Body Image
Dec 24, 2015
What is Body Image?
The dynamic perception of one’s own bodyHow it looks, feels and moves
Dynamic because it changes
Can change in relation to mood, physical appearance, and environment
Shaped by perception and emotions
Does NOT always reflect what is real
Adolescents are acutely aware of their appearance and very sensitive to how they are perceived
Self-esteem is very important with regard to general motivation, learning capacity and self-acceptance
Developing a positive body image and aiming for a healthy lifestyle will help enhance self-esteem
Why is it important?
50-88% of adolescents feel negative about their body shape and size
85% of adolescents worry A LOT about how they look
When surveyed “The way I look, is the most important part of my self-worth”
ideas, gifts, personalities, thoughts, talents, interests…
Have you ever been on the receiving end of a cruel comment about your physical size or appearance?
Have others let you know, in some way, that you’re not attractive enough?
Do you find clothes shopping unpleasant because of fears about how others will judge you?
Have you ever skipped an activity to avoid comments about your appearance?
Do you think often about dieting because of comments about your weight?
Have you considered changing aspects of your appearance to look better to others?
Have you ever made cruel comments to others about their appearance?
The Media Adolescents watch, on average, 1023 hrs
of T.V/year
28hrs/week
We are bombarded with images of what we’re supposed to look like and not what we look like…Distorted?
Forms of Media:
T.V, Advertisements, Billboards, Magazines, Movies, Websites and Video Games
A Distorted Body Image?
The avg. female model is 5’10” and 110lbs!!
The avg. female person is 5’4” and 144lbs
We need to understand how the media can distort our perception of body image
We need to understand and prevent weight-based discrimination
We’re in a culture where the most important job is to be attractive, especially for women
The point I’m trying to make, is that by looking at these images without understanding them, will cause you to lose sight of what you really look like, and that it is very hard to look in the mirror and see yourself with any reality
It’s scary to not “weigh” our self-esteem, because it is such a cultural norm. Research has show that these cultural messages, lead to eating disorders.
It’s interesting that, just as feminism came along and aloud women to take up more “space”, along came the advertising industry and said “No! Reduce that space.”
We need to understand how the media can distort our perception of body image
We need to understand and prevent weight-based discrimination
Why?
Weight-based Discrimination
Definition: Discrimination or stereotyping of one’s weight, especially large or thin people
Ex. Overweight/obese people are lazy, lack self discipline, less intelligent, lack character
Ex. Underweight people are unattractive or anorexic
Occurs mostly after our body image has become distorted
Comments or actions towards others based on their body image
Discrimination can be:
Verbal: insults, ridicule, teasing, stereotypes, derogatory names
ORPhysical: bullying, aggressive behaviours
Final MessageThis is our culture, and we
have a right to develop and define who we are, in ways that are meaningful to us, not the media or anybody else trying to distort the true image, of who we really are.