The Warped Picture of Perfection | Teen Ink

The Warped Picture of Perfection

November 23, 2010
By heatherh BRONZE, Stockbridge, Georgia
heatherh BRONZE, Stockbridge, Georgia
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

The lines at the local grocery store are filled with them; the television is clicked on and the image appears; a trip to the movies and the screen is slathered with them. Gaunt, skeletal women are portrayed as beautiful and wanted; the "picture of perfection" so many girls strive for. The media shows skinny is beautiful and being beautiful means acceptance. Acceptance from peers and home are usually all they want and some would do anything to achieve it.

Statistics show between 1970-1990 women's magazines had a 10.5 increase on weight loss and dangerously thin models than men's magazines. Also, hospitalization of teenage girls due to anorexia has increased eighty percent in the past fifty years. These statistics and so many others cannot just be coincidences. Glamour, riches, fame and popularity shine from the sickly women and light into the minds of young girls as idols. A sick goal is placed in young girls mind to look like the models so they can achieve the things the media reeks out. When in reality, under all the glitz, glam and fashion, the women are on the verge of death. Young girls are bombarded at a very young age to think skinny is beautiful just by playing with ever popular dolls, such as Barbie and Bratz. The constant push continues from that point on in just about everything girls see.

The thinness models achieve rarely occurs naturally. Due to this fact, models have unhealthy eating habits that more often than not, turn into eating disorders. Eating disorders beginning in the 1990's became so common-placed; websites were made for pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia calling them "not a disease but a life style choice". The number of girls with deathly eating problems continues to increase as models and Hollywood stars continue to grow thinner and thinner. Some researchers argue that anorexia is not caused by the media, but chemical imbalances in the womb. However, the United states has the highest rate of eating disorders and the most media action. Anorexia is not unheard of in countries with little to no media, but is much less prevalent.

The media pushes thin; emaciated women are gorgeous, strong and happy. women constantly feel the pressure to make their body look like what magazines, television shows, and movies tell them they need to look like to be accepted, glamorous, wanted, and happy. Society continues to condone what is happening while the media covers up the dirty truth of what really goes on with the women behind the scenes.


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This article has 3 comments.


on Dec. 15 2010 at 3:59 pm
Sabrina1234 BRONZE, Jefferson City, Missouri
1 article 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you're not first, you're last." -Ricky Bobby

Wow. This is really good! I'm going through this right now and this article is so true. We all strive to look like one another. Originality is lost.

on Dec. 10 2010 at 10:09 am
jazz32595 BRONZE, Greensboro, North Carolina
1 article 0 photos 1 comment
People struggle everday with the difficulties of the media. The media potrays people to be stick skinny in order to be "beautiful". I feel that this is a very good article and many young girls face challenges like this everyday. There should be more done about the constant "pretty girl" image in the media. Young girls should realize that in order to be beautiful you don't have to be stick skinny.

on Dec. 7 2010 at 10:44 pm
SpringRayyn PLATINUM, Lakeville, Minnesota
34 articles 2 photos 658 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Don&#039;t punish yourself,&quot; she heard her say again, but there would be punishment and pain, and there would be happiness too. That was writing.&quot;<br /> --Markus Zusak, &quot;The Book Thief&quot;

It seems that so many people are so against eating disorders that I find it hard to believe that ANYONE could find them good. No one seems to really understand what they are.