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| Source: Pintrest |
How has photography affected body image?
People are always on social media, reading magazines, seeing billboards, etc.. The website Education.com describes how photos that everyone sees everyday provide unrealistic body image for the people viewing them. This source, which is a education website for homeschooled children, also cites statistical websites that show the shocking effects that advertising and social media have on young adults bodies, specifically girls. There is a significant amount of girls who are influenced by social media, saying that “ 70% of teen girls agreed that magazines strongly influenced what they thought was the ideal body type”(Education.com). It is not surprising to also connect that to girls jeopardizing their health to try to obtain these unrealistic bodies, seeing that models are often photoshopped and instagram pictures are played with before they post. When girls see these misleading photos, they begin to want to have these bodies because they see them as the ‘ideal body’ and go on a search for ways to develop these unobtainable bodies.
Girls begin to be ‘inspired’ by these models bodies. To try to lose weight, they consult websites, “both true and false, about how to improve their bodies. One recent development is the phenomenon of pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia websites and “thinspiration” social media accounts, which encourage young people to adopt unhealthy behaviors to lower their weight or increase their muscularity”(Cmch.tv). Long term, these habits become hazardous and sometimes deadly. In all, the media and over-photoshopping of photos should be stopped. They not only hurt a growing adults self confidence, they hurt their health and their decisions in the future. Removing a pimple from a photo with photoshop is okay, but harming someone’s self confidence with photoshop isn’t. I believe that the media really does set a body example for young adults worldwide, they set the body standard that everyone begins to believe they should follow. So to fix this growing issue, I think the media should stop encouraging photoshop and expand the different types of bodies that are advertised to show that every body is acceptable rather than one impossible body type.
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I completely agree. The way photography has changed overtime is crazy. I think the main reason that photography is so focused on body image is because the photos can only show what's on the outside. You might see a picture of someone on the outside, but you will never know about what really matters which is how they really are on the inside and their personality. You did a great job of analyzing and putting your opinion in it too!
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. I feel like a lot of people, even guys are effected by how people look in social media and in magazines. I know I have! People think the Photoshop is how everyone is supposed to look. I love that you choose this as your topic, the facts and overall thing was really good!
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