The media negatively impacts body image causing eating disorders, poor self esteem, and sexualization of youngsters. According to health expert and writer, Carla Rice, body image is: an individual’s experience of his/her body. It refers to the mental picture a person has of his/her body as well as the individual’s associated thoughts, feelings, judgments, sensations, awareness, and behavior. Thus, body image not only addresses how one looks, but also how one feels and acts in response to his or her perceived appearance.” (Body Image 1)
Since body image is a thought or a mental picture that a person has of his or her body, the visual media can influence how people view themselves. Negative ways this impacts people include fat shaming and eating …show more content…
The media produces young girls who want to become thinner than they already are with ideas they see on the television or on the internet. A family therapist and author, Kendrick, observed a young girl which was only in the fourth grade saying she needed to go on a diet even though she looked fit and healthy for her age. The therapist adds that a recent number of popular television shows push the sexualization of younger and younger aged girls. Young girls like her imply that they want to be skinnier or feel pretty from viewing other young girls on social media. Observing issues like these are ruining young girls childhood from observing the media or television shows such as “ Toddlers and Tiaras.” A 3 year-old girl who was in the beauty pageant for Toddlers and Tiaras had called all of the girls ugly who participated in the pageant as well. Young girls focus on wanting to become sexy which intrudes the age they are which can lead to issues as a child and later as an adult. Parents become a big part in how the child acts or what they say. Kendrick also adds that parents are pitting young girls to have the “prettiest one to win” which is leading them to believe they have to become successful or get prizes such as trophies just to see if they actually are the “prettiest one to win” in their future (Morgan 3). The young girls need to realize that the society of beauty pageants focuses on the flaws and people dwell on that. It is extremely important to teach the young girls their strength in the kind of society we live in. Teaching them to be confident about themselves instead of looking at the media or society for negative
Since body image is a thought or a mental picture that a person has of his or her body, the visual media can influence how people view themselves. Negative ways this impacts people include fat shaming and eating …show more content…
The media produces young girls who want to become thinner than they already are with ideas they see on the television or on the internet. A family therapist and author, Kendrick, observed a young girl which was only in the fourth grade saying she needed to go on a diet even though she looked fit and healthy for her age. The therapist adds that a recent number of popular television shows push the sexualization of younger and younger aged girls. Young girls like her imply that they want to be skinnier or feel pretty from viewing other young girls on social media. Observing issues like these are ruining young girls childhood from observing the media or television shows such as “ Toddlers and Tiaras.” A 3 year-old girl who was in the beauty pageant for Toddlers and Tiaras had called all of the girls ugly who participated in the pageant as well. Young girls focus on wanting to become sexy which intrudes the age they are which can lead to issues as a child and later as an adult. Parents become a big part in how the child acts or what they say. Kendrick also adds that parents are pitting young girls to have the “prettiest one to win” which is leading them to believe they have to become successful or get prizes such as trophies just to see if they actually are the “prettiest one to win” in their future (Morgan 3). The young girls need to realize that the society of beauty pageants focuses on the flaws and people dwell on that. It is extremely important to teach the young girls their strength in the kind of society we live in. Teaching them to be confident about themselves instead of looking at the media or society for negative