The Effects of Media on Womens Self Esteem Essay

In 2001, actress Kate Winslet caused controversy over a statement she made about her weight. She told Britian’s Radio Times that she needed to lose weight â€Å"or I won’t work.† She was referring to the nearly fifty pounds she gained during her pregnancy, but fans were still upset over the famously curvy actress’s confession. Then, in 2003, Winslet shocked fans and critics alike when she expressed her distaste for GQ Magazine’s digitally slimmed pictures of her (Tauber, 2001). The most recent criticism of Winslet was in 2008. She appeared in Vanity Fair Magazine looking slightly thinner than normal, and many people were judging Winslet for being hypocritical. Winslet’s rep said that she was not airbrushed to look thinner, that that is†¦show more content†¦Also, because Barbie’s body proportions are so extreme, she would have to walk on her hands and knees. Her bust is so big and her feet are so small she would just top ple forward trying to walk normally (Page, n.d.). Knowing this, why are children still given this doll, if it portrays such an unrealistic body type that young girls are going to learn to strive for? Another example of the unattainable body portrayed to young women is magazine covers with airbrushed women. Like previously discussed, Kate Winslet was under a critical eye for this issue. Many magazines like Teen Vogue, Seventeen, and Cosmopolitan market to young girls, and portray unattainable beauty. On top of the airbrushing done to make the cover women to appear thinner, actresses and models are constantly pressured to be thinner. Actress Charlize Theron confessed in an interview that she is naturally a size eight and she feels weak when she is not her natural size (Tauber, 2001). While flipping through the channels, it is rare that the average person would not come across one of reality television’s new fads: plastic surgery reality shows. Most of these shows have average women competing for plastic surgery to make them look extraordinary. This gives a message to young girls that everyone is getting plastic surgery and they are not attractive if they do not. With all these examples of unattainable beauty constantlyShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Media On Women s Self Esteem1327 Words   |  6 Pagesthis paper, I will argue that the media portrays one image of beauty and this has a damaging effect on women’s mental health, resulting in low self esteem and further deepening gender inequality within our society. I will argue this by discussing the effect media has on women’s self esteem, how the media promotes a patriarchal society and the stereotypes it presents to the public. Finally, I will discuss the sexual objectification of women presented in the media and later examine how individualsRead MoreMedia s Effect On Self Esteem1731 Words   |  7 Pagesthe media has become ever-increasingly present in our everyday lives. 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