The Harmful Effects Of Body Shaming Analysis

The media has an obsession with perfection, and sends subliminal messages that often lead to a negative effect on a person’s body image. The greatest influence that the media has is on body image.

People need to be informed on the issue that unrealistic beauty standards, set by the society, are harmful and can cause a “schema that combines three fundamental components: the idealization of slenderness; an irrational fear of fat; and a belief that weight is a central determinant of one’s identity” (Lintott 67). Our society promotes a specific body image as being attractive: being thin. It is represented throughout mass media, both in the physical and online worlds. The media exposes society with impractical body types, pushing individuals, especially women, to look like them. Today, negative body image encourages women to engage in disordered eating and obsessive behaviors in order to fit a certain impractical standard of beauty. In fact, according to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), 20 million females will “suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life” (Lintott 68). We contribute so much time striving to look like what society wants us to resemble, that we begin to see others and ourselves as what is presented physically rather than who a person is. Some individuals of the general public are influenced by the media to believe that this thin ideal is the norm and that the media is not causing any harm. However, this thin ideal is detrimental and is the main reason for the increase in the development and encouragement in eating disorders, body dissatisfaction in women and a rise in the number of pro-anorexia websites.

Body Image is how we see ourselves, whether good and bad, it is essential to our confidence. So many people, both young and old are insecure about some characteristic of their body, these people are suffering from bad body image. This is a distorted perception of what they might really look like, it sometimes includes over analyzing small imperfections leading to low self esteem,eating disorders and other harmful effects. Bad body image affects so many people today, and this is greatly because of the media and its common standard of beauty: young,skinny and white. Tackling body image is a tough issue that feminists are trying to address but perhaps those who can really make a difference, is the industry that is perpetuating these unrealistic beauty standards.

Body shaming is a gigantic issue in our country; this is because every girl feels that they have to be “perfect” like the models in the magazines. Women cannot feel content with their body, because they believe that being skinny is the only way to be beautiful. Society makes women believe that if they eat, then they will become overweight.

In today’s society, media is all around us and we cannot escape it. Whether you are getting in your car to head to work or sitting at home on your computer media is everywhere. From billboards, to magazines, television, music, social media, and the internet. The media is thought to have a negative impact on the body image of both men and women of all ages. The Webster dictionary defines body image as “a subjective picture of one's own physical appearance established both by self-observation and by noting the reactions of others (body).”With so much negative exposure to media that depicts what the perfect body should look like it is easy for people to develop body image problems that are primarily influenced by the media. Studies have show

This essay explores how the biased body image influences on the current society and culture, and how the marginalized people are categorized in this society. Firstly, in order to grasp the stereotype of the body image, I will discuss about who has the authority to control their gender or the body image.

Media can be seen as a channel of communication in whereupon millions of people frequently use in their daily lives. So, with all of this technology around, how is the media portrayal of beauty affecting women? According to Cheryl J. Haas, Laura A. Pawlow. Jon Pettibone, and Dan J. Segrist, “Research has shown media exposure to unattainable physical perfection is detrimental to people, especially women and that inimical effects are currently more the rule than the exception” (1). When a person feels as if they do not compeer with the standard of beauty media has set, that individual develops negative emotions towards themselves which can lead to ailing eating habits including binge-eating, purging, or starving. Several studies further reveal a show in a decrease of self-esteem, including other psychological distress, following exposure to idealized media portrayal.

As society begins to grow a dependency on media, particularly social media, more and more research is being conducted on the effects of this kind of exposure on self-esteem, body image, and more importantly eating disorders. As society becomes codependent on the technology that has made life that easier, exposure to marketing techniques and other social cues has increased and with that increase so has the negative perception of body image increased. It is because of this growing tendency of humans to develop subconscious ideas of the perfect body that this paper looks to answer the question of whether American media is portraying these unhealthy images of a perfect body or perfect human to society. This causes several negative tendencies from low self-esteem to an array of mental eating disorders due to the dissatisfaction with one’s own body. It is the opinion of this paper that American media is in fact imprinting these ideas of a perfect and unhealthy image of the human body onto the general public, whether it be knowingly or unknowingly.

Culture, molds an ever-changing body image body-image standards for centuries, with each centuries body-image standards differing from the last. There are many differences in the body ideals that we have now compared to the 1930’s to the 1950’s where a beautiful body was considered curvy; whereas now a skinny body is being promoted. With girls obsessing over thigh gaps, waist size and body weight we can see how damaging the media can be. Encouragements from the media is something we see every day all around us, while supposedly promoting a healthy body, the opposite has occurred. With magazines covers displaying a size 0 model on the cover, next to a not so subtle title reading “Slimmer, Fitter, Sexier!” while promoting brands that only sell to skinny women. We are bombarded with standards of what a beautiful body is and isn’t. As the media seeks to reap a profit, they are damaging a woman’s view on their body. Today many would acknowledge the negative effects of body image in the media, so why has no one done anything to fix it?

Around the world, women are unhappy with their body image due to the media portraying body image. Media affects how women look at themselves every day. Body image plays a huge role in the media. Women are constantly criticizing their body when they see a perfect body on the media. With this being said, the media is to blame for how insecure women are about their image. A large variety of people agree how the media is wrong for portraying these “perfect” body images, but a few disagree and think taking away “perfect” body images on the media is too extreme. Without the media portraying body image, the world would be a happier place. Not only would the world be a happier place, but women would feel more secure about how their bodies look. Media is to blame for why women are so unhappy about their appearance. (Scholastic Choices, 2016)

When she was younger, she would flip through her sister’s magazines. She came to the realization that being skinny was attractive and appealing. She comprehended the fact that no one had the same appearance as her. They were lighter, had blonde flowy hair, and an hourglass figure. Looking at herself, she realized that she looked nothing like them. Looking back at the magazine she wondered, Is that what is desirable? Body image is how you see yourself in your head. A positive body image can improve your self-acceptance and self-esteem. A negative image can lead to feelings of depression and isolation. Many women want to rectify their body to have a “favorable” image. Body image has a detrimental influence on women because the media depicts an unrealistic body as ideal, women become susceptible to eating disorders, and women alter their body with cosmetic surgery.

Over the years a debate over who is to blame over the decline in how girls perceive themselves has arisen. With Photoshop being the societal norm concerning the media, it has become difficult for many to understand where the line between real and near impossible standards lies. Youths see an image edited to “perfection” and strive to reach the standards that they imagine due to the images displayed on magazines, television and social media. From Disney to magazines like Vogue the mass media bombards audiences with fake beauty that they, as normal people, will never be able to achieve. The mass media is responsible for causing the rise in the number of people with a poor body image, eating disorders, and cosmetic surgeries.

Starting at a young age, girls are exposed to women with tiny waists and curves in all of the right places. Children grow up playing with stick figure Barbie dolls and watching emaciated Disney princesses on television. Kids come to realize, even before reaching puberty that this is what their bodies should look like. Older children see celebrities constantly flaunting their sculpted figures, which they magically attained effortlessly. The media broadcasts the thin ideal in almost every way possible. As a result, eating disorders have become more prominent throughout communities because of the unrealistic expectations we hold for our appearances. Body dissatisfaction, or one not feeling content with one’s physical appearance, has been a strong contributing factor to the decline in self-confidence of young adults. Over the years, the ideal body image has changed drastically. Media portrays a warped version of how the ideal body is supposed to look. Individuals are slowly and steadily being coerced that what they see in the mirror is no longer good enough.

You do not care about random strangers or acquaintances health. If you did, you would remind them to go to the doctor or to take their vitamin every day. You cannot always tell somebody’s health just by looking at them. Even if someone is clearly overweight, they could have a condition. If someone is skinny, they could still have a condition as well. Our society thinks that we must be just one body type. If you are overweight, people automatically think that you do not take care of yourself. When you are skinny, you are told you never eat. No matter what size we are, weather we can control it or not, society will continue to body shame women. Two company’s ads, that were posted across the united states, were victims of body shaming. Victoria Secret’s and Dove both subvert the body image of women and what “type” of body you should have.

Consequently, feeling pessimistic about oneself consistently can lead to depression. Research shows, “mental health issues are more common for those who have experienced weight discrimination; the risk of becoming depressed is nearly three times as high” (“What Exactly is Fat Shaming”). While persistently dwelling on not being the right size, shape, or color, one cannot be happy. Not only does the media’s body shaming make one feel unworthy, but it causes one to worry and stress about trying to achieve the standards the media places. Excessive stress can cause physical issues such as over-eating or acne, increasing the negative feelings a woman has about her appearance. As stated in research, “overweight and obese people experience stress when they are harassed about their size, which causes them to eat more food and pack on even more weight” (“What Exactly is Fat Shaming”). As the weight from stress eating increases, so does the criticism of one’s body, making mental issues grow. A boost in mental issues, like depression or body dysmorphia disorder, can lead to worse scenarios such as suicide. Joel Arak states, “suicidal impulses and attempts are much more common in teenagers who think they are too fat or too thin, regardless of how much they actually weigh, a study found.” No matter how many people compliment and encourage someone, the abuse and slandering of few stands out more, building on one’s negative thoughts or feelings.