Name Brandyn HansenInstructor Maureen SmithCourse ENGL
Name – Brandyn Hansen
Instructor – Maureen Smith
Course – ENGL 101
Date – December 9th, 2014
The Pursuit of the “Perfect Body”
Persuasive Essay
Women today are constantly bombarded by media in one form or another. It could take the form of a fashion magazine, a favourite blog, a TV commercial, or a myriad of other sources. When in any public commercial setting such as a grocery store, a clothing store, or a hair salon, one is bound to see a plethora of magazines and various advertisements; most of them adorned by thin, happy models. Women see fashion models as the pinnacle of health and beauty, often feeling inadequate in comparison. They may strive to become like these women by radically changing their eating habits without fully understanding the potential risks and consequences. The inability to measure up to this idealistic body standard has also been linked to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. The evolution, expansion, and ubiquity of technology has played a role in perpetuating an idealistic body image and bringing forth new methods to pursue it. An unrealistic body image has become an object of obsession for many women and this obsession is aiding in the development of physical and psychological disease among women. According to Celia Milne’s article Pressures to Conform, “One of the main battlegrounds in the fight for improvement, of course, is eating” (Milne 222). Naturally, a lot of women see a change in eating habits as a way to directly impact their progress toward a desired body image as the media portrays the diet as a leading cause for reshaping body image. Milne points out that “…surveys show that fully 70 percent of Canadian women are preoccupied with their weight and 40 percent are yo-yo dieting” according to the Eating Disorder Centre (Milne 222). Changing eating and exercise habits without proper research can have negative effects on the body. This especially rings true for women as they are the target of most body-image
Instructor – Maureen Smith
Course – ENGL 101
Date – December 9th, 2014
The Pursuit of the “Perfect Body”
Persuasive Essay
Women today are constantly bombarded by media in one form or another. It could take the form of a fashion magazine, a favourite blog, a TV commercial, or a myriad of other sources. When in any public commercial setting such as a grocery store, a clothing store, or a hair salon, one is bound to see a plethora of magazines and various advertisements; most of them adorned by thin, happy models. Women see fashion models as the pinnacle of health and beauty, often feeling inadequate in comparison. They may strive to become like these women by radically changing their eating habits without fully understanding the potential risks and consequences. The inability to measure up to this idealistic body standard has also been linked to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. The evolution, expansion, and ubiquity of technology has played a role in perpetuating an idealistic body image and bringing forth new methods to pursue it. An unrealistic body image has become an object of obsession for many women and this obsession is aiding in the development of physical and psychological disease among women. According to Celia Milne’s article Pressures to Conform, “One of the main battlegrounds in the fight for improvement, of course, is eating” (Milne 222). Naturally, a lot of women see a change in eating habits as a way to directly impact their progress toward a desired body image as the media portrays the diet as a leading cause for reshaping body image. Milne points out that “…surveys show that fully 70 percent of Canadian women are preoccupied with their weight and 40 percent are yo-yo dieting” according to the Eating Disorder Centre (Milne 222). Changing eating and exercise habits without proper research can have negative effects on the body. This especially rings true for women as they are the target of most body-image
Cited: Milne, Celia “Pressures to Conform.” Strategies for Successful Writing: A Rhetoric, Research Guide, Reader and Handbook. Ed. Reinking, James A. et al. Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2007: 221-24. Sullivan, Deborah A. “Social Bodies: Tightening the Bonds of Beauty” Strategies for Successful Writing: A Rhetoric, Research Guide, Reader and Handbook. Ed. Reinking, James A. et al. Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2007: 541-45.