Journal Entry #2

Sierra Morris

The article I read for Journal entry 2 was Body Image, Media Effect On, an excerpt form the Encyclopedia of Communication and Information. In this article the effects of media on body image with emphasis on eating disorders is discussed. The article starts off with acknowledgement of the different stages the media has gone through with the female body. All of the stages are just skinnier versions of the women that came before them. Next the article discussed the effects of the media patronizing thin women. Basically, how the media can either add to one’s disorder or not have an effect at all. Studies were done on women with eating disorders and women without eating disorders. The two groups of women were shown images of thin women. The women with the eating disorders were negatively effected b the pictures. They compared themselves to the photos and saw inadequacy. The women who did not have the eating disorders saw the images and were not affected at all.

This article does have similarities to the previous article I read deal with media and it’s effect on one’s body image. The common ground that the two articles have is that they both make the argument that the media’s image of women does not have positive effect on women. My first article would respond to my second article with offense. A study done by David M. Garner in 1980 showed that beauty pageant contestants and playboy centerfolds have gotten smaller over the years since the 1950’s (Kirsten Harrison). This negative media has caused a lot of problems with women and how they view themselves. Fiona McIntosh, editor of Elle magazine, however would argue that this is not the media’s fault. It is rather the television producers and editors’ fault for the prominent usage or idolization of thin women in media. Fiona believes that they are in charge of what is in and hip in society (Helen Moran).

After reading this article I felt a little different on my view of media and it’s effect on body image. I had not thought about the possible scenario that women with no disorders would not be affected by the images of thin women. Thinking over it now it seems common sense that someone with strong self-confidence would be less affected. I just generally thought that a thin picture of women negatively affected everyone who saw it.

 This article had made me question what factors were included in the decision to make the popularized size of women thin? From there I wanted to know why it has taken so long for society to see it as a problem? Is the idea of being “hip” so important that one looses all thoughts of right and wrong? If so I think it then losses some of its “hipness” literally and figuratively. The idea of having bigger hips is shunned in the media now. Yet, back in the 1950’s wide hipped women were considered beautiful. I would like to research deeper into why thin became a fad. Maybe then I will be able to understand more about today’s media.