How are you effected by the images in our media today? Here is a great article by staff writer Amanda Hoffman as she interviews several teens. Do you feel the same? Let us know your feedback in the comments!
By: Amanda Hoffman
Today’s teenage girls have it rough. They live in a world of computer-edited faces, airbrushed tans, and implanted body parts. Growing up in such a superficial society, do girls feel the pressure to be as skinny and flawless as the photoshopped goddesses on their televisions and in their magazines?
- “There’s a certain look that most people expect girls to have,” says 17-year old Lyda Tessaura, who says she feels pressured by magazines and other people.
- 16-year old Thais Torquez agrees. “The pressure comes from people who think that women are supposed to act a certain way.”
- Torquez says she feels pressured to be a housewife. “I see it in cleaning supply and laundry detergent advertisements: they only use women in those commercials. It’s like their implying that this is what women should be.”
- “I definitely feel pressured to be stick thin,” states 15-year old Ciara Sanon. When asked who she thought society’s ideal woman was, she replies: “Victoria’s Secret Model Adriana Lima. Whenever she’s on commercials for bikinis or something, I always look at her and think: my legs don’t look like that. I don’t have curves like that.”
Many girls said that pressures come from advertising and the media.
- 16-year old Cassie Savino, who models part time, says that the models in magazines don’t represent real girls. “Their job is to look good and sell the clothes but we all know they don’t really look like that.”
- 18-year old Stephanie MacMurdo agrees. “The girls in the magazines aren’t real people. They’re edited to fit society’s standards.”
- However, 18-year old Jennifer Demchar argues that some advertising can have a positive effect. “The Nike commercials definitely are positive,” says Demchar. “They promote a healthy body image by showing inspiring women working out. Girls should want to be healthy!”
- 17-year old Jessica Kassner also commented on how social media sites like Tumblr, can pressure girls as well. “Tumblr promotes being skinny. Girls will post things online that say things like, ‘I hate it when my thighs touch’ and ‘I hate weighing myself’-really negative stuff.”
Teen girls also seem to think that society sets impossibly high and unrealistic standards for women.
- “Society’s perfect woman?” said MacMurdo. “Big boobs, skinny waist, long legs, perfect teeth. No deformities or imperfections.”
Other teens gave startlingly similar answers.
- “Long legs, curvy, but still skinny, with a nice chest size,” replied Demchar.
- “She cooks, she cleans and has a good body,” said 17-year old Kasey Murphy.
- Tessaura says,“domestic, voluptuous and curvy.”
- “High cheekbones, big boobs, and a small waist,” said 16-year old Natalie Heller.
It seems as though most teenage girls have the same interpretation of what society’s ideal woman is-a sex symbol. However, when asked what their ideal woman was, these same girls gave a whole different set of answers.
- “A woman who follows her own aspirations and goals. Someone that doesn’t let other people influence her,” answered Torquez.
- “Comfortable in her own skin. She is respected in her workplace and doesn’t sell herself out to meet any standards or requirements,” replied MacMurdo.
- Demchar answered, “someone with a personality.”
- “Someone who is beautiful inside and out,” said Tessaura.
Why is there such an alarming difference between what girls think society wants for them and what they want for themselves?
Society has molded the perfect woman into someone attractive, superficial and impractical. And yet, at the same time, young women everywhere are struggling to develop their own idea of the perfect woman- a woman who is confident, respects herself and isn’t influenced by other. Will there eventually be a day when teenage girls will be able to open a magazine or turn on the television and at last see their idea of the perfect woman reflected back at them?
