Comparing three articles - "I Want to Be Miss America" by Julie Alvarez; "My Inner Shrimp" by Garry Trudeau and "Victoria's Not-So-Secret Strategy" by Marisa Kula - which deal with how sociey has physical expectations of a person and beauty image.
Abstract Current society is one where body image or looks is central to self image. Movies, television, beauty products, diet programs and exercise programs are all reminders of this. Every person in society is haunted by the image of what they should look like. This paper focuses on three essays, each which argue something different about the impact of our need to look a certain way. Alverez's shows what happens when a person cannot obtain the ideal look society dictates. Trudeau's shows that even if the ideal is attained, the impact on the person lingers while also showing that it is not only an issue for women. Finally, Kula shows how companies like Victoria's Secret project these images and make profit by fooling women into believing they can be the ideal. This paper considers these essays and the impact of body image and shows how living up to an ideal set by society impacts on everyone's life, whether or not that ideal can be attained. The writer concludes that the end result of this is low self-esteem for all individuals, even if some of those ideals can be attained.
From the Paper "1. The Alvarez family's ritual of watching the Miss America pageant is so important to Alvarez and her sisters because it represents what they could be. The Alverez's come from a culture where women can only be wives and mothers. The Miss America pageant represents that in America, they can aspire to more than that. The Miss America pageant also represents what it means to be American, something the Alverez sisters are trying to find out so they can fit into their new environment."
Abstract This paper focuses on the representations of women's body image in the media and asks how these representations affect women's self-image and behavior.
From the Paper "The images of the media surround us constantly. According to Peach (1998): "We are exposed to over 2,000 ads a day, constituting perhaps the most powerful educational force in society. The average adult will spend one and a half years of his/her life watching television commercials". (p. 128). Leafing through the morning paper we unconsciously take in adverts and photographs. Going to work we pass billboards, signs on bus stations and busses, company logo's on clothing and merchandise. At home relaxing in front of the television we are bombarded by images. What are the main messages that are conveyed by this unstoppable deluge of the media?"
This paper discusses the distorted image of women based on the unrealistic portrayal of women in popular culture as depicted in fashion magazines and advertisements.
3,600 words (approx. 14.4 pages), 16 sources, 2005, $ 142.95
Abstract This paper reviews the troubling issue of eating disorders and low self-image among women who are constantly inundated with unrealistic portrayals of 'western' beauty in popular culture. The author points out the dynamic nature of the 'ideal female form' over time. The paper explores the effects of this western image upon non-western cultures that have been inundated with western advertising in the global age.
From the Paper "The issue of how women are portrayed in the mass-media of contemporary society is an exceedingly interesting one; it is also vitally important. For the professional anthropologist, understanding this complex phenomenon is a major first step towards understanding the gender stereotypes and assumptions that have, in large measure, defined our society. Put another way, to understand the treatment of women in popular magazines and advertisements is to understand their treatment in our homes, offices and even schools. This paper will examine how the 'ideal female form' - at least as it is depicted in our popular culture - vitiates the health of women, re-affirms traditional gender roles, and impresses upon non-western cultures a western conception of female physical beauty that is inherently unhealthy. To buttress this contention, a number of steps are obviously in order."
Abstract This paper discusses how in the past, physical ability dictated the role that individuals played in society. Society, however, evolves. Women are now active members in the workplace, owning or participating as equal partners in nearly 50% of today's privately-owned businesses. The paper further discusses how attitudes have also changed, with mentoring being part of today's business world. As society continues to evolve, women's participation in the business world will continue to grow, and to evolve as well.
From the Paper "Gender equality has long been an issue, from ancient societies until the present. In general, men have maintained control over the development of societal rules, in part, perhaps, because superior physical power gave them control over the environment in which these societies grew. Particularly in ancient and developing societies, women played a supportive role by caring for children, caring for the home, and tending domesticated plants and animals when men were out hunting or establishing more territory. Society, however, evolves. While in the past, physical strength controlled the access that individuals had to resources, strength is no longer the determining factor. Modern society allows women to take leadership roles in many areas, including such roles in the community, in industry, and in business. "
Abstract This paper is a review of the book "Women of the Renaissance" by Margaret L. King. The author summarizes the book on the lives of women and the roles they played during the Renaissance era and examines King's ideas on the differences between the classes of women and the roles they had in the family, the church and in the elite class. The paper explains how, in this way, King is able to cover society as a whole including all women - from preacher's wives to prostitutes. The author also praises King's engaging and interesting literary style and adds that "Women of the Renaissance" is essential reading for any student of history or anyone interested in women's studies.
From the Paper "The best section is the shortest, which deals with the seeds of triumph for women. This book cannot replace a history book but it would stand to be an excellent counterpart to a history book on the Renaissance. By looking into the lives of women scattered throughout the Renaissance, King does well not to leave any areas left uncovered. We would live better is we could see into these lives as they were instead of how we romanticize them. Women need to understand that these women - be them witches or nuns - are the ancestors of all women and their voices should be heard."
Abstract The paper examines the issue of gender in the welfare state. It looks at history and analyses how women have been affected by the decision making that occurs in relation to their roles, their quest for freedom, and their ability to succeed as human beings within the social order. The paper also discusses the role of the governments in the welfare state specifically in relation to women.
From the Paper "Throughout history, it has been evident that women have been strongly affected by the decision making that occurs within welfare states in relation to their gender roles, their quest for freedom, and their ability to succeed as human beings within the social order. While governmental entities have continuously proclaimed that they support an equal society the actions of these organizations have not traditionally supported such beliefs. "
Abstract This paper focuses on Sanders' argument that being born male does not necessarily predetermine one's destiny to rule and dominate over womankind. Sanders' essay "Women and Men" discusses the differences between the genders, not only in how he sees their differences, but also in how each gender perceives the other. This paper also examines the distinctions between wealth and poverty and their effects on gender while Sanders asserts that the differences between the sexes mostly depend on one's status in society.
From the Paper "The effect of women in the work place may have also produced another affect. Presently, in this nation, nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. This higher rate of divorce is because unlike in the past, women are not as likely to be solely dependent upon men for their livelihood. Many families now are single parent families due to these high divorce rates with a large proportion of them being female. Women have "suffered from men's bullying" as Sanders has learned from his experiences with the "wretchedness of abandoned wives, single mothers, [and] widows." Sadly, the "wretchedness" of women have not changed much from that of the past. There are growing numbers of battered women and children's clinics."
Abstract The writer of this paper details the symptoms as well as the media's contribution to body dysmorphic disorder, also known as distorted body image. Body dysmorphic disorder has become a tremendous problem in today's society due to the barrage of negative messages sent to women by the media. This paper discusses the effect of the media, in all its forms - television, radio, print advertising, internet, etc., which has an enormous influence on what people deem as attractive in today's society. The unnecessary emphasis the media places on appearance tends to adversely affect the mental and physical health of those it comes in contact with. Body dysmorphic disorder can lead to damaged self-esteem, depression, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. This paper details the manner in which advertisers place heavy emphasis on physical appearance as a means of selling products. Too often in doing so, unnecessary pressure is placed on women to conform to unrealistic and oftentimes, unhealthy standards of beauty.
From the Paper "Women want someone they can relate to. The Body Shop, a supplier of natural beauty products, offered a much-needed change from the typical message provided by advertisers; "There are three billion women who don't look like supermodels, and only eight who do. The Australian magazine New Woman included a picture of a heavy-set model on its cover recently. This action produced a lot of positive comments from the magazine's female readers. Despite this fact, advertisers threatened to pull their sponsorship. This shows that advertisers know what they are doing when they include a woman whose body is unattainable to society at large."
Abstract This paper discusses fat phobia in Western society and how it affects girls and women of all ages. The paper specifically demonstrates how overweight women are the targets of discrimination, hatred and fat-phobia. The paper defines the terms 'fat', 'overweight' and 'obese' and then examines the ways in which fat women are discriminated against.
Table of Content:
Body Image Issues Since 1900
Fat Oppression and Women
From the Paper "Women are far from merely oppressed from the outside. They have internalized the fears and phobias towards fatness, maintaining lives of undue discipline and self-policing of behavior. How many women count their calories or read nutrition labels for fat content while insisting they are not dieting? Women manipulate their lives so that food appears to be a non-issue for them. Men will often whine that they are annoyed when women won't eat in their presence, yet women believe they are doing that so men will find them more attractive. The oppression of fatness in our culture is not one that only affects those deemed 'medically overweight.' Pick up any magazine or watch any television show (particularly during daytime TV) and you will realize how prevalent notions of 'thin is the only option' are. The fat woman in the ad is often portrayed as lonely, searching for a new career and looking for that perfect love. The only way she can ever achieve these goals is to be thin, at any cost."
Abstract This paper examines the extent of the affect of the OWI's campaign to get women to enlist and help in the war effort during WWII. It argues that the OWI's determination to protect the traditional image of women was genuinely a reflection of the deep-rooted attitudes of American society regarding womanhood. While magazine propaganda strove to attract women to war work, advertisers expressly exercised discretion not to challenge strongly other societal assumptions about the place of women in the work force; they endeavored to adapt female images to the needs of the war-waging nation.
From the Paper "Advertisers used several tactics to attract women to war work, but the fact that so many recruitment advertisements embraced the "American Homemaker" image of the woman to some extent reveals the true import of the traditional female image in American middle-class society and thus best explains why advertisers could not afford to change the feminine image of women during World War II. As home-makers, women were naturally and intimately associated with the family and the home, two cherished American institutions (Honey,"Remembering" 136). In raising the notions of protection and stability, the ads made the family and the home symbolic of the comfortable way of life which people hoped to resume after the war. As guardians of an idealized way of life threatened by the war, women simply could not abandon their niche as society's nurturers. Because conventional associations of women and the home provided a means by which Americans could achieve happiness and security during World War II, the traditional image of the woman prevailed in wartime advertising (May90). In effect, the advertisements commissioned by the OWI during World War II certainly were never intended to effect changes in already-established notions about the woman's place as a delicate, nurturing figure in American society."
Abstract This paper is about representations of women and celebrities in the media and their effects on average American women. Some of the topics discussed in this paper are the media's portrayal of actresses and celebrities and their affects on teenagers and women, the differences and changes in images of celebrities through the past few decades, the "Culture of slimming" , the objectification and subjectification of women, the psychological, social, physical, and mental effects on the average women, and the power of the entertainment industry.
From the Paper "Over the past few decades, the so-called "norm" for a female figure has drastically changed from voluptuous and curvy to waif-like thin. Many female celebrities have been known for their figures. Historically, Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield were two women who each wore a size 12 and were glorified by men all around the world. Today, celebrities from the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Calista Flockhart are admired for their abilities to become and stay so thin, almost appearing sick. As celebrities come and go, women compare themselves to whoever is "popular" at the time."
Abstract This paper analyzes the issues pertinent to society's demands of women and their appearances. The paper examines the ways women feel about their bodies, and explains how their looks sometimes define their self confidence and self esteem. The paper provides references from various books and surveys on this topic. An in-depth look is taken at the breast cancer patient and how she deals with her body image.
From the Paper "Somewhere in the media and development of our current social paradigm women have developed the idea that there really is not "perfect" woman, but each woman would like to be the first one. This is what causes the never-ending spiral effect of women's competition to be "perfect". Conscienceless or unconsciously, women believe that they will never be perfect; There will always be a "better look" to strive for. Personally I think there is a lot of nonsense in this theory that women have convinced themselves is common knowledge and fact. What women are really seeking is the happiness that is believed to be possessed by men because it doesn?t really matter what men look like as long as they are successful in their jobs."
Abstract This paper examines advertising and how it impacts women in three ways: body image; sexuality; and consumer spending habits. Specifically, the writer argues that advertising has been - and continues to be - shaped by stereotypical depictions of the two genders, and that women remain faced with a popular media that glorifies unhealthy body images at the same time as it sexualizes women and impresses upon them the sense that they need to dress and act a certain way in order to be "true" women. Finally, the paper looks at how consumer advertising has placed women in a position where they are now expected to consume both like women - and like men.
Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Advertising and women: Body image Advertising and Women: Sexuality
Advertising and women: Debt
Conclusion
From the Paper "Advertising in America and throughout the western world impacts women in many ways - most of them negative. In the pages that follow, the impact of advertising upon women in the realms of body image, sexuality, and consumer impulses will all be discussed, with the general argument being raised that advertisers seize upon female insecurities and self-perceived inadequacies in order to make money - even if the process ends up sparking eating disorders and psychological disorders among young and old females. In the end, women need to appreciate that advertisers are not interested in social welfare but in making money - often by appealing to shop-worn notions about gender roles."
Abstract This paper looks at the images of women that were portrayed in 1950s TV sitcoms and examines to what extent these images give us an insight into popular culture of the time.
From the Paper "The most stereotypical portrayals of gender are spread through communication media, especially television. Often, trends in television give us insight into the shifting meanings of gender in popular culture. For example, television in the fifties portrayed a wonderful world of perfect homes in a perfect America. In this world the mothers never worked, the families were happy, and problems were always solved within a half hour. Women had a clearly defined, fixed role, says Spigel, "The essential function of women was that of caretaker, mother, and sexual partner. The domestic woman needed to save her energy for housekeeping, childrearing, and an active (monogamous) sex life with her husband"
Tags: feminism, gender, role, sexism, society, stereotypes, TV
Abstract This paper presents a research proposal to evaluate the current problem of self-image for women in the United States through negative representation found in the modern media. The paper discusses how media distorts and creates bodily manipulations and then relates that, by evaluating the facts and research done to learn how the media accomplishes this, one can realize how to correct and combat negative self-images within women's communities and organizational groups on media literacy.
Table of Contents:
Introduction and Rationale
Working Hypothesis
Research Strategy: The Problem and Various Solutions
Conclusion
From the Paper "Certainly with media manipulating posing negative images of women that define a way for women to be socially seduced, media literacy is one major solution to helping women discover realistic ways for learning about their bodies. By teaching women through discussion groups, support groups, and other feminist orientated awareness groups to understand how the media is distorting woman's images, there can be a lesser feeling of objectification in how women view themselves. This form of media literacy can help women to view their bodies outside of the patriarchal construct of society that views women as sex objects only to be gazed or looked upon (Ware para.12). Certainly, this can provide a great deal of insight into preventing the exploitation of women's bodies by corporate male executives in the media industry that wish to create women as objects of male desire. By advocating organizations and other groups to prevent this type of negative image, media literacy can be an important avenue for solving this societal problem."
