The average girl or boy spends approximately 6.5 hours per day being exposed to and interacting with various media—TV, videotapes, videogames, internet, etc. think about that! . . . for most of us that’s more time each day, and over a lifetime, than is spent with parents, friends, teachers, sleeping, eating . . . basically more time with commercial media and its content than with any other person or activity.
The media. Something that gives us entertainment daily and also something that can hurt us. The media portrays the "perfect" people with their "perfect" life, when in fact, there is no "perfect" person or life.
We all know the common stereotypes of women by the media; there are the supermoms, the damsels in distress, the dumb blondes, and the ones that are always inferior to men. Whatever the role, television, film, or popular magazines, they are full of images of teens who are typically white, desperately thin, and generally caked in make-up. Many would agree that some strides have been made in how the media portrays women in film, television and magazines. Nevertheless female stereotypes continue to thrive in the media IA students consume everyday.
Beauty and Body Image
Unattainable Beauty
Images of female bodies are everywhere. We see them in everything from the cover of People Magazine to an ad for cat food. However, as the media world expands, it appears that popular film and television actresses are becoming younger, taller and thinner.Some have even been known to faint on the set from lack of food. Teen magazines are full of articles urging that if they can just lose those last twenty pounds, they’ll have it all— loving friends, good grades and popularity. Why are standards of beauty being imposed on teens, the majority of whom are naturally larger and more mature than any of the models? The roots, some analysts say, are economic. By presenting an ideal difficult to achieve and maintain the cosmetic and diet product industries are assured of growth and profits.Perhaps the thing that is most disturbing is the fact that media images of female beauty are unattainable for all except a very small number of women.
Do you or have you ever owned a Barbie doll? Researchers generating a computer model of a woman with Barbie-doll proportions, for example, found that her back would be too weak to support the weight of her upper body, and her body would be too narrow to contain more than half a liver and a few centimeters of bowel. A real woman built that way would suffer from chronic diarrhea and eventually die from malnutrition. It is estimated that 99% of girls aged 3 to 10 years old own at least one Barbie doll. This means that even as a child, almost all women are influenced by the media when it comes to body image. Still, the number of real life women and girls who seek a similarly underweight body is large, and they can suffer equally devastating health consequences. According to US estimates from The National Institute of Mental Health, between 5% and 10% of girls suffer from eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or other associated dietary conditions. Estimates suggest that as many as 15% of young women adopt unhealthy attitudes and behaviors about food.
The Culture of Thinness
Research shows that over 3 quarters of women magazine covers include at least one message about how to change a woman’s bodily appearance through diet, exercise, or cosmetic surgery. Television and movies reinforce the importance of a thin body as a measure of a woman’s worth. The Media Awareness Network reports that over three quarters of the female characters in TV situation comedies are underweight, and only one in twenty are above average in size. Heavier actresses tend to receive negative comments from male characters about their bodies, and 80% of these negative comments are followed by canned audience laughter. Twenty years ago, the average model weighed 8% less than the average woman—but today’s models weigh 2% less. Advertisers believe that thin models sell products.
Self Improvement or Self Destruction?
As teens are bombarded more and morewith messages of being thin, "ordinary women become more discouraged and feel that they are always in need of adjustments and that the female body is an object to be perfected." The overwhelming presence of media images of painfully thin women means that real women’s bodies have become invisible in the mass media. The real tragedy is that many women internalize these stereotypes, and judge themselves by the beauty industry's standards. Women learn to compare themselves to other women, and to compete with them for male attention. This focus on beauty and desirability destroys any type of action to promote change.
With self-control and the control of others, aggression and violence, financial independence, and physical desirability
the majority of male characters in media are heterosexual
male characters are more often shown in the public sphere of work, rather than the private sphere of the home, and issues and problems related to work are more significant than personal issues
non-white male characters are more likely to experience personal problems and are more likely to use physical aggression or violence to solve those problems
portrayed as socially powerful and physically violent
Stereotypes
Men and boys “must” be/have…
not be serious or emotional
power and strength
always be in control
talking about one’s feelings is a sign of weakness
economically powerful and socially successful
angry and aggressive
Influence of Sports Media
A study conducted by the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles reports that 98 per cent of American boys between the ages of 8 and 17 consume sports media. Influential!
Recent studies on gender and sports media find that sports commentary reinforces perceptions of "violent masculinity." By praising athletes who continue to play while injured, and by using language of conflict and war to describe action, sports commentary reinforces violence and aggression as exciting and rewarding behaviour.
When/How are boys influenced?
Boys are especially active users of media, watching hours of television, movies, music videos, and sports, listening to radio and CDs, surfing the Internet, and playing computer and video games.
Highlights
Key findings from a national poll of children and a content analysis of television programs, movies, and music videos most watched by boys.
Vulnerability and Emotions
Although male characters in the media displayed a range of emotional behavior, including fear, anger, grief, and pain, they rarely cried.
Violence and Anger
Almost three-fourths of children describe males on television as violent and more than two thirds describe men and boys on television as angry.
One in five male characters employs some form of physical aggression to solve problems.
Work vs. Domestic
Across boys' favorite media, men are closely identified with the working world and high prestige positions, while women are identified more often with their domestic status.
Over one-third of children say that they never see television males performing domestic chores such as cooking and cleaning.
Race
Men of color are more likely to focus on solving problems involving family, personal, romantic, or friendship issues; while white men in the sample are consistently motivated by succeeding in work, preventing & managing disaster (i.e. "saving the day"), and pleasing non-romantic others (e.g., family members, friends, co-workers).
TV vs. Reality
Across race and gender, the majority of children believe that the boys and men they see on television are different from themselves, boys that they know, their fathers, and other adult male relatives.
What are the solutions?
We know that the media portrays teens as supposedly skinny, beautiful people. So what can you do about it?
How does this affect IA students?
Students at the IA are affected by the media, even if they do not know it. Most students watch TV, surf the Internet, read magazines and other things that is related to the media. A simple solution is to mute the TV when commercials come on. Even though we say we don't pay attention to commercials, if someone asks you about one, you will know it. As PBS puts it, "All media images and messages are constructions. They are not reflections of reality... Advertisements are created to do one thing: convice you to buy or support a specific product or service... Advertisers will often contruct an emotional experience that looks like reality." So you see, the media does have an impact. Everywhere.
Resisting Stereotypes
When you see that gorgeous model on the television, don't say to yourself, "I wish I was that pretty." But instead say "I am prettier than that." Also, all those magazines that say "How to find the perfect boy/girlfriend" aren't true. You find your soulmate by being yourself, not following the magazine and being everyone else.
"It's not make-up. It's make believe"
Like this video demonstrates, it is important to stay true to yourself.
Boost your ego
Instead of looking at yourself in the mirror and finding the "flaws", find all the positive aspects. Don't compare yourself to the model in the magazine. They are paid to look "perfect" and the person in the picture, isn't really them. As Ben Popken explains for the Dove video, "advertisers tart up models with makeup and computer effects to look 'better' than they really are". Therefore, they are fake models. Do you want to be fake? The answer is probably no. To be your true self, tell yourself positive things. Instead of saying "I wish my eyes were bigger", say "My eyes are perfect just the way they are." By boosting your ego, you can really boost your life. You will perform better at school, work, etc. Also, being positive can brighten other people's days as well. Now isn't that something to be proud of?
Feel Better About Your Body
It is important to remember the unreal ways women are portrayed in the media. Know when advertisements of happy, healthy and successful people are falsely linked with physical appearances. Don't let pictures like those change your view of yourself. Another way to feel better about your body is to join support groups that celebrate all different shapes and sizes of people. You can also join groups that pressure the media into portraying the true person, not a fake one.
Eating healthy is better than looking pretty. Don't stop eating the bottom of the food pyramid to look good. Being healthy is the first step to actually looking good. Diets don't work, nor are they really necessary. Eating the right amount of nutrients everyday should keep you healthy and possibly lose weight without even having to try.
In America's Next Top Model, some models are called "Plus Size Models". They are taking a step toward improving the image of women. They are proving that one does not have to be skinny to be beautiful.
Take the initiative
Do something about these advertisements by the media. When you see that advertisement that really irks you, write a letter to the advertiser. Tell them about a person who you think is sending positive messages complimenting the different shapes and sizes of people. You can also make a list of advertisers who constantly send out negative body images and messages and avoid supporting their product. You can write them a letter explaining why you are using your "buying power" to protest their message. Another way to take the initiative is to take out the advertisements in your magazines that support skinny people and make fun of larger sizes. Send these advertisements back to the advertiser telling them you don't want them. Lastly, talk to your friends and family about how you think the media's messages make you feel.
"It works, you can make a change" says PBS.
Works Cited
A Report on Mental Illness in Canada. Public Health Agency of Canada, 2002.
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