Essay about Media’s Impact on Beauty and Body Image of...

It’s difficult to envision a world where idealized female imagery is not plastered everywhere, but our present circumstance is a relatively new occurrence. Before the mass media existed, our ideas of beauty were restricted to our own communities. Until the introduction of photography in 1839, people were not exposed to real-life images of faces and bodies. Most people did not even own mirrors. Today, however, we are more obsessed with our appearance than ever before. But the concern about appearance is quite normal and understandable given society’s standards. According to Jane Kilborne, â€Å"Every period of history has had its own standards of what is and is not beautiful, and every contemporary society has its own distinctive concept of the†¦show more content†¦(Heubeck 2006) For many young people, especially girls, the ideal continues to chase them as they grow into young women. Young girls begin to internalize the stereotypes and judge themselves by medi a’s impossible standards. The power that the media holds in impacting the lives of young girls is detrimental and eventually affects their body image, their satisfaction of their own body, and portrayal of their body as an object. Researchers have discovered that â€Å"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 â€Å"normal† lookingShow MoreRelatedEssay on Media’s Impact on Beauty and Body Image of Young Girls1917 Words   |  8 PagesIt’s difficult to envision a world where idealized representations of females do not exist. However, before the creation of the mass media, our ideas of beauty were restricted to our own communities in which we live. When photography was introduced in 1839, real-life images of faces and bodies were not exposed to society. The likelihood of someone owning a mirror during that time was very rare. Today, however, one is considered odd if they do not own a mirror. Today we look for any excuse to lookRead MoreEssay about The Media’s Effect on Adolescent Bodies 1725 Words   |  7 PagesThe Media’s Effect on Adolescent Bodies The stringent standard Barbie-doll proportions of body image and what is considered beautiful in today’s media has resulted in devastating effects on adolescent women. The images displayed of women who have long beautiful legs, thin waist lines and smooth flawless skin are very hard to ignore. Throughout history the female body has been on display as a selling tool to coerce people into buying that new fancy car or the latest new appliance that can makeRead MoreA Culture Of Perfection : Media s Influence On Adolescents1362 Words   |  6 Pages A Culture of Perfection: Media’s Influence on Adolescents Comparison. It is one of the most dangerous and detrimental habits within our society. We fall into a routine of â€Å"self-checking† ourselves against others; mentally taking notes of what we can improve and what we are doing better. 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Being bombarded with images of beautiful women with perfect figures and porcelain skin has had an effect on the way women and young girls portray their own bodies. This, in return, causes a drive for thinness which, ultimately, can ignite feelings of dissatisfaction which can cause eating disorders and poor health decisions. This epidemic has captivated many women and adolescents as they go to tremendous lengthsRead MoreThe Media Responsible For Females Essa y1679 Words   |  7 Pagesbehaviours and disorders? In a culture with saturated media, the powerful influence upon women and younger girls is a continuous debate. Females of all ages come under immense pressure from the media, friends, partners and even parents to maintain a great body shape. 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