Self-Esteem and Perceptions of Body Image in the Media

DIFFERENT

“Caroline, look up. See right there, where I’m pointing? That’s the Big Dipper.”

“Daaaaad, what are you looking at? There aren’t any stars in the sky yet.”

When I was in second grade, I learned that I needed glasses. Once I became aware of my weak eyesight, several obscured memories suddenly became clear. It all made sense: why I had to sit in the front of class to be able to see the chalkboard, why I got in trouble for squinting at another girl, and most of all, why everything around me had become faded, fuzzy outlines of what used to be a definite, concrete world.

A little while later, I sat for an exam, received my prescription, and returned a week afterwards for my glasses. When I left the doctors office, wearing my new lenses, it was as if I had entered a whole new world. Everything that was so blurry before was suddenly dazzlingly bright and clear, and I couldn’t stop gawking at my surroundings. I was so thrilled about my transformed vision that I hadn’t even considered what wearing these clarifying specs would do to my appearance. The thought didn’t cross my mind until the first day of school, where my teacher exclaimed how different I looked. The moment she said those words, I felt different, and it was as though an invisible curtain had been lifted in front of me. My glasses, once so prized and beautiful, now felt very large and awkward on my face. All of the happiness I had felt from being able to see had disappeared, and now more than anything I wished I could see like any other kid instead of looking like Arthur the aardvark from on of my favorite PBS television shows. Following this realization, I began to have many “incidents” that caused me to “accidentally” leave my beloved spectacles at home. Some of those mishaps included: forgetting them on my way to get the bus, putting them on the dog, and even attempting to flush them down the toilet. I would have done anything to be normal, and not be the four-eyed kid in second grade.

http://www.framesdirectblog.com/eyeglass-books-for-kids/

“Body image is influenced strongly by self-esteem and self-evaluation, more so than by external evaluation by others. It can, however, be powerfully influenced and affected by cultural messages and societal standards of appearance and attractiveness. Given the overwhelming prevalence of thin and lean female images and strong and lean male images common to all westernized societies, body image concerns have become widespread among adolescents”(Croll 155).

A regrettable aspect of today’s society is the overwhelming amount of attention that is paid to looks, and the newest version of the “perfect body.” In the ancient world of the West Hemisphere, beauty was assessed by curves and a full figure, which exhibited wealth and a comfortable living. Throughout time, that original depiction of beauty slowly evolved into a completely transformed concept of good looks and appeal. Today, the general description of physical perfection in a young woman from America comes in the form of a woman with a thin figure, long-legs and medium-size curves. This greatly desired look, while it appears to be worth the sacrifices of changing ones exterior, is actually very misleading. A multitude of popular children’s toys are angled towards this image, however, their seemingly flawless body shapes that are so heavily advertised in the media are not realistic. If Barbie were blown up to a real size, her head wouldn’t be able to be supported by her thin, long neck, and her upper body proportions would make it difficult for her walk upright in a normal manner. If her male counterpart, Ken were real, his wide barrel chest and enormously thick neck would make it nearly impossible to wear a shirt. If these skewed versions of an average person are what represent beauty in current society, then why is self-confidence and comfort with one’s body still a pressing matter?

http://www.epi.umn.edu/let/pubs/img/adol_ch13.pdf

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7920962.stm

These highly coveted figures are merely distorted versions of what an average person looks like. According to Chapter 13 of Guidelines for Adolescent Nutrition Services, the average female model is 5’10” and weighs 110 pounds, while the average American female is 5’4” and weighs 144 pounds. That makes the average model at least 30 pounds lighter and 6 inches taller than the average female looking at her.

The media is a major factor in influencing self-esteem, due to the constant displays of what “the ideal person” looks like through a variety of mediums especially in the form fashion periodicals. “Magazines targeted at female adolescents are full of images of young, slim, attractive, blemish-free females with small waists, large chests and only ever-so-slightly-rounded hips, while magazines produced for males are full of strong, lean, attractive, blemish-free males, frequently displayed with the aforementioned females in close proximity. Beauty pageants continue to be a popular and avidly watched showcase of ideal societal beauty.” These messages are displayed everywhere, and continually reinforce the desire of America’s youth to look just like the beautiful, perfect people they see constantly, who in reality aren’t what they appear to be.

http://catherineporter07.wordpress.com/tag/cosmopolitan/

BEACHES

A lot of things come to mind upon mention of the word “beach,” most commonly the worries women feel when presented with this situation. These concerns range from making sure to bring lots to sunscreen to how their bodies will look in a bathing suit. Whether pleasant or uncomfortable, most memories of the beach are distinctly vivid. In my family, we have a large variety of interesting moments that occurred at the beach. But none of us can compare to those of my younger sister, Grace. Two summers ago, my siblings and I felt like we were the luckiest kids in the world, because we were going to Hawaii, the paradise island of the United States. While we were there, we got to experience a myriad of unique events: surfing, parasailing, snorkeling, exploring the islands, etc., and most often, relaxing by the ocean.

One day, when my mom, Gracie and I were cooling off in the ocean, playing a round of our favorite but never ending game, Twenty Questions. I was in the middle of asking my mom if her “thing” was an animal when Grace suddenly shrieked and pointed to something behind me. Fearing the worst, my mom and I whipped around to see nothing but a rather large woman and her kids making a sand castle. Gracie, who I then noticed was giggling, whispered to my mom, “Whoa. Mom, her boobs are bigger than my head!”

Clearly not expecting that exclamation from Grace, neither of us responded for a moment, taking in what she had said. Then my mom silently took Gracie’s hand, led her back to shore, and sat down with her on the beach. While I watched them talk, I tried to understand what had just happened. Sure, Gracie didn’t know any better, but I felt bad that the woman’s feelings may have gotten hurt if she had heard her. What if she thought that Grace had meant it?

“Body image is the dynamic perception of one’s body– how it looks, feels, and moves. It is shaped by perception, emotions, physical sensations, and is not static, but can change in relation to mood, physical experience, and environment.” (Croll 163)

The situation of self-confidence in young teenagers is a serious issue, as it can lead to several troubling repercussions in the lives of America’s youth, such as dieting, or increased poor self-esteem. However, there are several means of avoiding these effects. By becoming aware of the overt media tactics that are targeted at young people, adolescents can make their way through the life-long sea of media they will encounter, and lead more confident and happy lives. They come to be empowered and can experience media in a different way. If progressions like this were to be more recurrent, then there would be a substantial amount of potential for a gradual change in perspective towards body image, and sequentially self-esteem in impending generations.

WORKS CITED

Lyness, D’Arcy.“Body Image and Self-Esteem.” TeensHealth. The Nemours Foundation: 1995. Web. 09 January 2012.

Stang J, Story M. eds. Guidelines for Adolescent Nutrition Services. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Leadership, Education and Training in Maternal and Child Nutrition, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota: 2005. Web. 09 January 2012.