How Does Media Affect Society's Perception Of Beauty
The media affects society’s perception of beauty in many ways. When models in media publications are photoshopped to perfection and their hair and makeup is done by professionals for hours, it creates an unrealistic expectation for the average person. The media seems to alter the world’s perception of beauty by using photoshop, whitewashing, and encouraging ridiculously fit body-types.
Photoshop is one the of most common tools used in media that forms society’s definition of beauty. The article “Faking Beauty” says, “‘Photoshopping, especially as it’s related to children and adolescents, gives them an unrealistic expectation of what they might expect to look like as they grow up’” (Davis 1). Photoshop affects the world’s perception of beauty by making everyday people appear perfect. No one can achieve the looks of someone who was digitally altered to appear flawless, but when most of the photos people see from the media have been retouched, they may start to expect to look like that. The same text says, “‘They are these idealized images of beauty where …show more content…
everything is perfect, and there are no blemishes and no wrinkles and no cellulite’” (Davis 1). Photoshopped images are made to look flaw-free. In a day and age where people are constantly consuming media, from the internet to magazines and billboards, and nearly every image seen by them is digitally retouched, it creates a perception of beauty that isn’t entirely realistic. This causes society to think that beauty is achieved by having no imperfections.
Another aspect of people commonly altered in the media is skin color. The article “Why Are We Still Whitewashing?” says, “Too many black and Asian children grow up understanding the sad truth that to have dark skin is to be somehow inferior… when black celebrities appear to deny their heritage by trying to make themselves look white, I despair for the youngsters who see those images” (DasGupta 1). People of color in the media often have their skin toned lightened and their natural hair relaxed to appear more caucasian by hairstylists and editors. The message this shows young people is that being white is ideal, something very harmful to any young person of color’s self esteem. The text also says, “Liar, which features a protagonist of color, being initially released with a white-appearing girl’s face on the cover” (DasGupta 2). Whitewashing is not only lightening someone’s skin tone, it can include completely erasing a character of color from a book. This furthers the lack of representation for people of color in the media. When models in most media publications are white, it subconsciously creates the idea that white faces are the most attractive.
While it may seem that women are the only ones affected by media’s definition of beauty, men are definitely affected as well.
The “Male Eating Disorder Infographic” says, “The muscularity of ideal male body representations has increased from the 1970’s to 1990’s, presenting a largely unattainable body type” (National Eating Disorder Association 1). Males in the media are usually presented with a very muscular build. This once again sets unrealistic expectations, but the media consumed daily by the average person can make it seem that this is normal, and that all men should look muscular. The source also says, “Up to 43% of men are dissatisfied with their bodies” (NEDA 1). The media’s definition of beauty where everyone is fit and muscular can to a feeling of inferiority. It makes men feel dissatisfied with themselves when they can’t achieve this nearly unattainable body-type that is normalized in the
media.
People may not realize it, but the media has a heavy hand in influencing what one finds attractive. Media publications photoshop people to the point where you can barely recognize them, whitewash people of color, and create unrealistic body-type standards that people try to achieve. When people consume this media, it makes these standards appear normal, and people begin to look for the characteristics altered by the media in themselves and others around them.
Photoshop is one the of most common tools used in media that forms society’s definition of beauty. The article “Faking Beauty” says, “‘Photoshopping, especially as it’s related to children and adolescents, gives them an unrealistic expectation of what they might expect to look like as they grow up’” (Davis 1). Photoshop affects the world’s perception of beauty by making everyday people appear perfect. No one can achieve the looks of someone who was digitally altered to appear flawless, but when most of the photos people see from the media have been retouched, they may start to expect to look like that. The same text says, “‘They are these idealized images of beauty where …show more content…
everything is perfect, and there are no blemishes and no wrinkles and no cellulite’” (Davis 1). Photoshopped images are made to look flaw-free. In a day and age where people are constantly consuming media, from the internet to magazines and billboards, and nearly every image seen by them is digitally retouched, it creates a perception of beauty that isn’t entirely realistic. This causes society to think that beauty is achieved by having no imperfections.
Another aspect of people commonly altered in the media is skin color. The article “Why Are We Still Whitewashing?” says, “Too many black and Asian children grow up understanding the sad truth that to have dark skin is to be somehow inferior… when black celebrities appear to deny their heritage by trying to make themselves look white, I despair for the youngsters who see those images” (DasGupta 1). People of color in the media often have their skin toned lightened and their natural hair relaxed to appear more caucasian by hairstylists and editors. The message this shows young people is that being white is ideal, something very harmful to any young person of color’s self esteem. The text also says, “Liar, which features a protagonist of color, being initially released with a white-appearing girl’s face on the cover” (DasGupta 2). Whitewashing is not only lightening someone’s skin tone, it can include completely erasing a character of color from a book. This furthers the lack of representation for people of color in the media. When models in most media publications are white, it subconsciously creates the idea that white faces are the most attractive.
While it may seem that women are the only ones affected by media’s definition of beauty, men are definitely affected as well.
The “Male Eating Disorder Infographic” says, “The muscularity of ideal male body representations has increased from the 1970’s to 1990’s, presenting a largely unattainable body type” (National Eating Disorder Association 1). Males in the media are usually presented with a very muscular build. This once again sets unrealistic expectations, but the media consumed daily by the average person can make it seem that this is normal, and that all men should look muscular. The source also says, “Up to 43% of men are dissatisfied with their bodies” (NEDA 1). The media’s definition of beauty where everyone is fit and muscular can to a feeling of inferiority. It makes men feel dissatisfied with themselves when they can’t achieve this nearly unattainable body-type that is normalized in the
media.
People may not realize it, but the media has a heavy hand in influencing what one finds attractive. Media publications photoshop people to the point where you can barely recognize them, whitewash people of color, and create unrealistic body-type standards that people try to achieve. When people consume this media, it makes these standards appear normal, and people begin to look for the characteristics altered by the media in themselves and others around them.