This is a trailer for the show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKFTd6ZEV1w
Our society didn't get this way overnight. Advertisements for beauty products can be found dating back as early as the 1920s. When viewing the advertisements, I found them to be fascinating in their detail and their ploy in targeting women. The plight of the media may or may not have necessarily aimed at perfecting women, but it certainly suggests that ladies aren’t “good enough” without the help of beautifying and physically enhancing products.
Leon Festinger was a social psychologist. He created the Social Comparison Theory. This theory argues that there is a drive within people to look to outside images in order to evaluate their own opinions and abilities. People look to the images portrayed by others to be obtainable and realistic, and subsequently, make comparisons among themselves, others, and idealized images. The repeated media images of thin, attractive females make these body forms seemingly the standard of beauty.
When looking at this theory it is no wonder why so many women are discontent with their bodies. Females who are displayed through the media, whether on reality TV shows or modeling contests, are much thinner than the average American woman. For instance, many girls today compare themselves to anorexic role models. Today’s model weighs 23% less than the average American woman. The average height of a female model is 5’8”, while the average height of an American woman is merely 5’5”.
Average Weight for Women by Height - Chart
Height (in feet/inches) | Weight Range (in pounds) |
4' 10" | 108 to 119 |
4' 11" | 110 to 122 |
5' | 112 to 125 |
5' 1" | 114 to 128 |
5' 2" | 116 to 132 |
5' 3" | 119 to 135 |
5' 4" | 123 to 138 |
5' 5" | 126 to 141 |
5' 6" | 130 to 144 |
5' 7" | 134 to 147 |
5' 8" | 137 to 150 |
5' 9" | 140 to 153 |
5' 10" | 143 to 157 |
5' 11" | 147 to 161 |
6' | 152 to 166 |
6' 1" | 157 to 171 |
6' 2" | 162 to 176 |
Compare that information with the information on Famous Women listed below.
Height and Weight of Actresses
Nicole Richie, 5’1”, 98 lbs
Eva Longoria, 5’2”, 104 lbs
Kirsten Dunst, 5’4”, 100lbs
Lindsay Lohan, 5’5”, 105 lbs
Meghan Fox, 5’6”, 114 lbs
Jessica Alba, 5’7”, 118 lbs
Sandra Bullock, 5’8”, 110 lbs
Paris Hilton, 5’9”, 110 lbs
Nicole Kidman, 5’10”, 120 lbs
Height and Weight of Top Models
Kate Moss, 5’7”, 105 lbs
Heidi Klum, 5’9”, 120 lbs
Adriana Lima, 5’10”, 112 lbs
Gisele Bundchen, 5’11”, 115 lbs
Height and Weight of Female Musicians
Christina Aguilera, 5’2”, 100 lbs
Carrie Underwood, 5’3”, 110 lbs
Madonna, 5’4”, 100 lbs
Beyonce Knowles, 5’5”, 130 lbs
Gwen Stefani, 5’6”, 115 lbs
Faith Hill, 5’8”, 120 lbs
Mariah Carey, 5’9”, 140 lbs
Taylor Swift, 5’10” 120 lbs
These facts are astounding! What are teenagers supposed to think if these women are their role models? If young girls seek to physically attain these weights, they may have to go through anorexia, which will only bring in horrendous attributes to their health.
George Gerbner created the Cultivation Theory. This theory states that over time people will base the idea of reality and the world itself off of TV images and concepts displayed on television. Many people, young susceptible girls included, may often confuse perceived reality with actual reality.
The media doesn’t try to help distinguish between the two. In fact, it appears to be causing the disfiguration of reality. Average young women represent the target audience to many advertisements that display women with luscious, long, flowing hair, unblemished skin, perfect eye makeup, well-defined cleavage, and flawless curves. These young girls, therefore, feel the need to purchase the products being advertised so that they themselves might feel what the media defines as “beauty”.
I was able to find some really shocking statistics from a student wellness Web site.
· A study found that women overestimate the size of their hips by 16% and their waists by 25%, yet the same women were able to correctly estimate the width of a box.
· After viewing images of female fashion models, seven out of ten women felt more depressed and angry than prior to viewing the images.
· The “ideal” woman - portrayed by models, Miss America, Barbie dolls, and screen actresses - is 5’5, weighs 100 pounds and wears a size 5.
· Young girls are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of nuclear war, cancer, or losing their parents.
· In one study, 30% of women chose an ideal body shape that is 20% underweight and an additional 44% chose an ideal body shape that is 10% underweight.
· The average U.S. woman is 5’4” and weighs 140 pounds whereas the average U.S. model is 5’11” and weighs 117 pounds.
Kahlil Gibran is a former poet and writer. His definition of beauty runs true in my mind as I hope it does in yours. “Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” What a lovely definition! Beauty is not merely skin-deep. It flows strongly in the depths of the heart.
If our society could just grasp that idea, then girls might be more confident about their self-image, women wouldn’t be as concerned over their body weight, and brides-to-be could focus more on their upcoming weddings rather than trying to win weekly challenges for cosmetic surgical procedures. If the United States of America could learn the lesson of contentment, then our country as a whole would be able to live fuller lives day-by-day and sleep more peacefully at night. Who wouldn’t want that?
I want you to share in a small number of interesting facts that I have found, so I have 5 pages dedicated to advertisements that were published in different decades. One is devoted to the 1920s; another is assigned to the 40s and so on until the current 2000s. The pages will end up with the show Bridalplasty showing either how far we have come or… how little our American society has changed.
