Colton 1

Sam Colton

Comp. 2

Prof. McGriff

8/1/18

Body Image

Body image is essentially the way a person views how they look, with the practice of studying or

comparing one's physical attributes to another individual's, causing rejection of their own body. There is

a huge controversy surrounding how body image portrayal is affecting people physically and mentally.

The issue of body image and how people's perception or portrayal of it can have an astounding effect on

how someone acknowledges how they look, and there are many factors that lead to one's negative view

towards their body along with the outcomes from this perspective. While there are both negative and

positive outcomes that can stem from critiquing your body, the negative factors easily trump the

positives. The media's portrayal of body image, the disorders/feelings that can be caused by excessive

hatred towards the body, and bullying/stereotyping among peers are huge issues that affect a vast

amount of people on a day to day basis.

The media plays a huge role in affecting individual's view of their body image. One of the main

outlets for body image portrayal is through the use of models. Whether it comes from the Victoria's

Secret runway, or from a Men's Fitness magazine, the models can influence of a lot of people. Once

individual's see how these models look, they may wish to change themselves to match their body type,

which the media portrays as “ideal.” Female photo shoots are one of the most influential outlets as far

as women's body image portrayal is concerned. Kirsten Anderberg, while talking about Ann Simonton, a

former cover girl model, states “She was getting ready for a photo shoot with other famous models and
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they were all complaining about different parts of their bodies” (54-55). This demonstrates that even

models were putting themselves down, as if they were encouraging the thought that even though they

looked beautiful, there was still something that needed to be changed about their physical appearance.

It is often that the shapes that these models are in is unrealistic, as the models had to go to extreme

measures to reach that level of body appearance, and those people viewing these models will see this

and adopt the same mindset.

There is a gap between how media body portrayal affects men and women, but nevertheless,

both sexes are affected one way or another. Women will see how models appear to be and try to alter

their body to resemble that model's body. Some men may also wish to change the way they look, the

shape bodybuilders are in in magazines for example. Philip White, in discussing the effect of

bodybuilding magazines for men, states “All over North America, men are sweating and heaving in gyms

in pursuit of 'muscle', 'rips', and cuts'. And much of the ensuing flesh has little purpose except to satisfy

a need among men to be bigger” (A28). This means that the images that men are seeing in these

bodybuilding magazines are enough to alter the male mindset into one that feels the body needs to

change.

However, there is a positive outcome that can result from the portrayal of body image. Whether

the subject is a man or a woman, seeing other people, or seeing a model or bodybuilder can be a

motivational goal that can be reached. From this, the individual has the choice to further better

themselves or to make a positive change in their lifestyle that can help them both feel and look better,

physically and mentally. The steps that the person takes to make this change aren’t always negative,

because seeing someone else make the change in their life may be enough to motivate another

individual to do the same. For example, seeing someone in really good shape may motivate another

individual to clean up their diet, to hit the gym more often, or just make some minor positive

adjustments to their way of life.

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There are some extremely harmful disorders and steps that have been taken that have resulted

in an individual feeling the need to change their body image quickly. Eating disorders have become

apparent in some individuals that feel resentment towards their bodies, and the effects of these

disorders on the individual are not only harmful physically but also mentally. The main eating disorders

that affect individuals who want the “ideal body” include anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia is essentially

the practice of self-starvation, while bulimia occurs when an individual seeks to regurgitate all that they

have eaten to shed body fat. For example, Laurie Penny, while discussing the tragic death of an anorexic

model, states “The anorexia industry, for which poor Caro was briefly the mascot is cynical idolatry

masquerading as public concern to sell magazines. The anorexic has become the famished saint of late

capitalist femininity: beautiful, vulnerable and ready to risk everything to conform to societies’

standards” (1). This author essentially discusses how anorexia is the gateway to transforming into a body

that is accepted by societal standards but is also the body sought after by magazines. People who see

such messages may feel that these approaches to losing weight are acceptable, and since they are being

promoted by beauty magazines, are recommended. Men may also take dangerous steps to achieve the

ideal male body through steroids, as many bodybuilders swear on being naturally toned yet don't tell

the truth of being on enhancements.

Seeing these portrayals also can lead individuals to possess self-conscious feelings about their

body. If a person, male or female, sees the message “Look like this person to be loved by everyone”,

they may begin to question why they look the way that they do, and become sensitive to their own

image. Comparing one's body to one of someone else is enough to dampen the spirits and begin to

regret the way they look. This could also lead to self-harm or depression, as the individual may feel as if

there is no hope for them to fit societies’ standards of the perfect body. Having the idea of not being

attractive is enough to lead to some dangerous steps being taken, and the image of the ideal man and

woman being portrayed is enough to begin these harmful methods. Some people may resort to making
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jokes about their body to hide their pain. For example, Lisa Suhay, in discussing how Hollywood actors

are in ways promoting fat jokes, states “That's the reason people become funny is to overcome pain.

The most basic is the fat kid making the fat joke first.” (1). This goes to show that hatred towards the

body can cause belittlement and jokes to be made to ease the clearly existent pain.

Body image can be viewed as an individual's view on themselves, whether it's how they appeal

to others, or how they feel they look. Advertisements for “diet pills” or magazines depicting shredded

male models can easily cause someone to constantly critique the physical attractiveness of their body.

Most of the time, when an individual possesses this mindset, they will attempt to change how they

appear to others, mostly by trying to change their physical appearance to better suit the expectations of

other people in society. It also can impact them mentally, as a mental image for the body exists. The

mindset of the individual can change to one that is extremely negative based on the pressures of body

image portrayal surrounding society. For example, someone can become extremely pessimistic and

discouraged if their mindset resembles one that thinks “Look at how these bodybuilders and movie stars

are looking. You will never look like them”. This doesn't only affect one's body image, as they can spread

this negativity to family members or peers.

Bullying plays an astoundingly huge role in how a person perceives their appearance. Ridicule

from peers, people that an individual may be exposed to every day, can easily alter how someone feels

about the way that they look. Adolescents are by far the most affected group from ridicule, as their

brains and bodies are developing, and many adolescents are a little more affected than others based on

how their body is changing. There is also a pressure put on individuals to fit in with the crowd. Whether

someone is being bullied, or if they are viewed a certain way in high school, that generalization of the

person can easily affect how they perceive themselves.

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Stereotypes also play a large role in affecting body image. Perri Klass states “There are two kinds

of risky behavior that are increasingly common among adolescence: the use of laxatives for weight loss

and the use of muscle-building products” (D4). This comes to show that the image of individuals

representing an unattainable body is getting into the minds of adolescents, and it is persuading them to

take these products to look better. The article also states that many women reported to using laxatives

for weight loss and men for using muscle enhancing products, with each increasing use during

adolescence, showing that these products will be marketed towards adolescents. This also was used to

promote the stereotype that men need to be strong and muscular, while women should stay slender

and toned, all while maintaining a low body fat percentage.

One of the aspects that falls under this category would be parental intervention, and their effect

on their child as they go through this period in which they want to change the way that they look. This is

one of the most important times for a parent in their child's life, because as their child crosses into

adolescence, they may experience bullying or a forced image of beauty, and pressures from the media

or their peers could make them succumb to these pressures. The parents at one point were in school, so

there is a strong possibility that they themselves have experienced this pressure, and they can be there

to support their child. Parental intervention and supporting children during this time is extremely crucial

because helping them accept themselves for who they are is an important lesson.

Overall, the ideal body image that is being portrayed to men and women in society has many

harmful effects, and this image is destroying the minds of individuals, as it is essentially manipulating

them into believing that having the perfect body will make you the perfect person. Even though these

bodies that are portrayed are usually altered in some way or were attained through harmful factors, the

exposure of these bodies are corrupting society. While there are a few positive outcomes from body

image portrayal, the negatives are far more dangerous and outweigh the pros. An individual should
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never criticize or compare the way they look to someone else, as this will alter their view of themselves,

thus leading to the process of changing who they are.

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Works Cited

Anderberg, Kirsten. “The Images of Beauty are Unrealistic and Hurt Women”. The Culture of Beauty,
Greenhaven Press, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context,
http://go.galegroup.com.db23.linccweb.org/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=Viewpoints&resultListType=R
ESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=TopicSearchForm&currentPosition=3&
docId=GALE%7CEJ3010659211&docType=Viewpoint+essay&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=
&prodId=OVIC&contentSet=GALE%7CEJ3010659211&topicId=00000000LVVJ&searchId=&userGr
oupName=lincclin_sjrcc&inPS=true. Accessed 19 July 2018.

White, Philip. “Muscles don't make the man . . . powerlessness”. Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada), 25
Nov. 1992, p. A28, Gale Opposing Views in Context,
http://go.galegroup.com.db23.linccweb.org/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=News&resultListType=RESUL
T_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=8&docId
=GALE%7CA163995501&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=OVIC&co
ntentSet=GALE%7CA163995501&searchId=R4&userGroupName=lincclin_sjrcc&inPS=true.
Accessed 19 July 2018.

Penny, Laurie. “The Media Foster Misplaced Concern About Anorexia”. The Culture of Beauty, Vol. 1, Jan.
2013. Gale Opposing Views in Context,
http://go.galegroup.com.db23.linccweb.org/ps/aboutJournal.do?contentModuleId=OVIC&result
ClickType=AboutThisPublication&actionString=DO_DISPLAY_ABOUT_PAGE&searchType=BasicSe
archForm&docId=GALE%7C6CYK&userGroupName=lincclin_sjrcc&inPS=true&rcDocId=GALE%7C
EJ3010659247&prodId=OVIC&pubDate=120130101. Accessed 19 July 2018.

Suhay, Lisa. “Fat Jokes: How often do Hollywood movies body shame?” Christian Science Monitor, 2 Feb
2016. Opposing Views in Context.
http://go.galegroup.com.db23.linccweb.org/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=News&resultListType=RESULT
_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=2&docId=G
ALE%7CA442107063&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=OVIC&conte
ntSet=GALE%7CA442107063&searchId=R6&userGroupName=lincclin_sjrcc&inPS=true. Accessed
23 July 2018

Klass, Perri. “Teenagers and False Body Images”. New York Times, 1 Aug 2016. Gale Opposing Viewpoints
in Context,
http://go.galegroup.com.db23.linccweb.org/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=FeaturedContent&resultListT
ype=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=TopicSearchForm&currentPositio
n=3&docId=GALE%7CA459693053&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodI
d=OVIC&contentSet=GALE%7CA459693053&topicId=00000000LVVJ&searchId=&userGroupNam
e=lincclin_sjrcc&inPS=true. Accessed 19 July 2018.
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