My
topic is focusing on how the media affects body image. My stance on this topic
is that media negatively affects body image. There is a lot of research
supporting this stance, but there are also many opinions of professionals
supporting the stance that media positively affects body image. Dr. Horatio A. Capote says, “I don't think we can place all the blame on the media. To
the extent that unrealistic and sometimes unhealthy standards of beauty are
promulgated, there is some effect. What's more, celebrating superficiality over
substance is another dubious activity. Part of the problem may also derive from
human beings wiring that treats visual data preferentially” (https://www.healthtap.com/#topics/positive-media-influence-on-body-image).
I believe that Dr. Capote is saying that people who think the media is
affecting them negatively are simply celebrating the superficial and fake
portrayals that the media sends. They are simply buying into the media’s
schemes. Personally, I am more on the side that media does, in fact, negatively
affect body image and ideas of such. However, I do believe that the media is
not completely to blame for negative ideals of body image.
There are many media outlets that are campaigning for true
beauty. A television show that sends out a positive message about body image
and true beauty is “Glee.” The show is popular for it’s character diversity and
discussion of societal issues. Several episodes tackle body image, one of which
is “Home”.
Another positive influence is Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty.
Dove’s campaign is “A
worldwide marketing campaign launched in 2004 to celebrate the natural physical
variation embodied by all women and to inspire them to have the confidence to
be comfortable with themselves” (http://health.gatech.edu/promotion/newsarticles/Pages/Top10.aspx).
The Dove campaign has released images on billboards and posters as well as
commercials to convey that the world has created an unattainable idea of what
body image should be.
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