Standards of Beauty Depicted in Magazines Essays

Modern people live media-saturated lives, even children as young as 6 years old, have had some type of media exposure. Extensive exposure to media outlets can lead to body image issues. Body image is defined as, the subjective picture or mental image of one's own body (Smolak 2003). Body image is formed as people compare themselves to others. Because, people are exposed to countless media images; these images become the basis for such comparisons. These mental comparisons, have a strong influence on an individual’s personal perception of beauty. Media outlets create images and pressures about what our bodies should look like; however, sometimes these images have been manipulated, creating an unrealistic expectation of beauty. When an individual believes that their body is substandard, they can become depressed, suffer from low self-esteem, or develop eating disorders.

Body image has changed throughout the years. The feeling that you have to have this perfect body has grown. Body image is an issue in today’s society especially through the media outlets.

Researchers have discovered that “ongoing exposure to certain ideas can shape and distort our perceptions on reality.” (Mintz 2007) Because young girls are subjected to a constant display of beautiful people in the media, they have developed a negative body image of themselves. Those who have a negative body image perceive their body as being unattractive or even hideous compared to others, while those with a positive body image will see themselves as attractive, or will at least accept themselves and be comfortable in their own skin. During adolescence, negative body image is especially harmful because of the quick changes both physically and mentally occurring during puberty. Also, young girls are becoming more and more exposed to the media and the media keeps getting more and more provocative. Young girls are looking to women with unrealistic body shapes as role models. It’s hard to find, in today’s media, a “normal” looking

Images of female bodies are everywhere. Women, and their bodies, sell everything from food to cars. Women's magazines are full of articles urging women to fit a certain mold. While standing in a grocery store line you can see all different magazines promoting fashion, weight loss, and the latest diet. Although the magazines differ, they all seemingly convey the same idea: if you have the perfect body image you can have it all…the perfect marriage, loving children, great sex, and a rewarding career. The media, whether TV, print, or Internet advertising, seems to play a huge role in influencing women of all ages; from adolescence and teens, to women in their twenties and thirties, as well as

Body Image is how we see ourselves, whether good and bad, it is essential to our confidence. So many people, both young and old are insecure about some characteristic of their body, these people are suffering from bad body image. This is a distorted perception of what they might really look like, it sometimes includes over analyzing small imperfections leading to low self esteem,eating disorders and other harmful effects. Bad body image affects so many people today, and this is greatly because of the media and its common standard of beauty: young,skinny and white. Tackling body image is a tough issue that feminists are trying to address but perhaps those who can really make a difference, is the industry that is perpetuating these unrealistic beauty standards.

In recent years, the media, particularly magazines and television, has become accustomed to displaying homogenous body types that only represent 5% of the average population (Rukeyser). Fortunately, some institutions are making strides in its body image diversity. For example, Dove launched its Campaign for Real Beauty in 2004. This campaign “featured print and television ads that reflect images of women of varying, and more typical, sizes and shapes” (“Body”). More recently, in January of this year, Sports Illustrated attempted to increase its diversity by featuring a plus-size model on the cover of its swimsuit issue (“Body”). The actions of these companies are certainly helping to combat the issue of unrealistic body image, as they have a large influence in the media. If more media institutions follow suit, there is a greater chance that society will soon move towards more diverse body representation as a

While waiting for a recent hair appointment, I picked up the latest issue of Vogue and began to flip through the pages. I had barely turned ten pages when I began to feel a pit in my stomach. The cover models were all skinny, long-legged girls with luscious, straight hair: the complete opposite of the average girl. The way the media portrays the female gender is far from realistic, and consequently, the pressure to put your ‘best’ self forward has never been more prevalent. Each time I see a model on the cover of a magazine, or even a slightly altered photo, I find myself making comparisons. Unfortunately, even knowing that most cover images are digitally altered, the question of how my own body measures up still haunts me. Since the average American female will collect over 250,000 persuasive media messages by the time they are seventeen, the ubiquitous images seen are major factors in the way women perceive themselves (Gallivan, Heather).

The fashion trends make the viewers believe that a girl should be a certain type to appear fashionable and beautiful. Body image and self-esteem is central to a young girl’s definition of self, because they have been socialized to believe what is the prototype of beauty. The 2000s marked a decade where ultra-thin was still not thin enough. The May 2000 issue of Vogue has supermodel Gisele Bundchen on the cover (Vogue), and inside there are swimsuit editorials featuring shockingly thin models. In one of these images, the model’s legs are exceptionally long and unrealistically thin, and in the other photo, the model’s chest bones are alarmingly protruding. In the same issue another candid photo taken behind the scenes at a photo shoot gives the image of four very happy, yet extremely thin, models

The effects of the use of heavily edited images in magazines geared towards young women have been observed occurring globally. Some young women however, are affected differently. Those who hold the magazines as important resources when gathering information on beauty and fitness are impacted more by the use of these images than those who do not (Morrison and Kalin 573). In a study published in the Brown University Child & Adolescent Behavior Letter, 69% of the girls said that the pictures affected their idea of the perfect body shape (“Brown” 1). Forty-seven percent disclosed that they wanted to lose weight due to the images (“Brown” 1). From this, the young women develop the perception that their happiness and success is directly correlated

A magazine is not a mirror. Have you ever seen anyone in a magazine that looked even vaguely like you looking back? Most magazines are made to sell a fantasy of what we are expected to be. They reflect what society deems to be standard, however how unattainable that standard is, women need to remember that it’s just ink on paper. Whatever standards you set for yourself: how much you weigh, how hard you work out or how many times you make it to the gym should be your standards, not someone else’s. Magazines portray unrealistic images and women need to learn to accept themselves.

This is not the case however, as positive body image is a result of several factors such as having respect for one’s body and participating in healthy behaviors for the mind and body. In “But I Like My Body: Positive body image characteristics and a holistic model for young-adult women ” written by Nichole Barcalow, Tracy Tylka and Casey Horvath(2010), college women who were said to have a positive body image were interviewed and asked several questions such as how they define body image and how they feel about their bodies. In addition, experts on body image were also interviewed and were asked questions such as what messages they think the society promotes regarding the female body. The students revealed they did not always have a positive body image and that having a favorable body image is a result of a shift in thinking such as respecting their figures and appreciating the functions of their bodies. It is obvious when someone is comfortable in their own skin as they are happier and more prone to joke around. Overall, positive body image is defined as appreciation for the unique beauty of the body as well as acceptance of aspects that are not ideal( Barcalow et al. ,2010, p. 106). Positive body image allows one to be happier and they learn to respect themselves. When one has a positive

Bodies. We all have one yet none of them are “perfect’, or so we tell ourselves. Body image is defined as the way you view yourself, let it be positive or negative. The images in the media of celebrities and the message they portray about the value of appearances promote eating disorders and body dissatisfaction while impacting the emotional and mental well-being in women.

Although we know the images of models in the media are adjusted, women continue to compare themselves to these edited pictures of beauty. It illustrates the transformation of a regular woman’s image into the image which appeared on a poster. Now, the real challenge lies not in persuading women that these pictures are fake, but helping them build a more realistic image of themselves and their bodies. The TV, media, and magazines alter the quality of beauty. Models and young people don’t look like the images in magazines, and they never will. The seek for perfection and flawlessness leads us to create these non realistic beliefs of how we should look.

Research indicates that exposure to thin ideal images in women's magazines is associated with heightened concerns for body shape and size in a number of young women, although the media's role in the psychopathology of body image disturbance is generally believed to be mediated by personality and socio-cultural factors. The purpose of this research study is to know and gather solid facts and reasons about fashion magazines affecting the teenagers’ body image in a form of research to self evaluation through careful accumulation of acceptable data and relevant resources for such data to be precise and spontaneous in its respected details to support results.

Body Image is defined as the “Internal representation of one’s own outer appearance which reflects physical and perceptual dimensions.” (Borzekowski & Bayer 2005) They also state that “body image is related to self esteem, and self concept.” Body image is the way we see ourselves and that is how it affects our self esteem depending if we have a “perfect” body or just average. Media shows unrealistic images of women that many women believe is truly what they look like. More and more adolescent girls are being exposed to the media and keeps getting more and more provocative. Young girls have always looked up to older women as their role models, but most models now show unrealistic body types. In todays society it is so hard to find a “normal” looking women.The thin-ideal is constantly advertised, and some researchers even believe that this constant reminder of thinness maybe desensitizing out youth and thye making them think and feel that this is normal (Kovar, Allie). According to the study of central florida nearly 50% of girls aged 3 to 6 were