McCallion
Quest

A Women's Image - The Body of Evidence

by: Jennah Khaled

 Pick up any fashion magazine, or flip through the channels on your TV. What do you see? Usually, you may stumble across some young scantily clad girls, dancing and using their bodies to get attention. The media has turned women into objects to sell their products. Advertisers and media moguls treat them as if they aren’t human at all, but only things they use to get attention. Young girls are taught to think that the only way to succeed is to look good. Girls, as young as 10, are made up to look 20 years old and think that this is how we are "supposed" to look. And how can you blame them, after countless hours of watching television programs such as "The Miss America Pageant"? This influences them to think that their bodies are their most powerful assets.

 One of the biggest problems with teen girls is with their role models. Singers and actresses such as Britney Spears advertise themselves and send a message out to their fans: Our bodies are our best weapon, use them to get what you want. Girls are listening, as people like Britney, through their actions are inadvertently telling them that this is the best and only way to get attention from boys. In a recent poll, teen girls were asked how they saw women portrayed in advertising. 13% gave the response "Sexualized or Unreasonably Thin" and 17% said "weak".

But not all role models are bad. In reality, you can find a few women who are truly inspiring, and that do empower women in a way that isn’t degrading. The problem is with the media, who rarely show these people on TV or in magazines. When was the last time you saw a positive role model on the cover of Teen Magazine™? And why are advertisers so unwilling to put them there?

A frustrated girl, one of many who has to deal with their peers’ new choice of wardrobe and style, says, "I don't blame girls who try to look like freaks since our society does base its approval towards "beauty". Some girls, like her, have no desire to change their sense of style according to what the media decides what’s "in" for the week. Unfortunately, girls like this, who think independently are constantly put down by their conforming classmates, and are made to think bad things about themselves. The media has not only "brainwashed" girls to look this way, but to act badly towards others who don’t believe in it as well. Another distressed girl says to a friend who is trying to convince her to ‘dress like the rest’: "I don’t want to change my style. I like it and I’m not going to change for anyone. That’s their problem. If they don’t like me I could care less … and I don’t want a new image and I don’t want to be like everyone else and I don’t want to be [wanted] for what I look like and I want people to like me for my personality."

The idea of the "perfect body" given by the media has made girls feel bad about them- selves. Seeing these thin, attractive models does influence teen girls to feel self conscious about their own body image. When girls were asked: "Do you think you are the right weight for your body right now" 30% answered: "No, I could stand to lose a few pounds". And when asked if they ever felt unhappy with their body size or weight, 52% answered yes. This mindset can be dangerous, for it can cause serious disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, which can be harmful or even fatal. According to "Smartgirl"™, a commonly known website dedicated to girls who want to share their thoughts, a typical comment from a teenager is, "the media and stick thin models/actresses make me feel ashamed about my body. Also, whenever I eat I feel worried that I will gain weight. As a result, I feel very upset about my body."

We can no longer stand aside and let advertisers portray us as something we’re not. Next time you see a commercial featuring a woman doing something you do not think is right, or next time you see a friend complaining about not being skinny enough, step in. Make yourself heard. If you know someone who is making a positive difference, encourage them to share their beliefs. This is our world, and we want to have fair representation, whether it's on the big screen, or in our schools and homes.