Distortion of Body Image in Media

Fig. 1 A perfect example of how the media photoshops models
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uPZrYFki_kQ/Ta7kW-2xkvI/AAAA
AAAABTk/KQvVDpyJXH8/s1600/before_after_fat_model%2525202.jpg

       Body image is the perception of ones own physical look established by self observation and by noting the reactions of others. It is said that only 3% of woman in the UK are completely pleased with their body image, which leaves 97% displeased (Mail Online). The media has manipulated peoples and has defined the "perfect and ideal" female body image. It has created a fantasy world, that women try to live up to. They create thoughts in women's minds that make them believe that all these women in the media business have the perfect body figure. The average American women is a size 14, however the media makes them out to be a size 6. As seen in figure 1, this is a clear example of how the media manipulates the audience. The photo to the most left is the raw model picture. The photo on right is the photoshopped and edited version, creating false beauty. Manipulating the minds of women in this manner leads to insecurities, especially in teenage girls. These lead to negative impacts, such as surgery, anorexia, bulimia and so much more. The distortion of body images in media needs to be stopped. Moreover, links on the side bar lead to other blogs that comment on the topic of distortion of body image in the media.

Fig. 2 A group shot of Victoria Secret models
http://www.notyouraveragefitnesstips.com/wp-content
/uploads/2010/12/victoria-secret-model-workout.jpg

       On average, we see 300 advertisements per day (David Lamoureux), whether it is on a moving bus, poster, billboards, on the television, in the internet, on a flatscreen on a building, or even before you watch a video on youtube. The women used in advertisements for clothes, lingerie, diet pills, a specific gym, etc. are always defined as the "ideal female". Society has come up with a phrase called the "white girl look". It refers to woman with slim hips, flat stomachs, toned body and perfect skin tone. These particular models are typically found in advertising lingerie. The media flaunts girls with flawless figures, and impeccable skin. In figure 2, these models are from the famous company Victoria Secret, that is famous for their lingerie, body mist and perfume. The models have their body features altered, which creates an impossible image of what society calls beauty. Young women try to live up, and match these images, but soon realise they never can because it is impossible, which leads to the blame being put on themselves. Our perception of beauty is distorted. Our minds are manipulated to want the bodies and the face of young, white, skinny girls. The media has made us want the "white girl look".

Fig. 3 Women feeling insecure about their body
 image in fashionable clothes
http://fashionista.com/uploads/2013/08/plus-lead.jpg

       You want to think, why is this bad? 50% of advertisements are said to be aimed at highlighting women's attractiveness (Rader Programs). You think, the media gives us something to look up to, and to work for, however it doesn't. A world full of impossible images of beauty is created. Body image is based on a feeling, rather than a fact. This makes it extremely vulnerable to distortion. We are constantly harassed by the media, with the promotion of the ideal body image, which is just a delusion which then creates a battle with yourself. Body image is a mental idea about your own physical body. The media puts emphasis on what they know young women dislike most about themselves. As seen in figure 3, women are picking out at what they dislike about themselves, leading to them feeling insecure because they do not look like the models that modelled these clothes. Young women compare themselves to models in advertisements in terms of physical attractiveness, which creates social pressure to be like them. They have to realise that body image is not something that is meant to be improved.

Fig. 4 Young girl admiring what
she sees in the media
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=SCxjUrNbIkI

      Mass media is mass communication. Advertisements are spread across all types of media including the television, newspapers, billboards, internet, etc. Advertisements can be seen by anyone, any person, any gender, and any age. Facebook is social networking site with over 1.1 billion users as of 2013 (Statistic Brain). Companies pay great amounts of money to have their ads on the side of Facebook. In today's world, many teenagers use Facebook more than adults. Companies are aware of this, which is why ads for the perfect skin, or for a slimmer body's is put up, for teenagers, especially teenage girls. Images with women, with perfect skin and what "they use", and slim woman with a before and after pictures (which may be highly unreliable) are present. This further creates the pressure on teenage girls or even young girls to be perfect, as shown in figure 4.

       Media gives not only women, but also men this fantasy world. This affects peoples social lives, as it raises expectations of males, on how females body images should be. Their minds have been manipulated and distorted by the media, to expect that young women should look like how they do in advertisements in the media. When some women don't live up to these expectations, or standards, this could cause low self-esteem and confidence issues in many young women. Depression is not just an emotion, but also a state of mind. Due to the distortion of body image by the media, 73% of women abuse dieting pills (Rader Programs), as they try to live up to what is presented in the media, but are unfortunately unable to.

Fig. 5 Another example of a picture being
photoshopped, and made into
impossible beauty
http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/qE0F9R
z5gwk/hqdefault.jpg

     We can clearly see what the media is doing to our society. It's distorting our views on body image and "true/natural beauty". What we see now in the media is fake, photoshopped and not authentic or real, as shown in figure 5. It creates a fake vision in our minds, and blinds us by societies expectations. The media persuades us to believe the "white girls look" is true beauty, and we need to alter ourselves, however we are our own person. Society and the media can not define who we are, and if what we look like is acceptable or not. Body image is not something that we need to improve, it is something we to need accept.


List of References:

1. "Facebook Statistics." Statistic Brain RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.statisticbrain.com/facebook-statistics/>.
2.  Lamoureux, David. "Advertising: How Many Marketing Messages Do We See in a Day?" Advertising: How Many Marketing Messages Do We See in a Day? N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.fluiddrivemedia.com/advertising/marketing-messages/>.
3. "Media Influence." Eating Disorders and. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.raderprograms.com/causes-statistics/media-eating-disorders.html>.
4. "Most Women 'unhappy with Their Bodies'" Mail Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-146021/Most-women-unhappy-bodies.html>.
5. "Posts Tagged Body Image and Retouching | Mamamia." Mamamia Body Image and Retouching Tag. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2013. <http://www.mamamia.com.au/tag/body-image-and-retouching/>.