By: Jessica Dula
Today, the media holds unrealistic expectations for how a woman’s body should look. It believes that a woman’s body should be skinny, wrinkle-free, without blemishes or pores, and generally young-looking and practically flawless. Publications, advertisers, and entertainment businesses primarily use skinny models, making those who are not as thin feel bad and have less confidence than they should. However, the truth behind these cosmetic ideals is that having such proportions is both unattainable and fake.
Award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence believes that Hollywood’s expectations are impossible to obtain. Lawrence told BBC, “Girls see enough of this body that we can’t imitate, that we’ll never be able to obtain, these unrealistic expectations and this is gonna be their hero, and we have control over that.” While preparing for the role of Katniss, she was told to lose some weight, but Lawrence didn’t want to look that size. Katniss Everdeen isn’t underweight or overweight, she’s healthy, fit, and strong. Lawrence also didn’t want girls to skip meals or obtain unhealthy diets to look like her role.
The media’s use of skinny, stick-thin models and their expectations for the ‘perfect woman’ leads girls to have a negative body image, a lack of confidence and low self-esteem. The constant bombardment of these stipulations affects all women, not just young girls. This exposure influences the way they feel about their bodies. Breakout artist Meghan Trainor challenged the expectations with her song “All About That Bass”. The message is to support girls who aren’t stick-thin and raise their self-confidence. “Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top” is just one of the uplifting lyrics that tries to convey a message of body confidence that is so desperately underrepresented. The song suggests that beauty isn’t all about being thin and there is nothing wrong with having a different type of body.
While Meghan Trainor wants girls to feel confident as they are, the company Dove also wants women to feel beautiful. Dove tries to prove that women should think that they are perfect in their own skin . As part of the research for its Real Beauty Sketches project, Dove reported that, “in fact, only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful. Dove is committed to building positive self-esteem and inspiring all women and girls to reach their full potential.” In the Real Beauty Sketches campaign, an artist draws women and they soon realize that they are beautiful after seeing the drawing. This came from a research project conducted by Dove.
Not everyone is perfectly proportional and slim like society expects them to be, and having a unique body should not be looked down upon. Be confident in the amazing body that you have. Women should look up to people like Meghan Trainor and Jennifer Lawrence because they promote a positive attitude towards body image. The company, Dove, also has a positive impact on body image. While the media is trying to tear it down.
Sources:
“Jennifer Lawrence Says Fat Criticism Should Be Illegal.” E! Online. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. . “Real Beauty Sketches – Dove.” Real Beauty Sketches – Dove. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.
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