Chakiya Jennings
English 102
Toni Judnitch
4/17/15
Mirror, Mirror
Mirror, mirror on the wall, why can’t I be a Barbie doll? Back in the 50’s women of a larger weight who had curves were more appreciated, but as time went on women started to get smaller and wanted to have bodies that were impossible to obtain what was known as the “Barbie figure”. Trying to obtain this look is a job in its self, Women are becoming more obsessed with having the perfect body. Since the media has put into our minds that women should look a certain way, they tend to get self-conscious about how they look and start to do drastic things like cosmetic surgery or even in some cases, develop eating disorders. In the worst case scenario some women even …show more content…
In reality the media is using photo shop to make women appear smaller than what they appear. Although it may look realistic, women aren’t able to obtain “the look” because their body type is different. When you go in depth, the research found on body image starts at a young age. In the book “Media and Youth” by Steven J. Kirsh he states, “As it turns out, a significant number of children and adolescents are dissatisfied with their bodies, a process that begins early in life. In fact, the desire around age 5 or 6, becoming more pronounced there after (Lowes & Tiggermann, 2003). For instance, Collins (1991) found that 42% of 6 to 7 years of girls and 30% of same age boys preferred silhouettes of bodies thinner than their own.” (Kirsh 135). What this says about people today is that people young and old are always body conscious and majority of people prefer to be something that their not, and this all stems from the media. I will not be discussing all forms of media but I will be focusing more on Photoshop and commercials and how they depict women in today’s time. This particular subject does not only affect women but it also affects men too. I will not be going in depth into the men aspects of body issues I will be focusing more on the women aspect of body
English 102
Toni Judnitch
4/17/15
Mirror, Mirror
Mirror, mirror on the wall, why can’t I be a Barbie doll? Back in the 50’s women of a larger weight who had curves were more appreciated, but as time went on women started to get smaller and wanted to have bodies that were impossible to obtain what was known as the “Barbie figure”. Trying to obtain this look is a job in its self, Women are becoming more obsessed with having the perfect body. Since the media has put into our minds that women should look a certain way, they tend to get self-conscious about how they look and start to do drastic things like cosmetic surgery or even in some cases, develop eating disorders. In the worst case scenario some women even …show more content…
In reality the media is using photo shop to make women appear smaller than what they appear. Although it may look realistic, women aren’t able to obtain “the look” because their body type is different. When you go in depth, the research found on body image starts at a young age. In the book “Media and Youth” by Steven J. Kirsh he states, “As it turns out, a significant number of children and adolescents are dissatisfied with their bodies, a process that begins early in life. In fact, the desire around age 5 or 6, becoming more pronounced there after (Lowes & Tiggermann, 2003). For instance, Collins (1991) found that 42% of 6 to 7 years of girls and 30% of same age boys preferred silhouettes of bodies thinner than their own.” (Kirsh 135). What this says about people today is that people young and old are always body conscious and majority of people prefer to be something that their not, and this all stems from the media. I will not be discussing all forms of media but I will be focusing more on Photoshop and commercials and how they depict women in today’s time. This particular subject does not only affect women but it also affects men too. I will not be going in depth into the men aspects of body issues I will be focusing more on the women aspect of body