Essay, Research Paper: Ms. Perfect

Ms. Perfect

The thin trend makes headlines of newspapers and magazines; being thin is a topic
discussed by television talk shows and top stories in the news. Companies like Snackwells
and Nutragrain base their existence on women's cravings to be thin. The media's
attention on the thin and beautiful has opened women's eyes up and sparked a craving for
this perfection. Models and actresses are who television has taught us to believe are
beautiful. Trying to live up to this has caused women all around the country tremendous
stress. The constant calorie counting, starving, and low self-esteem pushes them away
from the strength that they need to be a truly healthy woman. If women can learn to wake
up and begin to recognize these strange occurrences, they can become more free and
individual.
To understand why women are obsessed with having the perfect body we first
have to look at how the trend began. During the Renaissance, a person's weight was their
societal status. The difference in the women of the Renaissance being that an overweight
woman was considered beautiful. Their belief was that the wealthier the person, the more
food they could afford, and in turn become larger in size. These ideas stayed in the minds
of women until the early 1900's, when a chain of thin women began to get attention.
Marilyn Monroe is probably the most well known woman of the time. She was awe
inspiring as well as slender. Marilyn was the first in a long chain of thin women. Twiggy,
a London model of the '60's, was also one of the first models to introduce the bone thin
look. Marilyn and Twiggy together unleashed a crowd of impressionable women.
How is it that a grown woman can be so influenced by someone with fame? This
is a simple question that can be answered by turning on the tube. In a flash she is whisked
away to a land of liposuction, breast enlargement, and face lifted, anorexic Barbie
look-a-likes. The television program "Baywatch" is a prime example of these unrealistic
women. These are the women all have come to know, they are the ones who get the men.
Who is the number one viewer of "Baywatch"? Lonely men? No, according to the poles
taken by News and Television, the number one viewer is the middle class house wife.
How can this be true? One word: envy. For many women the words beautiful, perfect
and attractive are synonymous to the word thin.
While watching TV and reading magazines, society has built up the perfect
woman. A woman can find what is expected of her by simply picking up a Cosmopolitan
magazine. Inside, women find articles on how to get a fit tummy, how to cut calories, or
even where to get the quick fix, liposuction. With all of these articles is included some
half dressed woman who is 6'1" and weighs 98 pounds. The average woman will diet and
workout to achieve these model's bodies. What women don't see when they look at these
models are the long hours of working out, stress, and even eating disorders. The
perfection media tries to portray is something women don't question. Because of their
fame and money we think that we can brush aside any problems and focus on their
impeccability. Just because we can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there. In fact, it is rare to
find a truly thin model. Most have eating disorders and badly damaged bodies from
numerous operations.
Although women are constantly assured by these model's horror stories, it isn't
enough. Because the perfect body is desired by women, they tend to crave the thinner
look. Women begin to notice that their hard work isn't getting them to the weight they
want to be at. So they quickly give up and resort to a less stressful weight loss. Eating
disorders are very common among women. Anorexia and Bulimia are the less stressful
approach to weight loss. Women suffering from Anorexia feel guilty for eating and think
that the only solution to the problem is to stop eating. Bulimia, like Anorexia, is a
reaction to guilt. The difference between the two is that a person suffering from Bulimia
still has the natural cravings for food. They will binge-eat and then vomit to rid any foods
that may contain calories. These are just a few examples of what happens when low
self-esteem causes women to go to the extreme.
Runway models, TV actresses, and magazine headlines are all contributors to
women's complexes. Women, by allowing themselves to get depressed by someone like
Kate Moss, are slowly harming themselves. Letting society and the media run women's
lives is taking away individuality and allowing someone else effect them in a negatively
profound way.