Most women today are unhappy with their weight and bodies. This has alot to do with society's perception of how women should look.
Women believe they should be thin instead of healthy. Models are so thin that you can practically see their bones. They have many people telling them how beautiful they are because they are thin. When young girls and teenage girls see this on t.v. or read it in magazines, they believe they need to be the same size as the models. They begin starving themselves or making themselves vomit in order to lose weight. Some may even use laxatives. Most girls that young do not need to lose weight. Even if a girl is overweight, this is not the way to become healthy.
Girls, teens, and women alike can become anorexic or bulimic. This has happened with celeberties as well. With the way Hollywood is, I think celeberties have added pressure to be thin. They do not want to have that "extra 10 pounds the camera puts on you." Cindi Leive, the editor in chief of Glamour magazine, wrote about the popularity of plastic surgery in Hollywood. She said, " You're hard pressed to find a Hollywood actess who hasn't either had work done or has spent the last six months nibbling on crumbs."
When women are overweight, or think they are not thin, their self-esteem is low. Women need to understand that they need to be a healthy weight and that they have different bone structures from one another. Many women do not know that they can die or damage their organs by being anorexic or bulimic. Some women do not understand that if they are 6 foot tall and weigh 200 pounds, that is right for them. Some may think they need to weigh 130 pounds. Women, I believe, only look at the number on the scales and not how they look. Other women may believe if they are a size 12-14 they are too fat, when they are really at a healthy weight and size.
Girls usually start comparing their bodies and weights to others at an early age. Some as young as 10 according to some psychologists. Some girls may start early because they see their own mother doing the same thing.
One way that might help women become comfortable with their own weight and bodies, is to teach girls when they are young to be comfortable with themselves. Education on how to eat healthy and be healthy by exercising and not necessarly looking at the numbers on the scale or what size clothes they wear.
Cite: Mary Duenwald. The New York Times. June 22, 2003 p1 col 01 (40 col in).
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Hi Amy, I read that same quote in Glamour this month too! I can only stand those women's magazines (like Glamour, Cosmo, Vogue, ELLE, etc) about once a year because I'm absoultely put off by their perpetration & acceptance of those too-thin models you're talking about. I like to read the Letters to the Editor section of these magazines, and I can honestly say that, since I've started reading fashion magazines waaaaay back in the early 90's, there is at least 1-2 letters per magazine complaining about the skinny models, yet none of those magazines has ever made a change. Well maybe they'll stop showing skin-n-bones girls within the magazine articles, but the advertisments will still have them...and anyone who reads those magazines knows they are more than 60% ads! I mean, here in Texas especially, real women do NOT have fashion model bodies...we have curves, not angles, and its the realistic looking women who are more beautiful, don't you think? (Also I would guess that a 110lb, 6-foot-something woman would likely be so protien-starved and hypoglycemic, she probably wouldn't be much fun to hang out with)
ReplyDeleteVery true...Mothers should not promote such desires. When I was younger, my mom would point out how disgusting and unhealthy the models were, so I grew up with the same view. I am 4 foot 10 inches and weigh 125 lbs. I am by no means fat in my eyes. I am not all muscle but I am happy with myself. However, if you take a look at the BMI chart in the book, it says I am overweight. Who really uses that chart besides those in the fitness industy?!? I know how much I've gained by how my clothes fit and I adjust my diet and activity according to that. I think that is a realistic way to view my body and that's what I will teach my daughters and nieces. Good work!
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