Issue 4
Is a healthy body attainable? Yes it is...but what is the cost? Women and Men both the same when it comes to attaining their ideal body image...more like what the body image should be. So buying products, services, and pampering yourself is the way to do it. Is it? "Fat becomes someting to be reared, and grooming practices and fashion are "sold" as imperatives for both men and women." Socially, behaviorally, and culturally, we all have issues, is it okay to blame media, is it their fault? Lets look further into body images and see if media causes individuals to develop negative body images.
Lets look specifically into magazines...
YES: Shari L. Dworkin and Faye Linda Wachs
Until recently the the male appearance was less important and their link was towards status, societal position, or power. The womens in turn was a desire to attaract an object. She is also an object linked to emotion and nature. Today women in social power, sports, and fitness have grown. Now the focus on both men and women is in line.
Fat is problematic. The diet industry is now worth some $58.7 billion. For men the focus is on striations and cuts underneath such as the famous 6-pack moving its way to the "even healthier" 8-pack. For women it is the decrease of fat for a "cellulite-free" form. There are so many types of fat loosing programs and regime that promise that you will loose it. The fat free fit look is can also be refered to as a status symbol. In order to maintain the ideal physique it requires significant time and money. For both men and women it is a continuous fight to attain the image that is in the magazine. We will prepare the foods, do the work outs, buy the products, go to the spa, do that sport, just so we can "fit in" and not look like FAT is taking over our lives and we can not live it to its potential.
NO: Michael P. Levine and Sarah K. Murnen
Body dissatisfaction, the drive to be thin, and eating disorders can't all be the mass media. Mass media is a mean to provide informaition, motivation, and provide products that can help you attain a goal.
1.) Women are naturally invested in their beauty assets and thus beauty is a woman's principal project in life
2.) A slender, youthful attractive "image" is really someting substantiv, because it is pleasing to males and it demonstrates to females that one is in control of one's life
3.) Leaning to perceive, monitor, and indeed experience yourself as the object of an essentially masculine gaze is an important part of being feminine and beutiful.
There is slim to non when it comes to correlating image related health issues with media. The most vulnerable girls may be subject to this.
With that being said there are still questions that remain.
Reading through your blog i feel like i agree more with the "yes" answer. Although i do think there is a fine line between what the media portrays and what is actually accessible keeping a healthy degree, people have taken those perfect or ideal images portrayed and compared themselves to them. Its so easily and quickly forgotten that most of those front cover images for the perfect toned body or slim figure are photo edited into looking perfect for the magazine! Although most celebrities do have that ideal slim figure, there is still "necessary" airbrush or editing to reach perfection. There is very much a possibility to be slim and fit and in great shape with the proper care...but i think that line is drawn in staying healthy. Once beauty or the appearance becomes an obsession or begins to harm the body - whether it be through skipping meals, excessive makeup, too many artificial tans, etc. - then the main focus isn't just looking good, but trying to look "magazine perfect!" and i just dont think that possible; after all the computer does magical things! :)
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