Societal beliefs can have a great effect on our body image. Everyone knows that Superman is strong and has bulging muscles and that Barbie is thin and successful. That has been engrained in our heads, ever since we were children. Much of our society follows particular beauty ideals that are very impractical, just like Barbie and Superman. These ideas are reinforced in our Westernized states. Looking at socio-cultural beliefs, they emphasize a current societal standard to look thin. They not only have unrealistic expectations for women’s body types, but also other difficult-to-achieve standards that women are held up to. In order to achieve these ideals, women resort to extreme and dysfunctional exercising and eating behaviours, that are
…show more content…
Dreaded “otherness” is when women conform to, or rebel against, traditional social scripts about femininity and heterosexuality (Fahs). What is feminine is what is seen as beautiful. If women do not fit into what our society deems as body ideals, then they will be cast as a dreaded “other”. A company that is choosing to challenge this idea is the beauty brand Dove. Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign which started in 2004, features real women who physical appearance doesn’t match the stereotypical norms of beauty. There ads feature women of various races, ages, and body types. The goal of this campaign is to challenge the norm of what “beautiful” is and to increase feelings of self-worth in girls who don’t “fit” the stereotypical beauty standard. Campaigns like this are extremely important in our society today, as they are encouraging women to be who they are and to embrace what makes them beautiful. Although Dove is making way for the change in what our society deems as beautiful, Dove is a part of Unilever, which also produces Axe body spray. In Axe television commercials, beautiful young women, with the “ideal” figure, seduce your average looking man because his scent is irresistible. It is important to understand that Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign advertisements are few and far between, and are still connected to companies who support unrealistic expectations of
Dreaded “otherness” is when women conform to, or rebel against, traditional social scripts about femininity and heterosexuality (Fahs). What is feminine is what is seen as beautiful. If women do not fit into what our society deems as body ideals, then they will be cast as a dreaded “other”. A company that is choosing to challenge this idea is the beauty brand Dove. Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign which started in 2004, features real women who physical appearance doesn’t match the stereotypical norms of beauty. There ads feature women of various races, ages, and body types. The goal of this campaign is to challenge the norm of what “beautiful” is and to increase feelings of self-worth in girls who don’t “fit” the stereotypical beauty standard. Campaigns like this are extremely important in our society today, as they are encouraging women to be who they are and to embrace what makes them beautiful. Although Dove is making way for the change in what our society deems as beautiful, Dove is a part of Unilever, which also produces Axe body spray. In Axe television commercials, beautiful young women, with the “ideal” figure, seduce your average looking man because his scent is irresistible. It is important to understand that Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign advertisements are few and far between, and are still connected to companies who support unrealistic expectations of