Media advertisements on television seem to give the wrong idea about what beauty means to women, causing women to resort to cosmetic surgery, unhealthy dieting, and low self esteem says researchers. Women seem to be a constant target when it comes to being sexually objectified in advertisements, which subconsciously influence the minds of women, they say. According to an article on ezinearticles.com by Irina Webster, “Only one in five women are satisfied with their body weight. Nearly half of all normal-weight women overestimate their size and shape. A distorted body image can lead to self-destructive behavior, like dieting or eating disorders.” Women compare themselves to people on the media who are often “perfected” by digitally altering images creating unrealistic and sometimes unhuman ideas on how women should look. “Personally, I highly dislike these ads, as they suggest to both women and men that those models are the epitome of what a woman should look like physically and what women should be able to offer,” said Hana Akina, a BYU-Hawaii alumnus from the Laie. “I try not to let the women portrayed in the media influence how I live my life and my level of self-esteem. I’ve been there already, and it isn’t worth comparing myself to them. I’m just trying to be the best person and woman that I can be, according to my own standards and how I feel that Heavenly Father wants me to be.” Media products are full of images of unhealthy, skinny women, who are portrayed as “beautiful” by magazines, TV, movies and other media products that cause women to exercise abnormal eating behaviors says researchers. “I think this is happening all over the world, and it’s just getting worse and worse in my country…people see less clothes or being naked as attractive,” said Kaman Pang, a senior in marketing from Hong Kong. “Women think that the more you are willing to show your body, the more attention you will get. I think that’s why the women today are focusing on losing weight….Do not follow the culture right now. I would just be myself and dress appropriately and you will definitely gain respect from people,” added Pang. According to analysts, the reason behind women being sexually objectified by media advertisement is strictly economic. “Product industries are assured growth and profits. It is estimated that the diet industry alone is worth $100 billion (U.S.) a year. This is a lot of money and certainly worth their while to continue to foster the idea of emancipated women as being the norm,” says Webster. “Women want to look as good as the models in the ads,” said La Rue Querido, a graphic design sophomore from the Philippines. “I think the consequence of this is that we’re spending too much time and money on products that won’t really profit us in the long run....I feel sad about how most women rely on these products to look pretty. We should learn to love our natural selves.” Wi Wisanbannawit, a senior in TESOL from Bangkok, Thailand, said, “Mass media definitely influences women. In fact, everyone, regardless of gender and age…I do not really like it when media use women in the wrong way…This also leads some women to find themselves unattractive comparing to models in media. And many suffer from low self esteem, depression, and even some diseases.” Alopa Tuifua, an alumnae from Tonga, also commented on how the media influences women. “It gives girls false expectations and boys false hope...It’s not only us women who have been given this photoshopped image to live up to, but also men and what they look for. I believe that it comes down to a simple smile and just remembering that you don’t need to degrade yourself.”
Writer: Jennifer Herrera~Multimedia Journalist
