RELATIONSHIP TO SOCIOLOGY
In Western culture, advertisements are viewed daily and in these ads women are portrayed in unrealistic ways. Most ads expose women who are very thin and attractive. These images send messages to young girls and women that you have to look like this or you are undesirable. The obsession of staying thin comes from comparison theory, where people look at others and determine who is in the better state of attractiveness. Unfortunately, the media depicts women as very thin, tan, large breasts and toned butt with perfect make-up and hair. Everyday women look at these images and believe that they have to look like this. To add further comparison, men believe that the women in advertisements are what real women are supposed to look like. A survey proved that women who viewed thin and attractive women in ads showed lower self-esteem than the women who viewed ads with average looking women. In social context this shows that women are put up to this standard that they have to be very thin, pretty and basically a bombshell. Beside looks, women are expected to perform female gendered tasks such as cleaning, cooking and taking care of the husband and children, all while looking perfect.
The major issue is that girls take this “Perfect 10” image seriously and can lead to bigger problems like eating disorders. Eating disorders such as, anorexia and bulimia can cause many severe health problems from rapid weight loss and poor nutrition.
Effects of bulimia
-Tooth decay
-Weight gain
-Abdominal pain
-Sore throat
-Heart failure
-Colon cancer
Effects of anorexia
-Dry yellow skin
-Loss of periods
-Anemia
-Thin, brittle hair
-Cloudy mind
-Kidney failure
Besides eating disorders, social situations can be a problem for women who are dissatisfied with their bodies. People with low self-esteem are not always going to maintain other healthy relationships because of their poor body image. Real women are always being compared to the women on television, in magazines and on the internet. These women in the ads are photo shopped to make them look better, meaning this is not the real image being portrayed and no women really looks like this. These altered images are being accepted into society and taken seriously.
The seriousness of this issue is what makes it a social problem. It is not that a few women have eating disorders, it is that a lot of women have believe their bodies have to look like the models in the media. This is showing that U.S. society is based on looks and attractiveness, rather than emotions of real people who are more than just looks. Women should realize that advertisements wrongfully portray women as thin sex-goddesses and this image is not real. Women do not have to be thin to be beautiful or show their cleavage and give sexual favors to get what they want. Through education, women can gain respect and promote a healthy body image and ignore what advertisements are representing.
The major issue is that girls take this “Perfect 10” image seriously and can lead to bigger problems like eating disorders. Eating disorders such as, anorexia and bulimia can cause many severe health problems from rapid weight loss and poor nutrition.
Effects of bulimia
-Tooth decay
-Weight gain
-Abdominal pain
-Sore throat
-Heart failure
-Colon cancer
Effects of anorexia
-Dry yellow skin
-Loss of periods
-Anemia
-Thin, brittle hair
-Cloudy mind
-Kidney failure
Besides eating disorders, social situations can be a problem for women who are dissatisfied with their bodies. People with low self-esteem are not always going to maintain other healthy relationships because of their poor body image. Real women are always being compared to the women on television, in magazines and on the internet. These women in the ads are photo shopped to make them look better, meaning this is not the real image being portrayed and no women really looks like this. These altered images are being accepted into society and taken seriously.
The seriousness of this issue is what makes it a social problem. It is not that a few women have eating disorders, it is that a lot of women have believe their bodies have to look like the models in the media. This is showing that U.S. society is based on looks and attractiveness, rather than emotions of real people who are more than just looks. Women should realize that advertisements wrongfully portray women as thin sex-goddesses and this image is not real. Women do not have to be thin to be beautiful or show their cleavage and give sexual favors to get what they want. Through education, women can gain respect and promote a healthy body image and ignore what advertisements are representing.
