Many experiments and surveys suggest a negative relationship between female beauty standards and a woman’s psychological and physical health. Studies have also shown that these, often unattainable, beauty standards are glamorized and pushed upon women of all ages through media and advertising (Fujioka, Ryan, Agle, Legaspi, and Toohey, 2009). Exposure to thin images is related to low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders (Botta, 2000). While it is easy to group all North American women into one category and then study how Western media affects their relationship with their body, recent studies have suggested significant ethnic-group differences in how a woman views her body (Botta, 2000).
In contemporary Western society, thinness is equated with beauty and has been identified as one of the most desirable attributes to achieve (Levitt 2003). Moreover, American womenexperience higher levels of dissatisfaction with their bodies than their male counterparts (Mintz and Kashubeck 1999). If sex has a part in satisfaction in America, will race also be a factor? In America, racial differences about body dissatisfaction have been studied and reported (Botta 2000). For instance, African American women have been found to be more satisfied with their body than European American women. The group also tends to diet less and report fewer tendencies toward eating disorders than their European American counterparts (144).
If African American women and European American women react differently to Western media, do Latina women? According to research, Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz are among the few Latina women who hold “star power” in Hollywood (Beltrάn 2011). Since these two actresses have very different body types (Lopez has a short, curvy, body while Diaz has a tall, slender, body) this suggests that more body types are deemed “acceptable”by media for Latina women than European American women.
Since European American, African American, and Latina women are experiencing some kind of body dissatisfaction due to Western media and advertising, how does this hinder or oppress, if at all, their personal and professional lives? It has been shown that, indeed, these women are oppressed at the intersection of race and objectification. Considering race, European American, African American, and Latina women are pigeonholed by how the media says they should look, act, and feel. European American women, for instance, are oppressed by the rigid definition of beauty that Western media pushes on them. Unlike African American and Latina women, most of the examples of European American’s in magazines are tall and slender (Gilbert 2000). Moreover, European American women are less satisfied with their skin color, hair thickness, hair color, and hair texture than African American or Latina women (Jefferson and Stake 2009). Perhaps this narrow definition of a beautiful European American body is causing women to be less satisfied with their body and leading them harm to it with dangerous diets or eating disorders. Considering African American and Latina women, Western media has shown a diverse range of body types that are considered acceptable. This has led to slightly less body dissatisfaction for African American and Latina women. However, this lax attitude towards social norms may have an adverse effect on the health and well-being of these women. While these women may not suffer from a typical eating disorder such as anorexia, they are much more susceptible to obesity (Wilfley, Schreiber, Pike, Moore, Wright and Rodin 1996).
Considering objectification, these groups of women are being oppressed by two extreme body types that media pushes upon them. First, the media pushes the emaciated model in fashion magazines. She is often dangerously underweight and has all of her imperfections airbrushed away before the magazine hits the newsstand. On the other hand, there is the bombshell woman. Unlike the skinny model, the bombshell is voluptuous and has a curvy hourglass figure. Although the bombshell woman may be easier for women to relate to, she is most often seen in Playboy centerfolds and Sports Illustrated swimsuit calendars. As a result, women may start seeing themselves in terms of the models and bombshells they will never be instead of developing the person they could be. In other words, women start to believe they are supposed to be the woman that media says they should be: an objectified thing who is meant to be owned like a fashion or Playboy magazine. Sadly, due to Western media, human bodies are not allowed to naturally develop into a range of shapes, and sizes. Instead, they are shaped by social pressures that render the majority of people’s natural bodies defective (Calogero and Tylka 2010).
In contemporary Western society, thinness is equated with beauty and has been identified as one of the most desirable attributes to achieve (Levitt 2003). Moreover, American womenexperience higher levels of dissatisfaction with their bodies than their male counterparts (Mintz and Kashubeck 1999). If sex has a part in satisfaction in America, will race also be a factor? In America, racial differences about body dissatisfaction have been studied and reported (Botta 2000). For instance, African American women have been found to be more satisfied with their body than European American women. The group also tends to diet less and report fewer tendencies toward eating disorders than their European American counterparts (144).
If African American women and European American women react differently to Western media, do Latina women? According to research, Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz are among the few Latina women who hold “star power” in Hollywood (Beltrάn 2011). Since these two actresses have very different body types (Lopez has a short, curvy, body while Diaz has a tall, slender, body) this suggests that more body types are deemed “acceptable”by media for Latina women than European American women.
Since European American, African American, and Latina women are experiencing some kind of body dissatisfaction due to Western media and advertising, how does this hinder or oppress, if at all, their personal and professional lives? It has been shown that, indeed, these women are oppressed at the intersection of race and objectification. Considering race, European American, African American, and Latina women are pigeonholed by how the media says they should look, act, and feel. European American women, for instance, are oppressed by the rigid definition of beauty that Western media pushes on them. Unlike African American and Latina women, most of the examples of European American’s in magazines are tall and slender (Gilbert 2000). Moreover, European American women are less satisfied with their skin color, hair thickness, hair color, and hair texture than African American or Latina women (Jefferson and Stake 2009). Perhaps this narrow definition of a beautiful European American body is causing women to be less satisfied with their body and leading them harm to it with dangerous diets or eating disorders. Considering African American and Latina women, Western media has shown a diverse range of body types that are considered acceptable. This has led to slightly less body dissatisfaction for African American and Latina women. However, this lax attitude towards social norms may have an adverse effect on the health and well-being of these women. While these women may not suffer from a typical eating disorder such as anorexia, they are much more susceptible to obesity (Wilfley, Schreiber, Pike, Moore, Wright and Rodin 1996).
Considering objectification, these groups of women are being oppressed by two extreme body types that media pushes upon them. First, the media pushes the emaciated model in fashion magazines. She is often dangerously underweight and has all of her imperfections airbrushed away before the magazine hits the newsstand. On the other hand, there is the bombshell woman. Unlike the skinny model, the bombshell is voluptuous and has a curvy hourglass figure. Although the bombshell woman may be easier for women to relate to, she is most often seen in Playboy centerfolds and Sports Illustrated swimsuit calendars. As a result, women may start seeing themselves in terms of the models and bombshells they will never be instead of developing the person they could be. In other words, women start to believe they are supposed to be the woman that media says they should be: an objectified thing who is meant to be owned like a fashion or Playboy magazine. Sadly, due to Western media, human bodies are not allowed to naturally develop into a range of shapes, and sizes. Instead, they are shaped by social pressures that render the majority of people’s natural bodies defective (Calogero and Tylka 2010).