In a study done in 2004 by Dove for their real beauty campaign, only two percent of women described themselves as beautiful, and 68% of women stated "the media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty that most women can't ever achieve," (Media Awareness Network). Only two percent of women saw themsevles as beautiful, two percent. The media created such an impossible body image that 98% of women did not feel that they were beautiful. With the help of Dove's campaign women are starting to realize that real beauty is not just physical features. While Dove has shown models that represent real beauty, the majority of the other adverstising companies and the media in general have not. Even though Dove's effort is working, body image problems are still being caused by the media.
I feel that a solution to this would be start using real women who represent the majority of the women and girls in the country. The skin and bones models do not represent anything else other than eating disorders. By using real women as models in more adversiting ads and in fashion shows, women will start to see what real beauty is, which is not just physical appearance. It will also help to show girls that they do not have to compare themselves to the unnaturally thin models that are in most magazines. Lindsey Stokes from the Dove campaign said, "young girls need to see real women like themselves in print ads or on t.v." (Media Awareness Network). A student from from Vancouver, Woo Kim, said, "I think normal models are better than skinny models. It feels more comfortable to see them," (Media Awareness Network). This solution is possible, but it is up to the media to use it. All the media has to do is focus more on women of all looks, not just the tall and skinny.
Girls need to know that they are beautiful just they way are. Beauty is not what the media has instilled in our minds for so long. What do you think, if the media focused more on different types of women, and not just the abnormally skinny, would it help to end the stereotypical body image of women? Would it allow for more women to feel beautiful they way they are?
Its so sad to hear that only two percent of women see themselves as beautiful. All women are beautiful in their own way ans should feel that way. Beauty doesn't come from the outside, it comes from within. Being a beautiful person means being kind, loving, generous, smart and caring. Not being an emaciated looking model.
ReplyDeleteIts so depresssing to see how negatively the media has affected how women perceive themselves! I think that advertising using normal HEALTHY women would definitely help, but I don't know if it would ever completely solve the problem. Sometimes so much damage is done that there's no fixing it, and unfortunately I think this is one of those things =/
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