The Media and Body Image | Teen Ink

The Media and Body Image

April 8, 2010
By melodeess GOLD, Edison, New Jersey
melodeess GOLD, Edison, New Jersey
18 articles 0 photos 50 comments

One arm is strewn above her head seductively. She has such an extraordinarily narrow waist and a magnificent hourglass figure. How many hours did she work out to get those perfectly toned legs? Her face is sun kissed and tan and her lips beckon for more kissing. Strewn all over the billboard on Fifth Avenue, she's gorgeous, carefree and everything about her oozes perfection. Even for a second, looking at her, I believed it. And I agonized in my head why I would never look like her. Maybe I would get a little close…. after a few million-dollar surgeries and a hundred starvation diets, but still never that beautiful. And then I walked away from the billboard, deceived and imperfect.
The media demands perfection, perfect bodies and perfect everything. Everything is fake and photo shopped, oh yes we've heard that, but four out of ten girls will fight a battle with eating disorder before they complete high school.
Most average teenage American girl would relate to this. You pick up any magazine, say Vogue or Seventeen, or go watch any the latest movie, or discuss the latest celebrity gossip with your friends. Afterwards, stand in front of the mirror. If you look carefully, you might notice that your thighs brush together a little too much. Or that your nose is slightly crooked? Your lips could be a little fuller. And oh my, those hips are way too big. Hmm, maybe your ears are fat too? Really now?! Why are you thinking these thoughts? Maybe, because someone put it in your head?
One nose job after another, that model's nose is still slightly crooked forever in her head. As much as she keeps up with that Botox, wrinkles will come for that A-list actress. Maybe that beautiful model that made me agonize and diet for a while looks at her body with the same disgusted look in the mirror. If it is true that once you have a "perfect" body and face, you will be happy forever, how come we don't see pure unadulterated happiness reflecting through the eyes and life of America's most beautiful people? The media seems to try to tell us that we can achieve happiness and perfection through our body image. However, what they've failed to see is that even they haven’t achieved that.



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This article has 14 comments.


on Dec. 4 2011 at 10:30 am
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - MLK Jr.

So very true! I don't see how anyone could disagree with this. It's depressing to watch our society and see what we have come to as a culture.

on Jul. 25 2011 at 10:01 am
ObnoxiousSilence BRONZE, Fraziers Bottom, West Virginia
1 article 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice." ~Bill Cosby

Wow.  I loved this aritcle with a burning passion. You are a genius and you have read my mind! :)

M_IML DIAMOND said...
on Apr. 28 2011 at 3:11 pm
M_IML DIAMOND, Ganei Tikva, Other
78 articles 0 photos 61 comments
I completely agree with you - it's crazy how many people try to find happiness with perfect looks without ever realizing that all those models and celebrities aren't necessarily happier people for it; sometimes they're even more unhappy, because of what they have to do to achieve that "perfect" beauty.

on Oct. 12 2010 at 3:28 pm
lightningscar- BRONZE, Stratford, Other
3 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
There are many causes for which I would die for, but none for which I would kill.<br /> -Ghandi

Great article. I completly agree.

on Oct. 12 2010 at 2:15 pm
mudpuppy BRONZE, Orangeburg, South Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 475 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is like a box of cheese and flower petal sometimes it&#039;s soft and sweet, sometimes it just plain stinks. - M.J.

I agree with you, people need to learn to love themselves. I can't tell you how many times I thought I was ugly in middle school, because of what others say. Then I started looking at my face and thinking. Your name made me smile, because by chance my name is 'Melody'.

melodeess GOLD said...
on Jun. 3 2010 at 9:05 am
melodeess GOLD, Edison, New Jersey
18 articles 0 photos 50 comments
yes, i also feel that way, thats why i wrote this (: thanks for the comment! :]

reesha SILVER said...
on Jun. 2 2010 at 6:04 am
reesha SILVER, Rawalpindi, Other
6 articles 15 photos 124 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.&quot;<br /> Walt Disney<br /> <br /> &quot;Hakuna Matata!&quot;<br /> Lion King<br /> <br /> &quot;The British policy was &#039;unite and conquer&#039;. But I say &#039;unite and conquer&#039;.&quot;<br /> Greg Mortenson (Three Cups of Tea)

I don't live in America, but I know how you feel. Whenever I watch a movie or read celebrity gossip on the internet, I always feel depressed when I see super-thin celebs who are just plain beautiful. It has now become the latest fad to be gorgeous. It has become so much so that the old saying "It doesn't matter what you look like." has silently faded away!! 

melodeess GOLD said...
on May. 11 2010 at 3:01 pm
melodeess GOLD, Edison, New Jersey
18 articles 0 photos 50 comments
Hey! If you decide to rate my article, thanks a lot! I would also love it if you posted a comment telling me why you gave the article the rating you chose. Thanks a lot :) -Melody

melodeess GOLD said...
on Apr. 25 2010 at 9:32 pm
melodeess GOLD, Edison, New Jersey
18 articles 0 photos 50 comments
hey! yes, i understand your point. i do read seventeen, teen vogue and other fashion magazines myself. and yes, i do love reading it because they do give great tips and ideas on style and etc. however, a lot of times looking at pictures of models make me very self conscious and can kill my self esteem if i dwell on it. so i do understand what you mean, but its just my personal opinion on this subject. thanks for your comments though :)

on Apr. 24 2010 at 1:34 pm
IsobelFree DIAMOND, Hamilton, Other
71 articles 20 photos 296 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;As long as there is open road, the familiar has the most formidable competitor.&quot; - Anonymous

I agree with almost everything in here - except for the part about Seventeen magazine. I subscribe to it and I think it's a great magazine, fun to read, and I don't come away from it feeling any worse about myself - in fact, I find that it encourages girls to embrace who they are. Maybe that's just me though. Also, they often have a section where Jess Weiner talks about various topics related to body image and self-esteem. So while other magazines may be degrading, I think Seventeen is pretty positive.

Other than that, I loved your article. It's definitely a valid point; one that has bothered me for a long time. Great job! :)


melodeess GOLD said...
on Apr. 21 2010 at 9:26 pm
melodeess GOLD, Edison, New Jersey
18 articles 0 photos 50 comments
thank you for your feedback!

on Apr. 21 2010 at 7:15 pm
respecturself7 SILVER, Medina, New York
8 articles 0 photos 76 comments

Favorite Quote:
There is a natural law in life to settle.....I broke that law ~Katherine Hepburn <br /> Love, Is the severest of mental diseases~U.K.<br /> Spinning always spinning....when life puts me down I&#039;ll give you a call~respecturself7

A very accurate observation. Well done.

melodeess GOLD said...
on Apr. 20 2010 at 10:03 am
melodeess GOLD, Edison, New Jersey
18 articles 0 photos 50 comments
thank you! :)

on Apr. 20 2010 at 3:30 am
mcpanicfanic SILVER, Cincinnati, Ohio
8 articles 0 photos 65 comments
Good job! I hate the media.