Sociology 399
Distorted View of Body Image
A young girls first impression of body image and beauty is made by Barbie dolls. These dolls have never been made to fit the standard that all women come in different sizes. Barbie dolls, create a false representation of the female body. In magazines, the images captured of models, go through a process of air brushing and enhancements to give a visually flawless image of the person. Females are constantly being scrutinize on their looks. In an area of anti-ageism, women are going under the knife to preserve their youth or correct a few problem areas on their body. The ideology of sexy and perfect beautiful women, has made a contribution by ads, mass media, and television. Women are being consumed by diets, calorie-counting, plastic surgery, excessive fitness, and harmful eating disorders. Young girls and women are being affected by unrealistic body images emotionally, mentally, and physically. It is no wonder why so many women are struggling everyday with their own image.
Many people look up to celebrities and the trends they create. One trend that has been popular has been the Master Cleanse. This diet has no nutritional value, it promises rapid results of weight-loss in a certain number of days. There are serious dangers regarding Master Cleanse, but for a person wanting to be skinny, the rewards out weigh the risks. Many people have jumped to the opportunity to loose a couple extra pounds in less than a week, but do not take into consideration the health risks that are involved. Society has created an obsession with body image. In fashion, small sizes are glorified on the runways. “The average American woman is a size 12. The average American model is a size zero and shrinking” ("Models Are Shrinking: How Is That Possible?"). Hollywood portrays a sexy notion of women. It may as well be the capital for plastic surgery. More women are comparing their own image to celebrities. The standards that society...