Talavera 1

Nadine Talavera
English 115
Professor Lawson
21 November 2014
Research Paper
1942
Fake Reality
Beautiful faces and perfect bodies are plastered on magazine and television for girls to
see. These images seem to be harmless, as they are made only to promote a product and catch
the attention of the viewers. However, these images that are produced by multi-million dollar
companies damage the perspective of beauty for girls worldwide. It creates an illusion of
unrealistic body proportions that girls dream of and illustrates an unhealthy attitude as they
strive for super-thin bodies generated by the media. This further influences men to objectify
women and degrade women to becoming subordinate. However, in the thoughts of others,
women take pleasure in being objectified. Despite years of efforts, men are still commonly
sexually objectifying women by judging sexual attractiveness rather than intellectual value.
Objectification in relation causes health related problems that prevent women from
developing mentally and emotionally. Overall the portrayal of women in magazine
advertisements and television add to the growing issue of body image of our population and
contribute to the dehumanization and objectification of women.
For many years women have been fighting the issue of objectification. Women in the
1960s were put in advertisement to attract the dominant group of consumers also known as
men. In order to attract male consumers, women in those advertisements would need to have

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sexual appeal. This need to create sexual appeal to men leads to the dehumanization of
women. Evidently, advertisements soon start to break women apart as they are being reduced
to their sexual body parts [or being] shown in sexual positions with objects [and are even
being seen as a] commodity (Zurbriggen 198). When women are being broken apart in
pieces, it seems to lowers their social standing and makes men dominant in society. The sense
of objectification and dehumanization of women leads to our observation and evaluation of
ones appearance of women in this modern day society.
As the modern age of media continues to grow, the effect of everyday advertisements
create a staggering amount of influence in women across the country. Advertisements with
women are now idolized; it has become goal for young girls to achieve those bodies that are
shown. However, in reality, those bodies and even the small details like their facial features in
magazine are now shaped and contoured through Photoshop. These attributes that are shown
on the models of advertisements are illegitimate and almost naturally impossible for anyone to
have. These images have created a standard that is unrealistic. Resulting into to feelings of
body shame, and unhealthy eating and exercise behaviors, which can then lead to an increase
in possibility of diseases such as eating disorders, depression, and low self-esteem (Grotton
5). These diseases are not only harmful to the body but contribute to negative social and
psychological effects to the body. As ideal body for a majority of women is unattainable it
gives rise to discrepancy of their real appearance versus their ideal appearance making way
for body dissatisfaction. As body dissatisfaction increases it leads to a possibility of extreme
changes in eating habits and even different forms of depression.
Similarly, mass media such a television create an important role in of the influence in
body image. Heavier set characters in television shows are less likely to be found and body

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perfect models are disproportionately overrepresented (Bell 480). It creates an illusion that
heavier set bodies are not socially accepted and shows the admiration of perfect bodies in
society. With the body perfect characters, possessing a number of desirable characteristics
such as happiness, success and popularity [Meanwhile] overweight characters typically
are ridiculed and subject to weight-related teasing (Bell 481). Most of the images of these
physical features are created through makeup, lighting, and even cosmetic surgery. With
representations of these perfect body characters it creates a threat to the body image on
women that displays correlation on body image with media exposure. As women are
continuously exposed to the idea of the perfect body, it makes them vulnerable influencing
their thoughts and behaviors. It leads to women to possibly internalize these ideals and believe
that a perfect body will lead to a road of success and allures the attention of others.
In addition to the effect of body image, magazine advertisements and television affect
women through sexual objectification and oppression. The role of women in advertisements
and the media contribute to more than body image but impacts women through there, career
pursuits, academic pursuits and relationships in marriage and dating (Young). In several
magazine advertisements, women made into objects such as tables or chairs. The portrayal of
women subconsciously influence everyday choices of women and make women be perceived
as subservient. Easily inducing women into subordinate roles in their workplace, meanwhile,
women who aspire to high-status work positions may suffer discrimination based unfeminine
appearance (Fredrickson 189). This judgment on women not only cripples their possible job
opportunities but also creates a barricade on women for higher position jobs. It makes women
stuck and frozen into jobs that they are possibly over qualified for. However, for some it is
understandable that women do not get higher position in the workplaces, but in movies,

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females make up only 11% of all clearly identifiable protagonist, 78% are male (Lauzen). It
is significant evidence that female characters are under represented compared to men. More
often female characters play supporting roles such as a wife or sister and are portrayed as
young and beautiful. It perceives women as submissive, sending a message that women are
objects and are only present to support men.
Researchers from Washington State University have found that magazines have helped
diminish the line of sexual boundaries and consent of partners. The correlation of men who
read articles about how to land a hot girl are more likely to make inappropriate sexual
advances toward women who arent interested, or push a sexual situation too far even when
their partner is telling them to stop (Culp-Ressler). It gives men dismissive attitudes and
further diminishing the line of sexual boundaries. The way women are portrayed in magazine
such as Playboy and Maxim are the same way we look at houses or sandwiches not as a
whole individual, but as a composite of separate attractive parts (Culp-Ressler). It makes
men feel entitled to sex and react negatively when they are deny because it has become apart
for our culture women have become accustomed to the abuse of their rights.
In relation to women being perceived as submissive, it becomes a contributing factor
to the accounts of sexual violence against women. The consequences of sexual objectification
towards women make men feel the right to induce or even force women into certain actions.
Although, sexual objectification is not only taking control of women but also occurs on a
daily basis in our culture in which their bodies are looked at, evaluated, and always
potentially objectified (Fredrickson 196). Men do not see an issue in looking at women
walking down the street however; it subconsciously makes women cautious of their
environment especially with type of clothes that are being worn. Such actions prevent women

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from walking down the street alone at night and making them dependent on others for
protections. In relation women are more likely to be taken advantage of and can result into
harassment. In a large study related to the effects of workplace harassment by Dansky and
Kilpatrick, of the 3006 women surveyed, it showed that women ages 18 - 34 who have been
harassed show a significantly greater risk for posttraumatic stress disorder and depression
compared to those who have not experienced harassment. (Isaacs)
Undoubtedly, the portrayals of women in the media have created negative outcomes,
however some think otherwise. Objectification has become a natural part of woman's life. It
reality women like to be objectified, to an extent - feeling attractive and sexy feels good...our
self-worth is wrapped up in it (Breines). For some women self-objectification is used to
boost self-esteem, and it feels good when getting positive attention. Physical attractiveness
even correlates with high popularity, dating experience and marriage opportunities as well as
womens economic power and social mobility (Miner-Rubino 170). With such alluring
attributes to physical attractiveness it is no doubt that women try to change themselves to
become the ideal standard of beauty. Meanwhile for men, the most common excuse is it is
natural; men are prone to objectify women because it is a biological factor. It is known that
men are more animal-like, likewise companies prey on the instincts of men with those animallike brains and use women to lure them into purchasing the product. However, the use of selfobjectification is a double edged sword it can easily turn sour when attention is negative or
lacking (Breines). Beauty in society does not last forever; it fades quickly and will have to
spend time to or even money to maintain such physical appearance.
As the role of media and advertisements continue to grow a rise of the use of
Photoshop began. Photoshop became apart of everyday advertisements and so celebrities

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stood up to stop the issues of these false images given to women. Often times, celebrities
bodies are manipulated to becoming skinnier yet still considered curvy, making the standards
for beauty unrealistic. Keira Knightley spoke up about the issues of Photoshop and said to
Times I think womens bodies are a battleground and photography is partly to blame.
Another younger, celebrity Lorde, tweeted about pictures she found of herself performing
onstage during a concert. Lorde comparing the original and a photo shopped version, I find
this curious - two photos from today, one edited so my skin is perfecr and one real.
Remember flaws are ok. Even famous fashion model Gisele Bundchen retaliated about the
use of airbrushing in high-fashion campaigns. Gisele spoke with Fashionista about her
thoughts of airbrushing, our imperfections are what makes us unique and beautiful. As the
use of photo shopping and airbrushing women more and more celebrities continue to fight its
use. The image perceived by women and men are fake and in the future hope to change the
standards of beauty. (Dockterman)
Overall, the images of these models with beautiful skin and perfect bodies are similar
to the imaginary friends of little kids. Stated in a more simplified way, they are not real. More
often then not, all the images that are seen in magazine and the media are photo shopped and
airbrushed. It creates an unrealistic standards that women have to live up to, although these
images are not even real themselves. Because of these unrealistic images, women have
become crippled in society; they view themselves equal to their physical appearance. For
some women it helps increase self-confidence, however, for most women it creates negative
social and psychological effect. With the medias overrepresentation perfect body model, and
it leads to women to internalize that a perfect body leads to success and make them vulnerable
to mental illnesses. As the media perceives women as subservient, it typically put women into

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subordinate roles, and is at the significantly greater risk of sexual harassment. In magazine
where women are sexual objectified and dehumanized, it makes men feel entitled to sex and
diminishes the line of sexual boundaries. Moreover it can lead to a higher risk of developing
depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. As the influence of media continue to grow,
many celebrities have stood up against these issue of degrading women and to stop the use of
Photoshop and hope to change the standard of beauty. The portrayal of women in magazine
and television contributes to the dehumanization and objectification of women and continue to
add to the issue of body image to our population.

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Works Cited
Bell, Beth Teresa, and Helga Dittmar. "Does media type matter? The role of identification in
adolescent girls media consumption and the impact of different thin-ideal media on
body image." Sex Roles 65.7-8 (2011): 478-490.
Breines, Juliana. "Do Women Want To Be Objectified?" Psychology Today: Health, Help,
Happiness + Find a Therapist. Sussex Directories, Inc., 28 Nov. 2012. Web. 19 Nov.
2014.
Culp-Ressler, Tara. "Men Who Read Magazines That Objectify Women Are Less Likely To
Respect Sexual Boundaries." ThinkProgress RSS. Center for American Progress
Action Fund, 29 May 2014. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
Dockterman, Eliana. "Keira Knightley and 7 Other Celebs Who Protested Photoshop and
Won." Times. Living & Beauty Times, 17 Nov. 2014. Web. 18 Nov. 2014
Fredrickson, Barbara L., and Tomi-Ann Roberts. "Objectification Theory." Objectification
Theory Toward Understanding Women's Lived Experiences and Mental Health Risks
(1997): 175-206. Print.
Grotton, Bailey, Kelsey Carnell, Sarah Brenner, and Adam Ferrucci Grotton, Photoshopping
in Advertisements and Its Effect on Body Image." Photoshopping in Advertisements
and Its Effect on Body Image. Southern New Hampshire University, 29 Apr. 2014.
Web. 30 Nov. 2014.
Isaacs, Malinda Martin Sudduth. Exploring A Multidimensional Model of Victimization and
Eating Disturbances for College. Diss. University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations,
2008. Lexington: UKnowledge, 2008. Print.

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Lauzen, Martha. "Its a Mans (Celluloid) World: On-Screen Representations of Female
Characters in the Top 100 Films of 2011." On-Screen Presentation. Web. 19 Nov.
2014.
Miner-Rubino, Kathi, Jean M. Twenge, and Barbara L. Fredrickson. "Trait SelfObjectication in Women: Affective and Personality Correlates." Journal of Research
in Personality (2002): 147-72. Academia. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
Young, Frank. "Carls Jr. Faces Criticism for Ads Apparently Objectifying Women." Brigham
Young University. 17 Sept. 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.
Zurbriggen, Eileen L.. "Objectification, Self-Objectification, and Societal Change." Journal of
Social and Political Psychology [Online], 1.1 (2013): 188-215. Web. 30 Nov. 2014