Have you ever opened a magazine and said, "Oh, wow, she's beautiful." Or what about, "I wish I looked like that." Have you ever wondered why? Why is it that we consider beauty to be man-made features and being so skinny you can count your own ribs? What is beautiful about that? If you ask me, beauty is natural curves, having shape and form. I understand that some people are naturally skinny, and that can't be helped, and that's understandable. But our society is trying to teach us that everyone should look like that. They're telling us that everyone should be that skinny-and girls (and guys) everywhere are killing themselves to get that. But of course, they claim they're not-by using "plus sized" models. But their so-called "plus sized" models just look like average everyday girls to me. They are not big, they are size nines-what kind of message is that? What about the bigger people in the world, the people who don't wear size nines? Some people in the world just are not skinny-why do we need to make them feel ugly? I'm not saying that we should all just sit on our cans and become grossly overweight, but there is a middle ground. It's called healthy. Instead of telling girls (and guys) to be walking stick figures, promote being healthy. Exercise, eating right, being in shape. And if your shape doesn't happen to be skinny, then that is okay too. You can still be beautiful.
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The thing I hate about magazines is that most of the pictures of models and celebrities have been air brushed and/or touched up digitally. NOBODY actually looks like that -- even the models! So the magazines are giving us an unrealistic ideal. It would be impossible to ever look like some of the models in the pictures, at least while still being healthy. It also gives guys bad view of women. If they expect their girlfriend to look like the pictures of women in magazines, they're going to be pretty disappointed because nobody on earth naturally looks that perfect. And it promotes anorexia, bulimia, self-consciousness, and plastic surgery.
Well, I wouldn't say nobody can look like that and still be healthy. I live in Southern California, so there're actually quite a few model-thin people around here, and I'm sure that they don't all have eating disorders. My ex-gf would always get comments about how skinny she is, but she's one of the healthiest eaters I know (mostly vegetarian diet, wiped the grease off pizzas, tea instead of coffee, etc.). Granted, she might just be the naturally skinny type, but what about me? I occassionally get remarks about how thin I am too, but I'm positive that my BMI is in a healthy range, and I actually used to be overweight a couple years ago.
However, I agree insofar as to say that the media does play a major role in causing negative self-image. At one point I actually thought that I was still too fat even though simply putting my hands behind my head made my ribs visible... luckily I was able to snap myself out of it before I got out of control. But I still think it's possible to make onself thin and healthy, people just need to know how to go about it. Obviously starving yourself isn't it.
I know Tyra Banks does alot to promote awareness on this issue in the modeling business.
But the pictures are digitally fixed, so even the models don't look like that. I understand that people can be thin, pretty, whatever, but not perfect! I'm thin, but still healthy, but I'm not claiming to be perfect. For me it's just in my genes to be thin because I've never been over 110 lbs, but that still isn't the perfection that is apparent in magazines. The magazine pictures are absolutely FLAWLESS! No beauty marks, pimples, stray hairs, bruises, etc. Yes, many people are gorgeous, but nobody can be perfect.
I like those Dove commercials and ads because they show real women. Some are skinny, some average, some overweight. That's more realistic than the average magazine ad.
I agree that magazines can be airbrushed, but what about when you watch people on TV. Surely TV is not airbrushed. And I have to say that some people are just born perfect. I know of at least 2 girls or more in my school who are drop dead gorgeous, no pimples, nice sized cheast, etc ... but I do have to agree, it does set the standard pretty hight for the rest of us, but there is not really much we can do about that short of finding someone who appreciates our flaws.
No, people are born gorgoues - but NONE are perfect. And even if a person appears "perfect" on the outside (and they probably still do have some flaws) they may have horrible personalities or other characteristics.
I was not talking about people's personalitiies-I know a lot of beautiful people who are mean. I was only talking about looks, and as far as perfect goes, they are just as pretty as stars and so Im using the word perfect to desribe them becuase that is the word that was used to describe the celebs and the girls I was referring to are on the same level or higher beauty wise with many stars that I have seen on tv.
Society tends to make this mold that people feel the need to conform to. Some people don't have the confidence to be happy the way they were made and some people are cruel and make fun of those who can't help it. It is wrong and some people are jsut built differently. But since it's the skinny models that are in style, that is what everyone wants to be like. They are the famous ones and bring in the money which is what people want.
Whenever I see someone skinny, I do say I wish I could be like her. THis is my modivation to workout and exercise more. Not to stop eating or making myself vomit.
if you look at other cultures where food is scarce, you'll probably find that their standard of beauty is based on a heavier woman. but, in our culture where food is more than plentiful, the standard of beauty is based on a lighter woman.
historically (at least in some cultures), heavier women were the standard for beauty because a heavier weight was a sign that they had the means to spend their time either eating or reclining, relaxing, etc. in opposition to this, thinner or muscular women were in the same place that larger women are now. their lack of body weight was a sign that they did not have the means to feed themselves rich foods and had to spend their time working, rather than doing whatever it was that rich, larger people did with their time (reading, composing, etc.).
societal standards of beauty are a passing fad. if you don't like them, just wait a decade or two.
http://www.progressiveu.org/090204-dont-miss-this-chance
I think its too drastic to say that people everywhere are killing themselves. Those who do have psychological problems to begin with.
DISCLAIMER: I am not being rude. I'm stating my opinion. No personal attacks are meant. Please give some leniency on how you take my words. imagine me saying them with a smile. ^__^
I'm "thin", but I'm a healthy weight. A lot of my friends are heavier, and most of them maintain healthy diets. They eat enough, but not too much, and usually it's pretty nutritious, not too greasy or processed. I've had a few friends, though that can't seem to get thin enough to make them happy. Two of them have been hospitalized as a direct result or indirect result. One took a lot of aspirin in an attempt to commit suicide. Normally, aspirin won't kill you, but he didn't have a healthy enough body to sustain himself. Luckily, his stomach was pumped very quickly, and his parents are both doctors, so he's still alive. The other has been in and out of the hospital for years. She won't live much longer because her heart is severely damaged. This is what the media is doing! I don't know any girl who has not at one point (regardless of how thin) thought herself to be FAT!
I really like your post. You hit the nail on the head with this one.
Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.