Body image is something that women around the globe are struggling with. We are taught throughout our lives that beautiful girls are natural, tall, and pin-thin, with airbrushed stomachs and cheekbones that could cut through a cake. But the truth is, nobody really looks like that. Since we were young, our perception of beauty has been distorted and that’s unfair. In 2015 Teen Vogue, Vivienne Lewis who is a D.Psych, a clinical psychologist in Australia, who is also the author of Positive Bodies: ‘Love the skin you’re in’ states that, “It is very common these days for young women to not just accept a photo taken of themselves as it is.” Body image is today’s greatest problem, particularly in local groups, and how we are perceived by society.
In today’s society girls’ perception is distorted due to their surroundings, discussions and social media. Most females and girls find themselves caught in a trap of getting a fixed, extreme concept of how we should look and present ourselves to others. These problems not only resonate with a female’s physical appearance, but also with one’s inner feelings. An adverse concept of body image can trigger intimidation, low self-esteem, eating disorders and adverse general effect on how you look at the globe. Such problems do not appear from nowhere; these ideas are instilled in the heads of girls starting at a very young age.
Family would be the earliest influence. We get our understanding of what it means to be a person in this world within the family. It is here that we are also developing our knowledge of social expectations. Within the family, you learn about yourself what’s good and what’s bad. Direct comments on one’s weight, body and eating are powerful influence sources (Cash & Pruzinsky, 2002). Parents can pass on their own body distortions. Comments about the weight or body of one may lead to adverse body emotions. Parents displaying discontent with their own bodies were likely to have kids with body image disturbances, according to Radar, an eating disorder therapy clinic. In teasing, siblings play an enormous role. Hurtful remarks can remain in sibling rivalry for a lifetime.
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As we get older, the influence of family influence decreases and friends’ influence increases. There is also an increase in appearance and attractiveness (Cash & Pruzinsky, 2002). Friends can be a source of tremendous stress to meet a standard. Cash and Pruzinsky (2002) examine the phenomenon of ‘fat talk’ among teenage girls-fat talk is a means for young girls to express their anxieties about prevention or overcoming ‘fat.’ It is prevalent to exchange data on how weight can be managed and controlled. It is through this sort of debate that body picture ideals are learned and internalized.
At this stage, our bodies are developing and changing at this point, leading to enhanced self-consciousness about our bodies. Teenagers are particularly susceptible at this time. And it is also at this stage that youth, particularly young females, are receiving clear messages from various sources that the body should look some way. There are many facets of social influence. There are many sources of data that work together to shape and shape what we believe to be beautiful-what we think of as the optimal body and what we believe of ourselves.
Young girls can be also influenced by the toys that they play with, and the films that they watch. It is the steady depiction of perfect physical features with this impact that affects how we see our bodies. Barbie is one of history’s largest selling toys.About 90% of 3-11-year-old girls own a Barbie doll (Cash & Pruzinsky, 2002). While it may seem like a rather innocuous toy, Barbie depicts a form that is buxom, slender but curvy – and unattainable – as we obtain thoughts of what’s correct and good from the pictures outside of ourselves.
It is probable that less than 1 in 100,000 females will have comparable proportions to Barbie (Cash & Pruzinsky, 2002). Even by depicting all of its heroines as slender and appealing, Disney had its impact. While these factors may be contentious, portraying an idealized body in the media of children may promote the internalization of values from other sources. Toys, films and pictures all help teach a kid what physical appearance should be.However, learning comes from family and friends, and it can also be learned from the toys and films we watched as kids, but it is also strengthened by what we learn from the bigger community.
