The Perfect Image

Media's Influence on One's Image by Mary Thigpen

Jane Doe, an independent film directed by newcomer Paul Peditto, recently premiered on video. In this movie, Calista Flockhart portrays the skinny heroin addict, known as Jane. Jane has more flesh than Flockhart's television character, Ally McBeal, whose popularity has raised discussion of whether Flockhart has an eating disorder. This is a serious accusation. Eating disorders are a major problem in our society, Media plays a big part in the problem.

Statistics show that media does play a large role in a person's attitude toward her body. A survey conducted by Harvard researchers, given to 543 fifth through twelfth grade girls, found that 67% of frequent readers of fashion magazines are more likely to diet or exercise to lose weight, though only 29% were overweight. Sixty-nine percent of the girls said pictures in fashion magazines influenced their idea of a perfect body. When questioned about how media in general affects them, 60% said media influenced their attitudes about body shape. Considering this influence, it's not startling that eating disorders have become more and more common. Dr. Feder of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario treats many patients with eating disorders. He reports that every year "there's been a greater and greater preponderance of kids with eating disorders." Dr. Feder says he sees younger and younger patients from 12- to 18-yers-old, and even 8-, 9-, and 10-year-olds now. Canadian statistics show that the rate of anorexia in North America has increased by 800% in the last 25 years and the disorder has a 5% to 10% death rate.

Many types of media influence eating disorders. From fashion magazines to movies and television shows, media defines a "perfect" body. Fashion magazines targeted at teen girls, such as Teen, Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, YM, TeenPeople, and Mademoiselle, represent skinny models with almost unattainable body types. Entertainment media often replaces an actor's body with a model's. For example, in Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts' head appears several times on another woman's body. A body double is used because Julia's wasn't "good enough." On television shows like Baywatch, teen women see beautiful women with tall, skinny bodies and big busts. These bodies are virtually unattainable. The long, lanky bodies are attained through family genes, but big busts are achieved by surgery. No longer can we view any type of media without seeing the "perfect" body. Young women are growing up with the assumption that they also must look like this. These young women panic as their expectations are offset by nature's reality. They exercise, diet, and many times develop an eating disorder just trying to attain this unrealistic body. Even with all the statistics about eating disorders, the media continues to glamorize super-skinny models. The average woman's clothing size is 12 to 14, yet media usually portrays women size 6 and below. Furthermore, the media tells young athletes, specifically figure skaters, gymnasts, and dancers, that the waif-like athlete is more graceful, delicate, and spry.

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