Body Image 
Long and skinny one year; thick and curvy the next, “women are continually [being] manipulated by images of proper womanhood” (Orbach 451) through todays media. Americans spend over 250 billion hours watching television every year; at such a high number, the power for the media to influence the minds of young women today is rapidly increasing. The media has begun to demand that women “occupy [themselves] with a self-image that others will find pleasing and attractive” (450). Today’s media has become a huge benefactor for women in society’s poor body acceptance.
Although advertising aims to convince us to buy things, ads seldom portray people that look like us. The average female fashion model wears in-between a size two or four, while the average American woman wears a size 12 or 14. Although today’s media portrays female models as alluring, and desirable by all men; it is also producing a “picture that is far removed from reality” and is fiercely “unreal, and unattainable” (452). Images of models in ads are often touched up, in order to disguise minor flaws or make the models appear even skinnier than they really are. These false body image ads, showing bodies that are not real or representative of the general female population, have far-reaching effects. It might seem that it should be recognizable when an ad shows something not real; but we still tend to trust what is seen in the media and through that, body image can be easily confused. The constant barrage of unrealistically skinny women can stir up feelings of inadequacy, anxiety and depression. This is what leads to the development of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, in today’s young adult population.
Even before young woman were influenced by the images of media; they were being influenced with America’s top selling manufactured doll since 1959, Barbie. The average American girl between the ages of three to 11, grows up surrounded by the Barbie body image. Not every child is influenced by the
Although advertising aims to convince us to buy things, ads seldom portray people that look like us. The average female fashion model wears in-between a size two or four, while the average American woman wears a size 12 or 14. Although today’s media portrays female models as alluring, and desirable by all men; it is also producing a “picture that is far removed from reality” and is fiercely “unreal, and unattainable” (452). Images of models in ads are often touched up, in order to disguise minor flaws or make the models appear even skinnier than they really are. These false body image ads, showing bodies that are not real or representative of the general female population, have far-reaching effects. It might seem that it should be recognizable when an ad shows something not real; but we still tend to trust what is seen in the media and through that, body image can be easily confused. The constant barrage of unrealistically skinny women can stir up feelings of inadequacy, anxiety and depression. This is what leads to the development of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, in today’s young adult population.
Even before young woman were influenced by the images of media; they were being influenced with America’s top selling manufactured doll since 1959, Barbie. The average American girl between the ages of three to 11, grows up surrounded by the Barbie body image. Not every child is influenced by the