I want to focus on how the media affects people's self-esteem, females in particular. The media has created this idea that women are not beautiful unless they are a size 2, wear make-up, and wear the most up to date clothes. This idea has been molded by media forms such as the fashion industry, magazines, and hollywood. It is a shame that a person's looks essentially determines their success in life. I'm not saying that you can not be successful if you are not good-looking by any means, however I am pointing out that the world is very superficial.
I have always been amazed about how skinny models are. Models have become the norm for what a woman should look like. The unfortunate part is that many teenage girls stress over whether or not they are skinny or pretty enought. Most models are severely underweight and suffer from health issues, as well as eating disorders. Did you know that Marilyn Monroe was a size 14! She was be considered obese by todays standards, however she was gorgeous and sexy and very much considered beautiful. Where did we take the turn for the worst and subject women to eating disorders and poor self-esteem all in the name of "beauty"?
I wrote a research paper my freshman year on how the media affects teenagers self-image. I sent questionnaires around several local high schools asking the students what they would change about their appearance if they could, if any of them ever considered plastic surgery, and why they felt they needed to change. A shocking amount of students, male and female, wrote back that they were unhappy about the way they looked, that they were on diets, and would definitey consider plastic surgery. Many of the students said that they got their ideas of beauty from tv and magazines. Some of them even told me certain celebrities they wanted to look like.
I just want to know where this idea of "beauty" came from? And why people, women especially, will harm themselves or pay loads of money to change themselves. Everyone is beautiful. The media needs to focus on all body types and appearances. The thing that makes us all beautiful is that we are all different. And that should be celebrated, not discouraged.
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I feel like this is one topic that is affected by media tremendelously. Magazines, tv, music videos, and advertisements for clothing stores attempt to define what a beautiful woman should look like. Its almost like they have set the standards for what a woman should look like and how people will perceive you if you dont't look like that.
This post reminded me of this show i was watching where for her 16th birthday, a girl was going to get breast implants. I was just ridiculously baffled by the idea that at 16 she was thinking of getting a boob job, and secondly that her parents would even allow such a thing. I just felt like rather then saying "yes heres the money for your breast implants" they should be sitting their daughter down and trying to boost her self esteem. It was just weird that they thought it was ok for a 16 year old to get surgery to make her feel better about herself.
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