Skinny on Weight Loss. 8 Feb. 2000. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. .
Maynard, Cindy. "How to Make Peace With Your Body." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, Sept. 1998. Web. 26 Oct. 2011.
Mills, J. Elizabeth. Expectations for Women: Confronting Stereotypes. New York, NY: Rosen Pub., 2010. Print.
Levchuck, Caroline M., Michele Drohan, and Jane Kelly Kosek. "Eating Disorders." UXL Complete Health Resource. 355. Print.
Trueit, Trudi Strain. Eating Disorders. New York: F. Watts, 2003. Print.
That's all of it, hope that helps
wow that is a lot, i just asked because i am writing my 20 pg english 202 paper on this and related topics (like photoshop and self esteem) and i have to make sure the info, especially the percentages, are legit and not biased or spun a certain way
DeleteIf you wouldn't mind emailing it to me when you are done, I would love to read it!
Deleteuh sure if you want it will be the beginning of May when its completed (ie the end of the spring semester is when it is due) right now i am still in the process of collecting sources (really not looking forward to those peer reviewed ones they are so long!)
DeleteWhat seriously inspired u to write “"Media vs. Self Esteem"”?
ReplyDeleteI personallyreally liked the post! Thanks ,Brianna
My blog http://adrianart.com (adrianart.com)
I am always very aware of then extreme behaviors in the fashion industry in order to stay super skinny, and I get upset at how teenager let this insane image of skinny affect their choices with their body.
DeleteHave you ever thought about publishing an ebook or guest authoring on other websites?
ReplyDeleteI have a blog centered on the same subjects you discuss and would really like to have you share some stories/information.
I know my visitors would value your work. If you're even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me an e mail.
My website: Key and Lock
I drop a leave a response whenever I like a post on a website or I have something to valuable to contribute
ReplyDeleteto the discussion. It is a result of the fire communicated
in the article I read. And on this post "Media vs. Self Esteem".
I was moved enough to drop a comment :) I do have 2
questions for you if it's allright. Is it simply me or do a few of these comments
come across as if they are coming from brain dead folks?
:-P And, if you are posting at additional places, I'd like to keep up with everything
fresh you have to post. Would you make a list the complete urls of your
communal sites like your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?
my weblog wallpaper computer