Cars with televisions on the steering wheel and holographic music videos are not yet the norm, but we may not be too far from these advancements. In America today, mass media is taking control of everyday life. Citizens are surrounded by advertisements, television shows, movies, magazines and music that all incompass beautiful people with beach bodies, shiny hair, clear skin and a bright smile. The vast exposure to this media creates an impact on the audience, especially those of women who believe they must aesthetically compare to these images to feel a sense of importance or belonging. More specifically, young girls between the ages of 13 and 19 are still developing an individual sense of self worth, creating these images to be potentially harmful. Growing up I was aware of the effects media had on myself and my peers in relation to body image. Generally, I had maintained a positive perspective of myself. Although I did not go to extremes to change my appearance, some of my peers were not as fortunate, as one would often times tell me “the pretty girls had better lives,” because according to television and music videos, this was the truth.
Television dominates the media use of adolescents while music is seen as a way for adolescents to define themselves, resulting in significant exposure to unrealistic media representation. Television shows such as “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” portray a luxurious lifestyle in which beautiful, wealthy, and successful families have the world in their hands and are relieved from everyday stresses that others face, as well as the idea that one must be as physically attractive as the Kardashian sisters to be successful and wealthy. Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” is also greatly influential and leads to the assumption that guys will only love and appreciate a woman with a curvier figure. This sexualized media leaves young girls all around the country feeling self conscious, resulting in eating disorders and negative beliefs about themselves and their bodies. For this reason it is necessary for parents to attempt to protect their daughters at all costs.
Parents can practice specific strategies in order to attempt to prevent their daughters from being negatively affected by media in relation to body image which include modeling a positive body image, monitoring media exposure, and discussing media images versus reality. Grown women may find difficulty coming to terms with their own bodies because of beauty values placed by society. However, it is important that mothers model a positive body image for their daughters. Words such as “fat” and “diet” should be avoided at all costs. Correspondingly, parents must monitor media to prevent their children from viewing harmful images. This can be done through limiting children’s time watching television or browsing the internet, blocking inappropriate cable channels, and monitoring one’s own habits. Parents can also monitor their children’s media use by keeping the computer and television in a central area. Additionally, it is crucial that parents explain the difference between the picture the media paints and reality. In order to achieve this, parents should co-view media with their children. Parents should also search for teachable moments rather than criticizing the media that their children enjoy. The most important lesson that every child should understand is that media are constructions, meaning they were created and do not necessarily reflect reality. Through these strategies parents can boost their children’s self esteem, and take the first step to creating a better, more body positive life for their daughters in America.
