Media Influence on Body Image

Ultra thin bodies, impossibly long hair, plump lips, flawless skin, never-ending eyelashes and high priced couture are the images that continuously bombard young girls today. The media influence on body image is inescapable. And whether it's intentional or not, that media portrayal of a perfect body can greatly influence a girls body image and how she feels about herself. 

Pressure to Be Perfect

At younger and younger ages, girls become aware of what other people, especially their peers, think of them. The pressures to be perfect—as perfect as a cartoon princess or a Barbie doll or a teenaged TV star—can impact girls to the point where they suffer from low self esteem, anxiety, depression and even dangerous eating disorders. This pressure can come from a variety of sources besides television and magazines. Take a stroll down the toy aisle and notice how dolls and girls self image may be linked. Sure, there is Doctor Barbie, but she looks exactly the same as Beach Barbie, and that might lead an impressionable girl to believe that no matter what she is capable of, she must also maintain a certain appearance. There are other toys and games that may affect body image, as well. Does a three-year-old really need play makeup to look like a princess?

In addition to these outside influences on body image, often the women closest to these young girls are openly obsessed with their appearance. What mom hasn't looked in the mirror after a little too much birthday cake and moaned, "I'm so fat!" What we may not realize is that the girls in our lives are wathing us and using us as their role models.

Healthy Body Image for Young Women

To be better role models for our girls, we must focus less on our outside appearance and more on the inside. You can help by teaching your daughter to think critically about the images that are often portrayed in the media. Watch TV with her and talk about what you see. Ask questions like, "Do you think Hannah Montanna does her own hair every day or does she have someone to do it for her?" Flip through magazines at the check stand next time you're at the store together and ask her which images she thinks have been touched up and which represent real women. 

Positive Body Image in the Media

Recently, several celebrities have done natural photo shoots with little or no makeup and no airbrushing in order to promote a healthier media portrayal of what beauty really is.  Some companies are also making an effort to portray women more realistically and more naturally, like Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty. 

Positive Body Image from Men

And of course, Dads are super important, too! Men, please be aware of how you treat the women you are close to and how you talk about the women you see. Your daughters are watching and learning from your example. Compliment her in ways that go beyond her looks ("You're so smart!" "You are a really fast runner," etc.), and be careful to not disparage any woman in front of her, especially for her looks.

A young woman who learns to successfully navigate the barrage of airbrushed images constantly thrown at her will face much less struggle figuring out who she is during those tumultuous teen years and be able to grow into a confident and capable adult.