Today’s media is very focused on body image. Every time I flip through a magazine I rarely see “fat” models. In fact, all of the models tend to be extremely skinny and even look unhealthy. Not only are these magazine ads sending bad messages to young girls across the world, the constant criticism about celebrities and their weight causes girls to second guess their body weight.
For example, Jessica Simpson recently gained some weight. Since putting on the pounds, she has been blasted for the weight gain and pictured in a number of magazines. Jessica Simpson’s curves are being criticized. When teenage girls look at these pictures and realize that this body image is frowned upon by society, they begin to become more self- conscious about their own weight. Whether Lindsay Lohan becomes skinnier or Jessica Simpson becomes curvier, the media concentrates on weight, forcing teenage girls to focus on their body image WAY too much! What really bothers me, is that instead of embracing her weight, Jessica has told tabloids that she “will lose 20 lbs in 8 weeks” in order to get her beach body back. She feels obligated to lose the weight because the media puts so much pressure on her!
Even here at Southern Methodist University, girls compete with each other to look the cutest and the slimmest. Because there is so much emphasis on being skinny, girls are eating less and developing unhealthy habits. Some girls stating that they are “just going to eat fruit for the whole day”. First off, this behavior will slow down the metabolism and not provide enough nourishment for a healthy body. Girls need to understand that everyone comes in different sizes. I believe it is important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Girls can maintain a great body image by doing this, and do not have to starve themselves in order to receive satisfaction.
2 comments:
I know that eating disorders are defiantly more common in our generation than any other before us, but why has the media gained so much influence over they years? It seems that as humans we are buying more and more no matter how much we need, and this is largely influenced by the media. The fact is, there will always be those few people in life that all of the others admire and want to be, but when we try to set our standards to the height of others we often times fail. I think the media makes everyone want to be something other than they are, and it seems like spending money is the only way to get there.
I am also disgusted with the media's constant discussion of the weight of celebrity's. Also, I am disappointed that Jessica Simpson gave in to the media and told them she was going to lose weight. Jessica is gorgeous and healthy and shouldn't start starving herself so that the media won't be mean to her anymore. It's crazy!
Something else I noticed about our generation, is that there does not seem to be a happy medium. People, mainly girls, are either stick thin or overweight. As our population is increasing in obesity, eating disorders are rising. This completely shocks me and the media and our society need to take measures to try and solve this increasing problem.
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