The media has been presenting unrealistic body standards to young women for decades. This problem has only recently come to light. It is common knowledge that the women you see on the runway or on tv have a body that is extremely hard to achieve, in fact it is impossible for some women.
There are recent studies that report that young women feel pressured by the media to look a certain way. These pressures can lead to mental health problems such as eating disorders and depression.
Tim Gunn the famous host of project runway recently came out professing his belief in the need for a variety of body types especially plus size models to be used by the fashion industry.
Quote from the Washington Post on Tim Gunn and plus size women in the industry states: “No one wants to see curvy women” on the runway, Karl Lagerfeld, head designer of Chanel, said in 2009. Plenty of mass retailers are no more enlightened: Under the tenure of chief executive Mike Jeffries, Abercrombie & Fitch sold nothing larger than a size 10, with Jeffries explaining that “we go after the attractive, all-American kid.”
Many are outraged and appalled about fashion companies still refusing to put plus size women in their ads or their runways.
I was interested in who my peers felt about it the current standards. I asked them a series of questions.
Results:
A total of 32 females and 28 males.
14 where in sixth grade, 47 were in seventh grade, and only 2 eighth graders.
Q: How many times over the past month have you felt unhappy or dissatisfied with your body/physical appearance?
A: 38.1% never, 38.1% rarely, 14.3% sometimes, 1.6% often, and 7.9 all the time
Q: Do you feel pressure to fit in with your peer group?
A: 81% no and 19% yes
Q: Please explain your previous answer.
A(some): They wouldn't judge you if they were your friends. I hang out with people the accept me. My friends don't care about how I look. I don't care what others think.
Q: Do you feel positive/satisfied with your physical appearance?
A: 85.7% yes and 14.3% no
Q: Please explain your previous answer
A(some): I don't care what others think. I could be better. It doesn't matter what I look like on the outside. I can't really change it anyway. I believe that if I lost some weight I would feel better about myself.
Q: Have you ever changed yourself in order to please another person?
A: 30.2% yes and 69.8% no
Q: What was the reason that you felt you had to change yourself?
A: 17.5% bullying/ harassment, 34.9% peer pressure, 39.7 wanting to impress someone, and 22.2% parental pressure.
Q: Do you feel like society sets a specific or unattainable standard of beauty (both male and female)?
A: 54% yes and 46% no
Q: Please explain your previous answer.
A(some): Being skinny is hard work if I doesn't come naturally. Photoshop. The magazines make us think we should look differently. Makeup and plastic surgery. A lot of actors look perfect on tv.
Q: What do you think you or society can do to change the standard of beauty?
A(some): Just stop judging people's looks. Put “REAL” looking people on magazines. Tell everyone to just be themselves. Showing people inner beauty not outer beauty.
