The media can be a young woman’s worst nightmare. Women all around the world are dealing with their body image. What is the cause for such low self-esteem? The answer is the media. It is an everlasting portrayal of unattainable “beauty." Everywhere one looks, she will see some type of “ideal body image” that women feel the need to keep up with. This kind of promotion of body image is found in magazines, television, movies and even on sites and phone applications like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. There is no avoiding it, which does not help women’s confidence one bit.
Media is the cause of women feeling inferior to other women. It makes women feel like they need to attain this ideal image in order to be seen as beautiful in our society. Today, in order to be viewed as beautiful, you need to be a size 0. Most women you see in magazines, billboards and the internet are Photoshopped. Their bodies are not real! I know this is true because many famous women have come out with the truth expressing that the photos do not even portray their real face or body.
Young women who constantly scroll through social media apps are being drilled by things that say “lose 30 pounds,” “tone your body,” “how to slim your waist." Women are subconsciously comparing themselves to the women who are being advertised as what is seen to be the “perfect” woman. It is subconsciously driving this image into young women’s heads that they are supposed to fit into certain categories that are seen as ideal. For example, perfect skin, beautiful skinny face, big breasts, small waist, big butt and skinny thighs.
Young women who are dealing with insecurities and self-confidence issues have these issues because of the media. These young minds come up with weird conclusion that if they don’t match up to these “beautiful” women that the media advertises, then they are not beautiful. Too bad this “ideal” image is unattainable without Photoshop. We need to use social media as an up-lifter instead of having it negatively affect ourselves. Instead of viewing skinny as beautiful, women need to start thinking healthy is beautiful. It is very important for women to eat healthy, because what you eat is connected to your mood. Everyone should eat well for their health, not weight loss. A healthy body equals a healthy mind. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent,” and it is a quote that everyone should live by. This goes towards the media as well. The media alone can be a bully. If we can’t stop it, let’s take initiative to erase it from our lives and mindset.
