The media is constantly influencing girls and women on how they should look, and the result of this is eating disorders. In one study, ten year old girls said that after watching a Britney Spear's music video or a television show clip they were unhappy with their body image. In another survey of nine year old girls, 40% have already tried losing weight. (Body Image and Nutrition) The media also affects celebrities as well. Some celebrities feel the need to keep up with the unrealistic image the media portrays. For example, Portia de Rossi had struggled with eating disorders because of the media. Her eating disorder got so bad that at one time she weighed only 82 pounds. Her eating disorders started when she began a role in a television show, Ally McBeal. She felt that had to become thin in order to play her role. After that she would do whatever she had to in order to stay skinny. She was lucky that she got help in time, or else the disorder would have killed her. (Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi) More than five million Americans are affected by eating disorders, and approximately 1000 women die each year from being anorexic (Body Image and Nutrition). The media needs to put an end to this. Women should not be dying because of what the media believes a woman's body should look like.
A way to end this is to start putting women with a normal or average weight in magazines or television shows. Start showing pictures of healthy women, and focus more on characteristic and personality than on body image. Today's models weigh 23% less than the average woman, causing more and more girls and women to want to lose weight. The media wants everyone to believe that thin is the new fashion trend, but what is more important the keeping girls and women alive and healthy or their body image?
I completely agree with this article, there are so many young girls who watch TV and movies and look in magazines and think they have to change their bodies. They want to do extreme dieting and exercise to get thinner, when all they are doing is ruining their bodies and minds. Every one is perfect just the way they are and shouldn't try to change their bodies to fit the "media stereotype". This is a really good blog, good job Nicole!
ReplyDeletenicole! i think this is such a great post! it is so true that the pictures of models in the media and magazines are so unrealistic! Eating disorders are so much more common, and it is so true that they are starting at a younger age! When we were in middle school, and 12 and 13 years old, I remember a lot of girls struggling with body image issues. If they are like that at 12 or 13, how are they going to be when they are 20? I totally agree with you that models should be more realistic looking!
ReplyDeleteNicole, these are some great points and alarming statistics!! I think the focus should be on being healthy, not just thin. My stepbrother is trying to lose weight (he blogs every day about it) by eating healthier and exercising more. However, he is not trying to get skinng. In fact, the name of his blog is: The Heavy Man's Diary: The Mission to Healthy. By living a healthier lifestyle, he has been able to lose 80 pounds so far! A couple years ago, I remember Tyra Banks had an episode on her talk show where she criticized the press and media for criticizing her about her weight. On that show, Tyra, along with some other women with curves, wore swimsuits with their weight written on the front to show they were not ashamed of who they were. As long as we are healthy, that is all that matters.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what lindsay said, as you are fit and healthy that is all that matters. You don't have to be super model thin to be good looking but then again you have to keep in shape because then that leads to health risks. It's not a matter of following the media its about making sure you are healthy.
ReplyDeleteIf you are fit and healthy, you have nothing to worry about. Being extremely skinny is not worth it. If you feel bad about what you ate in a day, go to the gym. Eating disorders just make things worse.
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