Saturday, February 13, 2010
Too much makes too little
2 comments
By: Jill Pass - from the series of guest posts written by Dr. Baldwin's students at Michigan State University.
There is a huge pressure for women to be skinny. Our society teaches us that beauty on the outside ranks higher than ever possible on the inside. This has conformed how society views women, making us strive for acceptance through looks. Ever wonder why women are 90% more likely to have an eating disorder then men?
Men often are attracted to females with thin pretty bodies. This idea warps the mind of women. Men often put the pressure of being thin onto us even if they don't realize it. Men have calendars or posters of models in their rooms. We want the affection a man will give to a half naked model.
Often times this need to be wanted by a man can cause a women to go to extremes. Dieting constantly and dressing up to go to the grocery store just makes a chain effect for men to continue to put this pressure on us. They have seen the effects that the pressure to fit in can do. They continue to chase after women with a tight body before they ever see their personality. Not all of us have it in our genes to be a size 2. However, we still try to get there. Sometimes, striving too hard can lead a woman to have an eating disorder. With society and men putting too much pressure on women to be "perfect," many are becoming too thin.
We don't know exactly what causes an eating disorder. Possible causes include feeling stressed out or upset about something in your life, or feeling like you need to be "in control." However, Society also puts a lot of pressure on people to be thin. This pressure can contribute too; wanted to conform to want society thinks is correct.
Although the majority of women do not have an eating disorder, most still strive for a thin and beautiful body. Our society glorifies thinness and places significance on obtaining the "perfect body." Our cultural norm is to place a value onto people with outer beauty rather to take the time to get to know their strengths on the inside. Size two models are always laughing in pictures, happy to be wearing great clothes and getting attention for it, while women a few sizes bigger are never featured on magazines. We do not have the access to see overweight women "enjoying life" through photo shots. This has created society's need to be a size two; to see skinny as happy.
There is a huge pressure for women to be skinny. Our society teaches us that beauty on the outside ranks higher than ever possible on the inside. This has conformed how society views women, making us strive for acceptance through looks. Ever wonder why women are 90% more likely to have an eating disorder then men?
Men often are attracted to females with thin pretty bodies. This idea warps the mind of women. Men often put the pressure of being thin onto us even if they don't realize it. Men have calendars or posters of models in their rooms. We want the affection a man will give to a half naked model.
Often times this need to be wanted by a man can cause a women to go to extremes. Dieting constantly and dressing up to go to the grocery store just makes a chain effect for men to continue to put this pressure on us. They have seen the effects that the pressure to fit in can do. They continue to chase after women with a tight body before they ever see their personality. Not all of us have it in our genes to be a size 2. However, we still try to get there. Sometimes, striving too hard can lead a woman to have an eating disorder. With society and men putting too much pressure on women to be "perfect," many are becoming too thin.
We don't know exactly what causes an eating disorder. Possible causes include feeling stressed out or upset about something in your life, or feeling like you need to be "in control." However, Society also puts a lot of pressure on people to be thin. This pressure can contribute too; wanted to conform to want society thinks is correct.
Although the majority of women do not have an eating disorder, most still strive for a thin and beautiful body. Our society glorifies thinness and places significance on obtaining the "perfect body." Our cultural norm is to place a value onto people with outer beauty rather to take the time to get to know their strengths on the inside. Size two models are always laughing in pictures, happy to be wearing great clothes and getting attention for it, while women a few sizes bigger are never featured on magazines. We do not have the access to see overweight women "enjoying life" through photo shots. This has created society's need to be a size two; to see skinny as happy.
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February 18, 2010 at 12:11 AM
I could not agree with this more. Girls dress for girls, and want to impress both men and women. I feel as though it is ridiculous that i feel the need to wear make-up and cute clothes to go to wal-mart. Looks aren't everything, but what else attracts people to you?
February 18, 2010 at 12:12 AM
to follow up on my previous comment: I wasn't trying to imply that people are only attracted to others because they find them attractive, I simply meant that if you see someone "cute" you're probably more likely to go talk to them at a party or get-together....I'm digging a deeper hole with this, sorry.