Media’s Image of Beauty is Not ONLY Unrealistic but also Extremely Dangerous to Women

Popular Photo Representing
Distorted Thoughts

If you are a female, how many times have you questioned your weight? When you look at a tabloid or watch a TV show and see these very skinny "perfect" looking models and actresses don't you wish you could look more like them? How many times have you tried dieting or other forms of weight loss options to meet this standard of "beauty?" Media has such an influence on female's body image. We strive to look and act similar to what we see all over the media.

A certain unrealistic image of beauty is portrayed throughout media. This image of extremely skinny, unhealthy looking models is what teenagers believe they need to look like in order to be attractive.

According to many specialists, the dissatisfaction of body image contributes to the false beliefs a person experiences. In today’s society a majority of all females struggle with their body image at some point in their lives. The mass advertisement of stick skinny models shown throughout media becomes overwhelming for girls and begins to distort their idea of “beautiful.” The only pictures advertised throughout media, are those of women who are under normal body weight. According to the article, “Female Body Image and the Mass Media: Perspectives on How Women Internalize the Ideal Beauty Standard” written by a student at Westmintser College, “mass media's use of such unrealistic models sends an implicit message that in order for a woman to be considered beautiful, she must be unhealthy” (Serdar). No wonder females have such a hard time accepting their bodies, what is shown as “beautiful” is nearly impossible to attain.

The following clip is from Jane Jakubczak, The University of Maryland's Nutritionist and Body Image Specialist. As an expert, she explains her thoughts on why media is so influential and has such an effect on teenagers.
    

The manipulated image of beauty is a popular topic of interest today. Most of society is familiar with the effect media has on people, females in particular, and how what is being advertised is far from reality. This deceiving idea is also beginning to effect the younger generation. 

 “From the perspective of the mass media, thinness is idealized and expected for women to be considered attractive" (Serdar). This statement alone, defines the negative message media sends to society. If a woman can only be seen as beautiful if she is thin, than it is only natural for her to strive for thinness right? People believe what is advertised.

On the contrary this message is not just being shown through models anymore, thinness is shown everywhere from TV shows, movies, magazines and even children's toys such as Barbie. It makes us think: Will we live a better life if we meet this criteria of beauty?

This image is also no longer just effecting girls in their adolescent years the younger generation is being hit as well. Self esteem and body conscious problems are surfacing in girls much earlier today and are continuing to increase as they hit their teen years. According to specialists, “studies have found that nearly half of females ages 6-8 have stated that they want to be slimmer” (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002).

Let's see what a Sociology Student from Coastal Carolina University has to say about this topic of Interest:

listen to ‘Media's Effect on Body Image’ on Audioboo

Actress Mary-Kate Olsen during
her eating disorder in 2004

Because of media’s deceiving image of beauty females are putting their health and wellbeing at risk. No longer does a young female just take in what is being advertised, she begins to obsess over it. This is when drastic health problems begin to surface. 

How does a person become "media approved" thin? Of course, there is eating healthy and exercising but apparently that is not enough. In Hollywood alone, almost every model and/ or actress have struggled with weight problems during some part of their career. The most common risk caused from this obsession is falling into an eating disorder. The three most common eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia and exercise anorexia. According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), “91% of women surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting and 86% report onset of eating disorder by age 20.” Eating disorders are showing up more frequently now than ever before.

SO what is the Answer? Is there a way to prevent teenagers from falling prey to this unrealistic image?  

According to many specialists, there is no concrete way to prevent females from believing what media advertises. However, many agree that having positive role models at home is an important start. Elizabeth Heubeck states, in the online article “Helping Girls with Body Image,” “girls take to heart what their mothers say about bodies: their own, their daughters, those of strangers and celebrities. They notice when their mothers exercise obsessively, diet constantly, or make derogatory comments about their own appearance. That should come as no surprise, as mothers are a girl's first and, often, most influential role model” (Heubeck). Also, parents should monitor what their teenagers are being exposed to. In particular, the kinds of celebrity magazines and TV shows where appearance and body image is constantly being discussed.

Beauty Icon- Marilyn Monroe

 Media’s image of beauty is simply unrealistic and unattainable. Since there is no way to change what is being advertised, it is important to help young females understand they are beautiful simply the way they are and that what is being portrayed throughout media is not real life.

We are ALL beautiful regardless of what size jeans we wear!

http://www.westminstercollege.edu/myriad/index.cfm?parent=2514&detail=4475&content=4795

http://www.cmch.tv/mentors_parents/bodyimage.asp

http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/helping-girls-with-body-image

Qik - Mobile video by sarah_fich

Qik - Mobile video by sarah_fich

Qik - Mobile video by sarah_fich

Qik - Mobile video by sarah_fich

Qik - Mobile video by sarah_fich

Citizen's Opinion On Media and Body Image

listen to ‘Media's Effect on Body Image’ on Audioboo

Media's Tie with Body Image Problems

A certain unrealistic image of beauty is portrayed throughout media. This image of extremely skinny, unhealthy looking models is what teenagers believe they need to look like in order to be attractive.

 Body image is a complicated part of all females. A majority of all girls at one time in their lives, experience issues with their body. According to many specialists, the dissatisfaction of body image contributes to the false beliefs a person experiences. For instance, the stick skinny models shown throughout media becomes overwhelming for girls and begins to distort their idea of “beautiful.” This is what leads to the issues such as eating disorders.

The way beauty is defined in media has such a powerful influence on women. The standards of thinness, body shape, and weight all pertain to the way females negatively see themselves. Teenagers fall prey to this standard of beautiful because it is only natural to believe what media advertises.

In the article titled “Female Body Image and the Mass Media: Perspectives on How Women Internalize the Ideal Beauty Standard” Kasey L. Serdar states “Ultra-thin models are so prominent that exposure to them becomes unavoidable and 'chronic', constantly reinforcing a discrepancy for most women and girls between their actual size and the ideal body”(Dittmar and Howard 2004 pg. 478). The models who are typically advertised are usually more than 20% under normal body weight and are very unhealthy. Nevertheless, in response to these advertisements, females begin to feel the need to meet this criteria of “super skinny” so they fall into things such as eating disorders. The females who experienced a significant amount of exposure to mass media during their adolescence  years were shown to struggle with body image issues more than the teenagers who did not. This idea of beauty is so unrealistic and has affected so many women. 

http://www.westminstercollege.edu/myriad/index.cfm?parent=2514&detail=4475&content=4795

Qik - final project topic by Molly Schoenfeld

Qik - Mobile video by sarah_fich

A class blended with technology? REALLY!

listen to ‘Maryland students opinion on a technology blended class’ on Audioboo

How useful are iPads? Let's see what a UMD student has to say!

listen to ‘Maryland students opinion on owning an iPad’ on Audioboo

The Pros and Cons of Citizen Journalism! What are your thoughts?!

The Main Concept of Citizen Journalism

Citizen Journalism is simply when individual citizens report information rather then a regular news reporter. This type of journalism has been around for many generations. Anybody can be a citizen journalist. As stated by Ethan Zuckerman in the Youtube video “Citizen Journalism, What is it?” citizen journalism “is basically the idea of the readers participating in the authoring of the content as well” (Zuckerman). A main feature of this type of journalism is that the recorded information is typically found online. According to the article titled “What is Citizen Journalism?” the writer explains, “in fact, the emergence of the Internet - with blogs, podcasts, streaming video and other Web-related innovations - is what has made citizen journalism possible” (Rogers). People can report what they have uncovered through so many different types of media such as: blogs, twitter, Facebook, and Youtube and it can be anything from actual written texts to pictures or audio. Citizen Journalism “is basically all about communicating information of some kind” (Rogers). 

The Impact Mobile Devices have on Citizen Journalism  

Mobile devices have affected citizen journalism by allowing the spread of news to be much quicker and convenient. A person can experience something right now and minutes later, their Facebook or Twitter status will be updated with the recent news because of their cellphone. Social media allows people to find news out extremely quick and then respond even quicker. An article published last year explains a situation in which a heated protest on Wall Street spread so quickly because of citizen journalism. The article titled “Citizen Journalism: cell phones help tell the story of Occupy Wall Street” explains how 80 activists were arrested because their protesting became heated and how regular people who had their mobile devices helped tell the real story. The article continues on saying, “Citizen journalism was a key factor in showing exactly what happened. Participants and observers, armed with cell phone cameras, captured footage of the arrests and quickly uploaded it to YouTube” (Leon). Mobile Devices have changed the way people keep up with news. Instead waiting for the newspaper, society can just flip open their phones and read many articles relating to the specific topic. 

The Downside to Citizen Journalism

However, as much as citizen journalism has had a positive affect on news it has developed negative opinions as well. A big part of journalism is the ability to be objective and leave out personal opinions. Citizen Journalism conflicts with this because it is common that the person presenting the news is one-sided and not necessarily fair. When this happens, the original story can be a changed a bit. Gossip begins and errors are exposed resulting in different versions of the same story. Society might not get what they bargained for. 


How a Single Device can Completely affect a Person's Reputation 

As for the question of a device “making” or “breaking” a person’s reputation, the following article explains a situation in which a cellphone recorded a black man being harassed by police officers and how the officers are now facing racism charges.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/mar/30/police-racism-black-man-abuse 

Last March in London, a black man who was suspected of driving under the influence was stopped by police officers and forced to get into their van. Once inside, the officers harassed the man saying things such as “the problem with you is that you will always be a nigger” (Lewis). They assaulted him by pushing his head against the window and putting their knees into the man’s chest. The recording on the cellphone confirms one of the officers “admitting to strangling the man because he was a cunt” (Lewis). The phone was handed over to the Forest Gate Police and the case was evaluated and brought to court. 

A situation like this explains how a cellphone can make or break a person’s life. Those officers are now suspended because the cellphone confirms the harassment and racism remarks. The cellphone also confirms the black man’s story. He has concrete proof of what exactly happened that day.


The Conclusion to Citizen Journalism

In general, citizen journalism can have a positive or negative affect based on what the journalist reports. If the reporter chooses to tell the whole truth and not their version or opinion then it contributes to the news in a positive way. Nevertheless, if the journalist is bias and opinionated then the story is changed and the truth is hard to uncover. Citizen journalists are not required to report to anyone so unfortunately, what they produce may not be the real deal. 

http://www.knowyourcell.com/culture/politicalculture/1069503/citizen_journalism_cell_phones_help_tell_the_story_of_occupy_wall_street.html

http://journalism.about.com/od/citizenjournalism/a/whatiscitizen.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58iZpMRclwI

Technology Overload? I'd say so!

Since we are living in a technology based generation, many people are controlled by their electronic devices whether they realize it or not. According to Katie Couric, in her interview with Author William Powers, she states “that there are nearly 6.6 billion people in the world and over 5 billion mobile devices” (Couric).  William Powers addresses this issue of technology overload in his book “Hamlet’s Blackberry” and explains how electronic devices are literally taking over people’s lives. 

In the beginning of her interview with William Powers, Katie explains how many people check their email while in the bathroom, check their phones while at church, and the most shocking one of all was that people actually stop having sex to check their electronic device. William Powers explains in his book, how people have this inner desire that is pulling them to do this. It can be compared to the inner urge a person gets when they smell fresh bakes cookies. There becomes a strong desire to eat at least one. However, this “pull” this “desire” is resulting in the lack of ability to concentrate and develop deep thoughts, have real original conversations with friends and family, and be able to simply self reflect and be alone. When a cellphone or laptop starts causing issues amongst family members and friends you know there is a serious problem going on. 

In an online article titled, “Releasing your Mind from Technology Overload”, the writer states his view on this technology overload issue. He explains, “in a recent study conducted by Cambridge University, nearly a third of the study’s participants described feeling overwhelmed and overrun by technology(Underwood). He states that technology is causing a significant amount of unwanted stress. Powers suggests that by separating themselves from technology, society could begin to refrain from this problem. People need to put the use of technology “in the proper perspective” (Couric). If society allowed themselves to be technology free for a few hours a day, they may begin to see how there is so much in life they are missing out on.

William Powers talks about an “internet Sabbath” which is eliminating the internet from your life for a certain period of time. Powers and his family did this every weekend and realized how satisfying it really was. At first it was a difficult task because they were constantly thinking about the computer, however, after a couple of months they realized how rewarding it was to be technology free. It allowed them to become connected to each other and with themselves on a deeper level. He explains how “living in the moment” is so important and this helped him accomplish that. I agree that electronic devices do not allow society to experience what is happening now. Whether we realize it or not we are constantly doing something with our devices, whether that be checking emails, returning a text message, or updating our twitter status. 

Powers and Couric sum everything up by saying that there is a “wonderful medium” that can be met with technology. People need to control that constant inner urge for electronic devices. By finding a balance, people would begin to experience the beauty of living in the present moment and eliminate that pointless stress that is addressed in the online article “Releasing your Mind from Technology Overload”. Technology is a great luxury when it is not abused. However, it cannot control someone’s life or it becomes an unhealthy addiction.  

http://www.smmirror.com/articles/Health/Releasing-Your-Mind-From-Technology-Overload/33899