The Media and Girls

Apparently a new report has been released that says sexualized images in the media lead to eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression in girls. Um...duh. It's through the media that girls learn that their primary value in our culture is based on their appearance--how thin they are, how sexy they are, etc. It's through the media that girls learn what "beauty" is--size 4 legs and size C breasts (btw, these two do not occur that often together in nature). It's through the media that girls learn that it's better to walk around with an all-day wedgie from a thong than to be in comfortable underwear with a panty line. Is it really that surprising that when they are daily bombarded with sexualized images and ideas that young girls would begin to see their only value lies in their appearance? Is it surprising that they would then compare themselves to these images and become distraught when they see they don't measure up?

I agree that the parents at home have some responsibilty for the development of their child's self esteem, but part of the problem is that even the most well-meaning parents inadvertantly reinforce the media's idea of girls by never discussing society's perception of women at all. If a girl doesn't hear anything at home one way or another, she's probably going to listen to the message she is hearing from outside the home since no one is telling her it's wrong. Young girls want to please. The media tells them one way to do this, and if that's the only way they hear, it's natural for them to buy into it. Other well-meaning parents reinforce the media's image by allowing their daughters to wear clothing with suggestive phrases across the chest and/or butt. Really, does a 9-year old need to wear a shirt that says "sexy" in order to express herself? Other parents reinforce the media's image by visibly buying into it themselves with their own focus on physical appearance and image over things of substance such as character development, education, and personality. This is difficult for many parents because even though we may want to tell the younger generation, "do as I say, not as I do," children are more inclined to listen to our actions and attitudes than our words.

I work in a high school, and I have students taking weight loss pills and throwing up their food because that seems to them to be a more worthwhile use of their time and energy than studying. Believe me, I understand their pain. It was in high school that I began the diet that led into my anorexia and subsequent battles with other eating disorder behavior. And I can't say this enough--no matter how many people tell you an eating disorder isn't about the weight, it certainly was for me. Sure, my preoccupation stemmed from my low self-esteem but part of my low self-esteem stemmed from my weight, so it becomes a question of which came first and, no matter how you slice it, weight factors in. And the weight factors in because of the images in the media that I saw every day. So it is no surprise to me that a study is now linking the images of women in the media to depression, low self-esteem, and eating disorders in girls. That's what happened to me.

Nichole Nordeman sums it up well in her song, "Is It Any Wonder?":

Is it any wonder
That she would feel less than real
When she reveals what is clearer
In her mirror

Take a look around her
Magazines, glamour queens
Waist-line dreams in her diary
So inspiring

Nobody told her that little girls
Don't have to have the softest curls for love

So whatever's left inside her
Is gonna smile wider, shine brighter
Until she gets pulled under
Is it any wonder?

Posted by Kim at February 20, 2007 02:30 PM