As sad as it may seem, many women and girls today base their body image and self worth off of what they see in the media. And truth be told, it can be hard to avoid that trap when staring at an adorable dress on a model whose thinner than you’ve been since third grade. So what role does body image and media play in our lives, and how can we see ourselves differently?
The Media Part of “Body Image and Media”
There is one pervasive message throughout nearly all forms of media in the Western world: men should be muscular and trim, while women need to be thin and toned, in order for us to be successful in life, love, and happiness. Think of the many cartoon-movies you may have watched as a child. The associations between body image and media usually start there. How many of the “good” female lead characters were portrayed as thin and beautiful? Can you think of any “good” female lead characters that were normal-sized or maybe even over-weight? This basic thread of good equals thin and beautiful, can be found in many other media forms.
Take a look at most magazines. From cover to cover they are customarily filled with models whose body types are rarely found in society. The body image and media message here is that being thin will make you pretty and lead to a successful life.
Even the Hollywood stars in movies, commercials, and TV shows are held to the standard that thin and beautiful equals a happy life, while overweight or plain looking equals a lonely or miserable life.
The Body Image Part of “Body Image And Media”
Despite the messages sent out by body image and media, a positive body images stems not from thinness, beauty, a particular look or body type, but from something else: self-confidence.
Self-confidence isn’t just about believing in yourself when times get rough and nobody else will. Self-confidence encompasses a whole realm of ideas such as: loving who you are; believing that who you are and what you are is enough to engender the success and happiness you desire; and believing that no matter what you look like you too can experience a fulfilled life. A positive body image will get you further along in life than simply believing that if you could just fit into a size six then all your dreams would come true.
While there is much more to consider and discuss when it comes to body image and media, hopefully this small blog will be enough to start you thinking about the role of media in your perceived body image. No matter what any slick advertising firm or Hollywood blockbuster might try to tell you, loving and enjoying who you are, exactly as you are, is more necessary than any body size, look, or material item when it comes to life and happiness.
