Korean-America Body

With a family of four, living in a suburban area, with a middle-class income, my interviewee, a seventeen-year-old girl answered my questions concerning body image and how she perceives herself. She lives with her mother and father and her little sister who is in the seventh grade. S.A is a senior at her high school and is Korean-American. To begin, the definition of body image is the dynamic discernment, on an individual level, of his or her own body, such as, how it moves, feels, and its appearance (Woolfolk & Perry, 2015). At this day and age, the body is a measurement of status, many of today’s society, even in the past, that people must appear a certain way in order to be accepted or even noticed. Many of these people who appeal to this …show more content…
So when I asked S.A. if it occurred or was discussed often, she stated, “People don't really talk that much about eating disorders. They seem more comfortable talking about mental illnesses (depression, OCD, anxiety, etc.) than about physical ones (bulimia, binge eating, etc.). Eating disorders are a big deal that gets swept under the rug. Young girls constantly trying to lose weight because they are dissatisfied with their physical appearance.” With high school so fresh in my mind, many females do not discuss concerns with body image. The school only had the audacity to speak about mental illness and many suffer from the avoidance of this topic. “Many times, when this occurred,” S.A. said, these girls were looked down upon they were considered ‘disgusting, unwanted,’ and with more knowledge that these girls were sick, they were made fun of even more.” Afterward, I asked if anyone was there to guide these individuals, she responded that she had no knowledge of it, but advised, “Don't force attention to the kids. Observe your class and notice their comfort level in that class. It may not be a big deal to the teacher, but it may be a big deal to the student. Give them a choice in what they do, but also, give them a push when you feel it's necessary for their personal growth.” With this situation, shows more proof that media and peers’ opinions can be harmful to their acquaintances, but with the aid of trusted …show more content…
if she had any last thoughts and the wish that her peers knew. Her thoughts were, “I wish people knew that the urge to hate our bodies is ingrained into our minds by the media and society. It takes time to unlearn the hate, to unlearn the worry, and to actually be comfortable with what we look like. The media is constantly advertising to girls to have flawless skin, lush hair, and "attractive butts". And those of color, they are often urged to have European features. The media affects society as a whole, so this "idealized look" is internalized and normalized. Once people start to realize that, we can start to work against it.” Concluding the discussion, it seems that many of the issues are that media presents bias cases, and those who are ill do not know where to find help.
Overall, I enjoyed this discussion with S.A. It has opened my eyes to the realization that there is no true help with those who have bodily concerns and eating disorders. I was surprised how this topic is not discussed as often as it should be. Without schools or parents telling their children that there is beauty in each and every one of us and that only those who appear this way is a battle that will have that child always losing. But with positivity, encouragement, and hope, and providing this for the future generations can help many overcome many obstacles that will come their