Self-Image and the Media

Or “Who looks like that anyway?”

Why talk about Self-Image? Self-image is how we feel about ourselves.

If we feel ‘bad’ about ourselves we are not going to take care of ourselves

Understanding WHY we feel the way we do about our bodies is the only way to change how we feel, and therefore…

Understanding where ‘Self-Image’ comes from is a kind of ‘self-defense’.

Girls Learn to Hate Their Bodies…While they are still young:

Half of 4th Grade Girls are on a diet

51% of nine and ten year old girls stated they felt better about themselves when they were dieting

And It Continues to Adulthood…

Only 2% of women describe themselves as “beautiful”

Almost 1/2 of women think their weight is "too high"

Just 13% of all women say they are very satisfied with their beauty, 12% with their physical attractiveness, 17% with their facial attractiveness and 13% with their body weight and shape.

Where does Body Image come from? (minor influences)

Parents: A girl whose mom is dissatisfied with her body is more likely to think poorly of her own body

Other adults: Adults are more likely to comment on a BOY’S ability to DO something and GIRL’s APPEARANCE (“Oh, isn’t HE strong”, vs, “Oh, isn’t SHE cute”)

Where does Body Image come from? (major influence)

The MEDIA! 99% of girls aged 3 to 10 years old own at least one Barbie doll. From an early age we are told that thin equals happiness and success.

Media Sells Us an Unrealistic (and Unhealthy) Goal

If a real woman were to have Barbie’s proportions her bones could not support her weight, and her liver would not fit into her body.

The average model seen in the media weighs 25% less than the average woman, and weighs 15-20% LESS than what is considered healthy for her height

But what do real people really find attractive?

The Bottom Line Women in the media do not look like ‘real women’

While women try harder and harder to become thin, the reality is that most people do not find ‘thin’ attractive…we are TOLD it is attractive. Or maybe I should say ‘SOLD’…

The women we see in the media are not healthy, and should not be the goal we have for appearance

This is computer-generated This is too!!!!!