Media’s Negative Effect on Women Body Image

I. Images in the media are having a negative impact on female body image and has given society a blurred meaning as to “beautiful” A. Models 1. Models give an unrealistic view of the ideal woman; they give the idea that you cannot be beautiful unless you are thin. 2. “The average model is taller and weighs 23 per cent, or almost a quarter, less than the average woman who is 5’4″ and weighs 148 lbs. ” (Canadian Women’s Health) 3. Model’s bodies have been getting thinner by the years, and as the bodys keep slimming down women and girls in society are becoming more unhappy with their selves. B. Economic goals . “There are no official statistics for spending on diet products, but estimates vary from $40bn to $100bn in the US alone – more than the combined value of the government’s budget for health, education and welfare. ” (Cummings) 2. By the media presenting an almost impossible ideal to get and maintain, the cosmetic and diet industry becomes profitable. 3. Ads are directed mostly to younger girls purposely. C. Health issues 1. Exposure to images of thin, young, air-brushed female bodies is linked to depression, loss of self-esteem and the development of unhealthy eating habits in women and girls. . The American research group Anorexia Nervosa & Related Eating Disorders, Inc. says that one out of every four college-aged women uses unhealthy methods of weight control (bulimia, anorexia, excess exercising, laxatives, skipping meals. ) 3. This has even affected younger girls, as low as 5-6 years old. 4. Nearly half of all preadolescent girls wish to be thinner, and as a result have engaged in a diet or are aware of the concept of dieting. (Tiggeman) 5.

Researchers generating a computer model of a woman with Barbie-doll proportions, for example, found that her back would be too weak to support the weight of her upper body, and her body would be too narrow to contain more than half a liver and a few centimeters of bowel. A real woman built that way would suffer from chronic diarrhea and eventually die from malnutrition. II. Although the damage has been well done, by eliminating the fake women pictures and providing the society with a healthier view of themselves, women’s views about themselves would be a lot healthier and they would feel uch happier. A. Although these campaigns have just started with their healthy ideas, many companies have tried to help with this problem and have received much positive feedback. 1. In 2004, Dove launched the very successful Campaign for Real Beauty which features real women, not models, advertising Dove’s firming cream. (Dove) 2. Dove has also recently launched a new campaign, 3. In September 2006, a news and media furor erupted when Spain banned overly thin models from its fashion runways. 4.

Dove produced this video in response to the negative comments of the changes of the company’s models called Evolution which shows the transformation from a regular women to a model and how unrealistic perceptions of beauty are. 5. In 2010, Dove® set out a bold new vision for the brand with the Dove® Movement for Self-Esteem. ( Dove) III. Not everyone agrees, however, that this is something wrong. A. The people that prosper from these ideas say 1. Women need to have more self control. a. It’s not like women can just avoid these ads, they are everywhere and have come to dominate our society.

Depression and low self-esteem is not something that women want to have. Not everyone is born the same. 2. Obesity is a problem, thinner is healthier. a. Thinner can be healthier because obesity has become a growing issue but the media has taken it to their advantage. b. The thinness shown in magazines and models is not healthy, the models are always underweight which leads to fainting and serious health conditions including malnutrition. Works Cited “Beauty and Body Image in Media. ” Media Awareness Network. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Nov 2011. <http://www. edia-awareness. ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty. cfm>. Cummings, Laura. “The diet business: Banking on Failure. ” BBC news. N. p. , 05/02/2003. Web. 20 Nov 2011. <http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/business/2725943. stm>. “Body Image and the Media. ” Canadian’s Women’s Health Network. N. p. , 2005. Web. 20 Nov 2011. <http://www. cwhn. ca/node/40776>. “The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. ” Dove. Dove, n. d. Web. 20 Nov 2011. <http://www. dove. us/Social-Mission/campaign-for-real-beauty. asp&xgt;>.