Should the media Should the media have the right to have the right to promote skinny promote skinny women as role women as role

models?models?

Caroline YuCaroline Yu

11B11B

TOK Presentation of May 22, TOK Presentation of May 22, 20082008

The pressure of being thin comes from The pressure of being thin comes from different sources in our lives. I will different sources in our lives. I will focus on how the media puts pressure focus on how the media puts pressure on woman, especially teenage girls on woman, especially teenage girls because the media has the most because the media has the most impact. It affects everyone.impact. It affects everyone.

LanguageLanguage

What does my knowledge issue mean?What does my knowledge issue mean?

Should the Should the mediamedia have the right have the right to promote skinny woman as to promote skinny woman as

role models?role models?

Media: methods of communication such Media: methods of communication such as television, movies, commercials, as television, movies, commercials, radio, advertisements, magazines, radio, advertisements, magazines, books, internet, music, etc. books, internet, music, etc.

Should the media have the Should the media have the rightright to promote skinny woman as to promote skinny woman as

role models?role models?

Right: authorityRight: authority

Should the media have the right Should the media have the right to to promotepromote skinny woman as skinny woman as

role models?role models?

Promote: Promote: contribute to the progress or contribute to the progress or growth of; give promotion to; advertise growth of; give promotion to; advertise

Should the media have the right Should the media have the right to promote to promote skinny womanskinny woman as as

role models?role models?

Skinny: “like skin”; very lean or thin; Skinny: “like skin”; very lean or thin; narrow or slendernarrow or slender

Should the media have the right Should the media have the right to promote skinny woman as to promote skinny woman as

role modelsrole models??

Role model: someone worth of imitationRole model: someone worth of imitation

Desired Body Shape (aka Desired Body Shape (aka Skinny)Skinny)

►Small hipsSmall hips►Thin waistThin waist►Flat bellyFlat belly►Flat bottomFlat bottom►Small thighsSmall thighs►Slim arms and legs’Slim arms and legs’

Anything that isn’t these, you are Anything that isn’t these, you are labeled “fat”.labeled “fat”.

DesignersDesigners

““ For me as a designer, I would never For me as a designer, I would never knowingly use a model who was anorexic, knowingly use a model who was anorexic, but the simple fact is that we employ but the simple fact is that we employ these girls as these girls as moving coat-hangersmoving coat-hangers. We're . We're not looking for sex appeal or to hold a not looking for sex appeal or to hold a mirror up to the woman on the street, mirror up to the woman on the street, we're we're trying to shift clothes to the store trying to shift clothes to the store buyersbuyers, and I personally think that a , and I personally think that a slender figure is the best way to show slender figure is the best way to show them offthem off."."

TV showsTV shows

► According to According to HealthHealth magazine, April 2002, magazine, April 2002, 32% of female TV network characters are 32% of female TV network characters are underweight.underweight.

►Happy and successful people are almost Happy and successful people are almost always portrayed by actors and models who always portrayed by actors and models who are young, toned, and thin. are young, toned, and thin.

► In contrast, evil, stupid, or buffoonish people In contrast, evil, stupid, or buffoonish people are portrayed by actors who are older, are portrayed by actors who are older, frumpier, unkempt, perhaps physically frumpier, unkempt, perhaps physically challenged. Many are fat. challenged. Many are fat.

CommercialsCommercials

"You are not acceptable the way you "You are not acceptable the way you are. The only way you can become are. The only way you can become acceptable is to buy our product and acceptable is to buy our product and try to look like our model (who is six try to look like our model (who is six feet tall and wears size zero jeans -- feet tall and wears size zero jeans -- and is probably anorexic). If you can't and is probably anorexic). If you can't quite manage it, better keep buying quite manage it, better keep buying our product. It's your only hope." our product. It's your only hope."

Kellogg’s Special K Cereal Kellogg’s Special K Cereal CommercialCommercial

►http://youtube.com/watch?http://youtube.com/watch?v=yIUMjwEWvl8 v=yIUMjwEWvl8

Why is the media showing Why is the media showing this?this?

Because there is a market and an Because there is a market and an audience that likes and wants it. It’s us audience that likes and wants it. It’s us to blame!to blame!

PeersPeers

►Gabby: Gabby: FFat people for models? That’s at people for models? That’s disgusting! Skinny looks way better.disgusting! Skinny looks way better.

►Alex: Alex: IIt’s disgusting to see fat bulging t’s disgusting to see fat bulging out of a dress. Skinny girls are better.out of a dress. Skinny girls are better.

►Pattern: Pattern: SkinnySkinny is beautiful. is beautiful. There is There is only black and white. Either only black and white. Either skinny=pretty or fat=uglyskinny=pretty or fat=ugly..

PeersPeers

►Skinny: You must be anorexic and very Skinny: You must be anorexic and very vain and snotty/arrogant. vain and snotty/arrogant.

►Fat:Fat: You don’t You don’t control your diet to be control your diet to be skinny. Labeled to be glutinous.skinny. Labeled to be glutinous.

►Body shape is Body shape is determined determined by your by your genes and bone structure.genes and bone structure.

HistoryHistory

The ironic thing is, a body shape that The ironic thing is, a body shape that is termed beautiful in a time period is is termed beautiful in a time period is often the opposite of the often the opposite of the economic/lifestyle of the majority. economic/lifestyle of the majority.

HistoryHistory

HistoryHistory

Survival was difficult. Fat woman with Survival was difficult. Fat woman with big big bottoms, belly and breasts bottoms, belly and breasts were were preferred since it means they are preferred since it means they are

►more fertile more fertile ►more rich more rich ►more strong more strong ►Good for child bearingGood for child bearing►able to survive a famine. able to survive a famine.

HistoryHistory

““Those who cannot remember the past Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” –are condemned to repeat it” –Santayana. Santayana.

Previously fat woman were beautiful. Previously fat woman were beautiful. Are we learning from that “mistake” Are we learning from that “mistake” and being the opposite? and being the opposite?

YourselfYourself

►BBeing skinny takes efforteing skinny takes effort.. AAchieving chieving that goal is satisfying and you will feel that goal is satisfying and you will feel confidenceconfidence about you about yourselfrself. .

►Being fat will make you a target of Being fat will make you a target of ridicule and prejudice.ridicule and prejudice.

► The average American woman is 5'4" tall The average American woman is 5'4" tall and weighs 140 pounds. and weighs 140 pounds.

► The average American model is 5'11" tall The average American model is 5'11" tall and weighs 117 pounds. Four out of five and weighs 117 pounds. Four out of five American women say they're dissatisfied American women say they're dissatisfied with the way they look. with the way they look.

►On any given day, almost half of the women On any given day, almost half of the women in the United States are on a diet in the United States are on a diet

►Half of our nine and ten-year-old girls say Half of our nine and ten-year-old girls say that being on a diet makes them feel better that being on a diet makes them feel better about themselves. about themselves.

► Americans spend over forty billion dollars a Americans spend over forty billion dollars a year on dieting and diet related products. year on dieting and diet related products.

LogicLogic

►Deductive logic – given an example Deductive logic – given an example where there is a certain amount of where there is a certain amount of truth, the conclusion can be made.truth, the conclusion can be made.

► Inductive logic (problem of induction) – Inductive logic (problem of induction) – there is uncertainty. Use from there is uncertainty. Use from observation and come to a conclusion.observation and come to a conclusion.

Should we restrict the media to Should we restrict the media to promote skinny woman?promote skinny woman?

► Australian media standardsAustralian media standards► 6.23 Advertisements directed to children for food 6.23 Advertisements directed to children for food

and/or beverages:and/or beverages:► 6.23.1 should not encourage or promote an inactive 6.23.1 should not encourage or promote an inactive

lifestylelifestyle► 6.23.2 should not encourage or promote unhealthy 6.23.2 should not encourage or promote unhealthy

eating or drinking habitseating or drinking habits► ““children” means people younger than 14 years of agechildren” means people younger than 14 years of age► ““inactive lifestyle” means not engaging in any or much inactive lifestyle” means not engaging in any or much

physical activity as a way of lifephysical activity as a way of life► ““unhealthy eating or drinking habits” means excessive unhealthy eating or drinking habits” means excessive

or compulsive consumption of food and/or beveragesor compulsive consumption of food and/or beverages► ““promote” means expressly endorsepromote” means expressly endorse

EmotionEmotion

Primary emotions:Primary emotions:►LoveLove► JoyJoy►SSurpriseurprise►AngerAnger►FearFear►SadnessSadness

EmotionEmotion

Joy:Joy:►Feel good about yourselfFeel good about yourself►Being complemented Being complemented

Fear: Fear: ►Being fatBeing fat►Being bulliedBeing bullied►Being unhealthyBeing unhealthy

EthicEthical egoismal egoism

►LLong term happiness and self interest. ong term happiness and self interest. ► If I’m skinny, I’ll be more happy.If I’m skinny, I’ll be more happy.

Restrictions of skinny modelsRestrictions of skinny models

►http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?femail/article.html?in_article_id=405600&in_page_id=187in_article_id=405600&in_page_id=1879 Article of skinny model dying on the 9 Article of skinny model dying on the catwalk. Very damaging to our body. catwalk. Very damaging to our body. Long term happiness?Long term happiness?

What is to be done?What is to be done?

For promoting skinny woman because:For promoting skinny woman because:► It looks better than fat womanIt looks better than fat woman► It encourages an active lifestyle and It encourages an active lifestyle and

healthy diethealthy diet►We like itWe like it

What is to be done?What is to be done?

Against promoting skinny woman Against promoting skinny woman because:because:

►Some people don’t have a sense of Some people don’t have a sense of realityreality

►Some people can make healthy Some people can make healthy choiceschoices

BibliographyBibliography

► Photos:Photos:► http://dnuxminds.files.wordpress.com/2007/0http://dnuxminds.files.wordpress.com/2007/0

4/maslow_hierarchy.gif4/maslow_hierarchy.gif

► http://www.disney-vacation-time.com/img/http://www.disney-vacation-time.com/img/disney-princess-wallpaper/disney-princess-disney-princess-wallpaper/disney-princess-wallpaper-4.jpgwallpaper-4.jpg

► http://francisanderson.files.wordpress.com/http://francisanderson.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/dove_wideweb__430x327.jpg 2007/10/dove_wideweb__430x327.jpg

► http://board.ringsworld.com/skinny-model-in-http://board.ringsworld.com/skinny-model-in-bikini-t6415.html bikini-t6415.html

BibliographyBibliography

► Articles:Articles:► http://changingminds.org/explanations/http://changingminds.org/explanations/

emotions/basic%20emotions.htm emotions/basic%20emotions.htm ► http://www.anred.com/causes.html http://www.anred.com/causes.html ► http://www.freetv.com.au/media/http://www.freetv.com.au/media/

Code_of_Practice/Code_of_Practice/Revised_Code_of_Practice_(includingRevised_Code_of_Practice_(including%20amendment%20for%20election%20amendment%20for%20election%20period)_060907.pdf %20period)_060907.pdf

► http://www.d.umn.edu/~loche006/beauty.html http://www.d.umn.edu/~loche006/beauty.html