Miss Representation addresses the use of photo shopped models in common media, newspapers, ads, etc. The documentary detailed the impact of these unrealistic standards on young women, and even connected these images to a rising rate of depression and anxiety.
Models are consistently photo shopped on magazines and ads to seem thinner, have brighter skin, and basically look perfect. These ads are of course seen by young girls across America, and these girls gradually begin to think that these photo shopped models are what they should look like. These girls are not taught that these women look the way they do because of computers, they only see the ideal woman, and they believe that is the image they must look like in order to be 'pretty'. Women are taught from a young age that they are not good enough, and they need to buy this product to be able to look like this girl that was clearly photo shopped. Young women are constantly told by the media that they need to lose weight or have clear skin, the ads and the constant stream of people selling products like diet pills are affecting these girls. They are being targeted and manipulated to believe that they are not enough, that they must fit into an unrealistic standard of beauty.
The above image is an example of some of the more obviously photo shopped models. These women who are already beautiful are photo shopped then plastered on ads, even though that is not really them. How can a product be trusted if the person who is modelling for it was clearly photo shopped to have clear skin or look thinner? Miss Representation details the mental impact these sorts of images can have on young girls. A lack of self confidence is at an all time high for women, teens in general. So many young people are consistently told they are not enough by the media. They must look this way, they must fit into this stereotype, they must aspire to fit into some unrealistic standard of appearance. No model needs to be photo shopped. Personally I would like to see all these ads use real women, I want to see what the reality is of this product, I want to see someone who looks like any average girl sell me a product. It is empowering and appealing to see someone you can relate to, whether because of the way they look or some other aspect about them, it is good to see yourself be represented, and to have realistic standards for appearances in mass media.
Why do you believe American society is obsessed with the idea of being thin? I know our society has the idea that if you are bigger you are uglier but why do you think that is so? I believe it is not worth starving yourself in order to fit these ideals of beauty that are not even truthful. I am baffled when people complain about companies who have plus sized models because it promotes an unhealthy lifestyle but do not bat an eye when it is the other way around.
ReplyDeleteI think that in recent years more "normal-sized" models have been used by name brands, which is refreshing. I agree that it is nice to see people that look like we do represented in media, but I also think the unrealistic standards are what catches people's attention. People won't buy a product if they think they are already the ideal of what a woman should look like. That sounds terrible, but it's true. Why buy a product if you already look like the model wearing it? The opposite could be true too, I guess- people seeing others like themselves wearing a product so they want it too. How do companies find a balance between effectively selling their products and accurately representing women?
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