Media and Our Bodies

Society has governed the way women should look throughout many ancient civilizations. The standards of beauty have changed over time and between civilizations. At times heavier women are preferred over skinnier women. Fair skinned women are seen as beautiful to some over dark skinned women. However, the one constant that has remained is that societal standards determine what is attractive and what is not. In our modern age these standards have been all-encompassing due in part to the role the media plays in our lives. 

In her article on the role of the media, Susan Bordo, describes the way in which the media has altered our perceptions of our bodies. She depicts how being bombarded with images of cosmetically or computer enhanced women has made it so that many of us attempt to meet these unrealistic standards. Bordo analyzes the way in which the younger generation is both aware of and at the same time still vulnerable to the influence of media. Her article suggests that the media has a responsibility to control these unrealistic images in order to address concerns of eating disorders and poor self-esteem in young females.

When Bordo discusses the reach of the media in controlling the self-perception of women she is not just referring to television shows. The media inundates women with images of thin, wrinkle free and beautifully dressed women in magazines, movies, advertisements and even in news programs. The products that are advertised towards women are geared towards making them look beautiful. Bordo depicted in her article how the younger generation of women are not only aware of what the media is doing to them, but they also realize how unrealistic these standards are. Despite this understanding these women continue to want to change their bodies by going on crash diets or buying the products that are advertised to enhance their beauty. 

The change in programming in recent years also shows this dissatisfaction with our bodies. Television shows have existed for many years, which give women a quick makeover and teach her how to change her wardrobe. While these shows were difficult to watch, as the women would be insulted about their appearance or clothing style the transformations were not so extreme. However, more television shows are airing which are geared towards not just giving women a makeover in the hair and makeup department but in changing their appearance through cosmetic surgery. Shows such as Extreme Makeover and The Swan both feature individuals who are unhappy with their appearance. 

Extreme Makeover shows the process of an individual having to undergo an exercise routine, makeup changes, clothing changes and finally plastic surgery. Each episode ends with the individual returning to their family who are overjoyed with the transformation the individual has gone through. The show does depict the pain that the individual feels after undergoing plastic surgery however it is all glossed over and shown as being worth the trouble when the big reveal is shown to their family. Not a single person on the show states that they preferred the individual to how they were. Rather they are all happy to have this new person standing before them who fits the beauty standard given by our media. 

Extreme Makeover did attempt to feature both men and women in providing makeovers while exposing the beauty myth. The Swan was a television series that exemplifies the criticism of our media age that is provided in Bordo’s article. The Swan features women who are considered to be ugly and are transformed into beautiful swans through the work of a plastic surgery team. The individual is not allowed to see herself until the transformation is completed. The individual is then given a dramatic reveal in front of a studio audience. The individual is also overjoyed with the transformation and the show is advertised as a positive and life changing experience for the participants. However, shows like The Swan and Extreme Makeover both make the insulting assumption that these individuals’ lives will be changed for the better if just their appearance is “fixed”. The individuals who leave the transformations also fit the standard of beauty, which is emphasized in magazines and advertisements. 

While the article was comprehensive in depicting the way in which women from all ages are bombarded with media images of beautiful women it was lacking in one area. The article did not take into account the experience of men both as perpetrating the unrealistic images portrayed in the magazines but also as being victim to these media images as well. Women often aspire to have the perfect bodies in order to please the men in their lives. Men may perpetuate this through making comments about women’s bodies or comments about the unrealistic women they see on TV. As the media has influenced the way in which women perceive their body so has it influenced the way in which men think women should look and dress. With this unrealistic image in their mind men may find themselves unsatisfied in their relationships as they expect their women to attain an unrealistic look that they have seen represented in the media.

In recent years men have also fell victim to the bombardment of images of perfect men and women. The argument cannot be made that men experience this to the same extent that women do however increased advertisement has begun to center around the image of the perfect man body. Advertisements depict men with perfectly chiseled abs and chest. These men are shown to have attained these bodies through extreme workouts which are now being advertised to men as a way to get this perfect body and appeal to women. Due to the feminist nature of the article the focus is on women however it is important to take into consideration the way in which the media also portrays men as this will affect the generation of teenage boys who are now being bombarded with these images.

The article presents an important viewpoint of why the media needs to be able to take charge of the message that is being disseminated towards the younger generation. The media often claims that they are only appealing to the culture that is already present. They often make the claim that they need to have images of beautiful women to be able to sell their programs or products. However regardless if it is the media or the culture, we as a society have the responsibility to control the message that is being shown to our youth. The negative results of the media have been seen in the body issues that are exploding with young teens. As Bordo discussed she is unable to control the message on her own as her child will continue to see the images at school or on the street. The media has to take the first step in portraying men and women as they really are not what they want us to be.

Works Cited

Schultz, Howard, creator. Extreme Makeover. Lighthearted Entertainment and Greengrass Productions. 2007.

Arthur Smith, creator. The Swan. A. Smith & Co. Productions. 2004.