Body Image

What is Body Image?

The dynamic perception of one’s own bodyHow it looks, feels and movesDynamic because it changesCan change in relation to mood,

physical appearance, and environmentShaped by perception and emotionsDoes NOT always reflect what is real

Adolescents are acutely aware of their appearance and very sensitive to how they are perceived

Self-esteem is very important with regard to general motivation, learning capacity and self-acceptance

Developing a positive body image and aiming for a healthy lifestyle will help enhance self-esteem

Why is it important?

50-88% of adolescents feel negative about their body shape and size

85% of adolescents worry A LOT about how they look

When surveyed “The way I look, is the most important part of my self-worth”ideas, gifts, personalities, thoughts,

talents, interests…

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a cruel comment about your physical size or appearance?

Have others let you know, in some way, that you’re not attractive enough?

Do you find clothes shopping unpleasant because of fears about how others will judge you?

Have you ever skipped an activity to avoid comments about your appearance?

Do you think often about dieting because of comments about your weight?

Have you considered changing aspects of your appearance to look better to others?

Have you ever made cruel comments to others about their appearance?

How can our perception of body image be distorted?

The Media

“Dove Evolution” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

The Media Adolescents watch, on average, 1023 hrs

of T.V/year28hrs/weekWe are bombarded with images of what

we’re supposed to look like and not what we look like…Distorted?

Forms of Media:T.V, Advertisements, Billboards,

Magazines, Movies, Websites and Video Games

A Distorted Body Image?

The avg. female model is 5’10” and 110lbs!!

The avg. female person is 5’4” and 144lbs

Tira Banks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObvDqe4TbUs

We need to understand how the media can distort our perception of body image

We need to understand and prevent weight-based discrimination

To look less bony…

We’re in a culture where the most important job is to be attractive, especially for women

The point I’m trying to make, is that by looking at these images without understanding them, will cause you to lose sight of what you really look like, and that it is very hard to look in the mirror and see yourself with any reality

It’s scary to not “weigh” our self-esteem, because it is such a cultural norm. Research has show that these cultural messages, lead to eating disorders.

It’s interesting that, just as feminism came along and aloud women to take up more “space”, along came the advertising industry and said “No! Reduce that space.”

We need to understand how the media can distort our perception of body image

We need to understand and prevent weight-based discrimination

Why? Weight-based Discrimination

Definition: Discrimination or stereotyping of one’s weight, especially large or thin people

Ex. Overweight/obese people are lazy, lack self discipline, less intelligent, lack character

Ex. Underweight people are unattractive or anorexic

Occurs mostly after our body image has become distorted

Comments or actions towards others based on their body image

Discrimination can be:

Verbal: insults, ridicule, teasing, stereotypes, derogatory names

ORPhysical: bullying, aggressive behaviours

Final MessageThis is our culture, and we

have a right to develop and define who we are, in ways that are meaningful to us, not the media or anybody else trying to distort the true image, of who we really are.

Turn Beauty Inside Out

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Write a reflection about someone beautiful if your life, inside and out.Or Write about someone who has inspired you to change your life in one form or another.