A woman’s self image is everything in the eyes of the media. Whether you’re short, tall, skinny, or heavy, the media makes us feel like we’re never good enough. The celebrity and model appearances that are flaunted in magazine spreads and on the red carpet present the illusion of perfection when reality speaks a far different truth. Women of all ages are most affected by this facade of the ultimate physique when according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, only five percent of females possess the ideal body type. But what is the ideal body type?
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The media is saturated with glorified gaunt glamour that has either been photoshopped or obsessively abused through eating disorders or drug use. This prototype of the supermodel body is painted as the epitome of attraction, and thus promotes an unattainable goal for most young women. When 69 percent of 5th to 12th grade girls say the images in magazines affect their idea of what a perfect body is, and 47 percent admit to wanting to lose weight as a result of these images, society has a problem and the media is responsible for corrupting the minds of our youth by poisoning their self-esteem. Although being healthy is ideal and definitely a goal that should be actively pursued, this dangerous misconception of having to be less than perfectly healthy to be attractive is what has to change.
This past week at the MTV VMA Awards, Disney actress, Demi Lovato, hit the red carpet looking gorgeous and healthy in a silver sequin dress. Some tweeters had posted in response to her body that “her arms were looking chunky.” Lovato, who is currently recovering from a battle with anorexia and bipolar disorder, strongly and proudly retorted, “Get over it… I’m healthy and happy.” This is an advancing step for young women in the media who are taking a stand toward their critics and promoting a healthier lifestyle.
Emphasizing the need for social change, The Dove Foundation created a PSA campaign that draws attention to the reality behind the doctored images of female models. One video in particular highlights the manipulations of a photo shoot, turning an average looking woman into a supermodel. She goes through radical transformation with makeup, hair, and digital adjustments of her physical features to be more symmetrical. By the end of the video, the model is featured on a huge billboard which presents the difference between fantasy and reality.
It’s refreshing to see companies and celebrities alike bring awareness to image issues that face society today. More and more females in pop culture are surprisingly embracing their flaws and empowering their fans to do the same. Singer/songwriter, Adele, is a prime example of a young woman who undeniably exhibits beauty contrary to the popular status quo of what is considered attractive. Her talent and elegance outweigh any judgements about her appearance. On the other hand, Jennifer Hudson, who recently became the spokesmodel for Weight Watchers, went from a size 16 to a size 6, proving that women can shed pounds through good old fashioned diet and exercise. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be thin and fit, but it’s not easy and it doesn’t happen overnight.
Anyone who works out and watches what they eat will admit that it comes down to willpower and determination. Yes, society tells us being thin is beautiful. Yes, there is a serious obesity crisis in the United States. And yes, we should be mindful of our health related choices. But give a mouse a cookie and you feed insecurities that perpetuate the psychological extreme of either purging or binging. Neither are beneficial and neither should be encouraged. It’s a day-to-day struggle that we all face – the inner dialogues we have , “Am I getting fat?” “Why can’t I lose 10 pounds?” “Diet starts Monday” create a mentality that is toxic to our social environment. Instead of embracing our personality, we allow doubt to consume our physical presence.
It’s empowering to see this small, but effective shift in modern pop culture. It starts with star power embodying the true essence of beauty within the soul, then slowly creeps into the minds of fans who will then spread this new ideology of self worth being more powerful than self image. This is not to say that being aware of self image is wrong or that wanting to look good isn’t a natural reaction, but negative obsessions about minor details are not helping to change anything. Motivation to improve yourself should stem from within instead of the devaluing pressures that emanate from the media.
To become involved in the movement or to learn more about how to prevent or work through these issues please visit http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/index.php
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