Gee...I wonder why women have body issues...

danasings

Having been in the media business for a second, it is hands down all about money. They don't care about what you want or don't want or how you feel. Put a beautiful face on a cover and 9 times out of 10 it will catch the consumer's eye and then the headlines will do the rest. Cha-ching! $5 for a bunch of pretty colored paper with pictures on it.

Should parents teach their children about self esteem and body image? Of course, but how many parents are out there that are broken adults? How many parents are out there who are barely holding on to their own self worth for whatever reason? How many times does a mother tell herself in a day that she is fat, her hair isn't right, she's too short, too tall, too slow, too tired, too this or too that? How can she possibly explain to her daughter the trappings of the visual media when she can't even enjoy a non self-critical day?

Does media take things a little too far sometimes? Of course (i.e. Ralph Lauren a few years ago). Do parents ignore what children are bombarded with? Totally. But at the end of the day, magazines are trying to make money, stay relevant, and stay afloat. Hell...even Oprah has her *kitten* photo shopped on her covers. What do you expect? It is a fantasy. I am to the point in my life now where most of the time that crap doesn't bother me and maybe that's because I've seen the other side of it, but it isn't real. It just another form of escapism. Reality TV isn't real. Taylor Swift's surprise "OMG I won" face isn't real. And what you see on a mag cover or in between the perfect bound pages isn't real either.

VERY WELL SAID!!! :drinker:

danasings

One thing that having a teenager has taught me is that they aren't going to necessarily care about the important stuff no matter what you tell them.

I say to my son, "Bad backs run in our family, you need to work out to build those muscles around your spine." He's like yeah, whatever.

I say, "If you work out you'll feel great afterward!" He rolls his eyes.

I say, "You should come running with me," He doesn't look up from his video game.

I say, "You should eat this instead of that, it's really bad for your health." You think he listens? Hell no.


But I guarantee you the first time he's interested in a girl and she turns him down because he doesn't have a six pack he'll be begging for a gym membership and changing his diet.

That's just the reality.

True story. My boys are toddlers, but my teenage nephew (he's almost 21, actually) did a complete 180 on health and fitness at age 16...for that exact reason.

cuterbee

Well, hopefully teachers and school officials will fill in some parenting gaps by doing presentations on what is being done with these ads. They used to come talk to us about all kinds of things, drugs, alcohol, peer pressure this that and the other, why not talk about unrealistic expectations of beauty?

I taught middle school for a year. There wasn't enough time to teach what I was supposed to be teaching. When there's a problem with kids, it's always all about loading something else onto the schools instead of actually asking parents to do their job.

FitnessPalWorks

If I want to see average girls, I'll just go outside and look around. I think magazine covers are a nice escape from reality where you can see perfection.

It also gives everyone something to shoot for. When I real Men's Health and see the guys with the perfect abs, it gives me something to strive for. I use it as motivation more than anything else.

Average girls??? That was pretty low. You must be one that makes women feel that they should be better than they are. Looking at a picture on magazine does not cause me to strive to look like them especially when clearly its not reality. Anyone can look good in photoshop.

Nope, not mad at all, just think that was pretty low of you. I see on your profile you would like to land a cute girl... hmm not with the attitude thinking a woman is average just bc shes not on a magazine cover. Good luck with that!

Yup.

Enjoy your relationship with magazine women. That's probably the best you'll get.

BAHAHAHAHA THAT WAS HILARIOUS!

Funny he should say that!!! If I want to see an AVERAGE GUY who is trolling for chicks *coughcompletely-out-of-his-leaguecough* I just do a search on here and look for threads that, "Mr. Desires A Magazine Cover Girl" specifically has posted in......

PS- BTW guy, thanks for posting so we all can block your THIS new MFP profile of yours now... you know, you can delete an old account here and make a new one, but the arrogant attitude is still behind your end of the computer screen..... :mad:




ETA: Wanted to add some warm and fuzzies to my post since it's Valentine's Day.... :laugh:

ArroganceInStep

One thing that having a teenager has taught me is that they aren't going to necessarily care about the important stuff no matter what you tell them.

I say to my son, "Bad backs run in our family, you need to work out to build those muscles around your spine." He's like yeah, whatever.

I say, "If you work out you'll feel great afterward!" He rolls his eyes.

I say, "You should come running with me," He doesn't look up from his video game.

I say, "You should eat this instead of that, it's really bad for your health." You think he listens? Hell no.


But I guarantee you the first time he's interested in a girl and she turns him down because he doesn't have a six pack he'll be begging for a gym membership and changing his diet.

That's just the reality.

I think some of that has to do with the relationships parents have with their children.

I don't think kid's rolling their eyes saying 'yeah, whatever' has to be a reality.

mousepaws22

I think that if I were Kelly Clarkson, I would be cutting my wrists.

Nice.

Personally I don't care if they change the face, skin tone an you can see from those images that the lighting effect is quite often changes, but I don't like it when they change someone's body. I can't really give you a sensible reason why, it's just my feelings/opinion.

laserturkey

One thing that having a teenager has taught me is that they aren't going to necessarily care about the important stuff no matter what you tell them.

I say to my son, "Bad backs run in our family, you need to work out to build those muscles around your spine." He's like yeah, whatever.

I say, "If you work out you'll feel great afterward!" He rolls his eyes.

I say, "You should come running with me," He doesn't look up from his video game.

I say, "You should eat this instead of that, it's really bad for your health." You think he listens? Hell no.


But I guarantee you the first time he's interested in a girl and she turns him down because he doesn't have a six pack he'll be begging for a gym membership and changing his diet.

That's just the reality.

I think some of that has to do with the relationships parents have with their children.

I don't think kid's rolling their eyes saying 'yeah, whatever' has to be a reality.

LOLOL at people thinking they can raise a teen who won't roll their eyes or say, "Whatever!" Read up on the developmental needs of adolescents.

icandowhateveriputmymindto

Maybe it's because of the pictures the media feeds us through tv, movies and books. We compare ourselves to an impossible standard.

ArroganceInStep

LOLOL at people thinking they can raise a teen who won't roll their eyes or say, "Whatever!" Read up on the developmental needs of adolescents.

I have, maybe you should look into how children are raised in other cultures before you assume everyone has the same experiences you do. Being disrespectful behind your back is one thing, to your face is entirely another.

Gallowmere1984

LOLOL at people thinking they can raise a teen who won't roll their eyes or say, "Whatever!" Read up on the developmental needs of adolescents.

I remember when this was a good way to get teeth knocked lose a bit. Only in some western cultures is this kind of behavior prevalent. I find it funny how being a total smartass directly to one's parents could be even remotely considered a 'developmental need' at any point in time.

LorinaLynn

I'm just glad that there's pages like this that show what kind of digital editing goes on.

20 years ago, I did a report/speech in college about it, and even when shown examples (Isabella Rosalini's tear duct being removed from a photo, making her eye look like a hard boiled egg), some fellow students said I was making it up.

Admiral_Derp

LOLOL at people thinking they can raise a teen who won't roll their eyes or say, "Whatever!" Read up on the developmental needs of adolescents.

I remember when this was a good way to get teeth knocked lose a bit. Only in some western cultures is this kind of behavior prevalent. I find it funny how being a total smartass directly to one's parents could be even remotely considered a 'developmental need' at any point in time.

I blame the Disney Channel.

Vain_Witch

LOLOL at people thinking they can raise a teen who won't roll their eyes or say, "Whatever!" Read up on the developmental needs of adolescents.

I remember when this was a good way to get teeth knocked lose a bit. Only in some western cultures is this kind of behavior prevalent. I find it funny how being a total smartass directly to one's parents could be even remotely considered a 'developmental need' at any point in time.

I blame the Disney Channel.

I hate to say it, but... ^^^THIS!!! My 6 yr old daughter gets SUCH a sassy mouth sometimes and when I get on to her she swears she's just repeating something she saw on a Disney Channel show!

DrMAvDPhD

I think that if I were Kelly Clarkson, I would be cutting my wrists.

Nice.

Personally I don't care if they change the face, skin tone an you can see from those images that the lighting effect is quite often changes, but I don't like it when they change someone's body. I can't really give you a sensible reason why, it's just my feelings/opinion.

I'm guessing your profile picture has a photoshopped body.

mousepaws22

I think that if I were Kelly Clarkson, I would be cutting my wrists.

Nice.

Personally I don't care if they change the face, skin tone an you can see from those images that the lighting effect is quite often changes, but I don't like it when they change someone's body. I can't really give you a sensible reason why, it's just my feelings/opinion.

I'm guessing your profile picture has a photoshopped body.

Of course it has, it's from a magazine shoot. Luckily I can tell the difference between photoshopped and non-photoshopped. It's still Gina Carano though and she looks F***img amazing in real life.

crazytreelady

Those are very slight photo-shopped corrections. They are just turning a 9.5 into a 10. NBD.

But in almost every one of them they're erasing curves. Curves are natural, but *sometimes* we're led to believe that we're fat if we don't look like a 12 year old boy...

What's wrong with looking like that?:huh:
I know many beautiful women that have no chest and no butt, they also have beautiful stomachs and arms and faces, as well as beautiful small breast and butts.... Anyone see my point????

I would like to know why any person idolizes anyone, but themselves.... Because frankly, I think I am thee ****.:happy:

AmazonRDH

too bad it doesnt work like that in real life :grumble:

raychulj

It shouldn't create body image issues for grown a$$ed women who realize, it's a lot of photoshopping. Personally I judge myself to my own standards and my own standards alone.
Any body image issues I may have, have nothing to do with any woman I've seen in the media or on a magazine.

It only concerns me the body image issues that it creates in very young women/teens. That scares the crap out of me.
However, I truly think great parenting should solve that.

The more young women are taught that strong and fit is great, that their minds and hearts are much more important than the aesthetics in the long run.. the better.
It would be lovely if we were all fit with gorgeous faces. But we aren't all alike.

^^^
That

raychulj

Those are very slight photo-shopped corrections. They are just turning a 9.5 into a 10. NBD.

But in almost every one of them they're erasing curves. Curves are natural, but *sometimes* we're led to believe that we're fat if we don't look like a 12 year old boy...

What's wrong with looking like that?:huh:
I know many beautiful women that have no chest and no butt, they also have beautiful stomachs and arms and faces, as well as beautiful small breast and butts.... Anyone see my point????

I would like to know why any person idolizes anyone, but themselves.... Because frankly, I think I am thee ****.:happy:

I agree with you. The trend today seems to be that in order to accept the body you have you must put down others. It's an ugly mind set. I think Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham are just as beautiful as Beyonce and Shakira.