Week 8: Media Stereotypes
Women are constantly slammed in the media for the way that their body looks. Entertainment media is known to write many articles about a famous woman when they step outside of their home. They look for flaws on the woman’s body and point them out. Recently, there has been images of 18 year old singer, Billie Eilish, that have sparked a lot of controversy,
Billie is known to wear baggy jumpsuits that cover the shape of her body. Her style is apart of her image as a performer and it is also a part of her identity. However, she stepped out onto the streets of Los Angeles in a form fitting tank top, shorts, and sandals. Her outfit is literally described as comfortable clothes, which we all own and wear regularly. Media tabloids and Twitter went crazy, calling her brave for showing off her body and scandalous for the way she looked. This was solely because you could see her cleavage and her legs. In addition, because Billie rarely shows the form of her body, people had a lot to say about her weight and overall appearance.
Ideal body types are presented in all forms of media. These ideal body images change over time, however, according to a survey taken by 1000 people, “the “perfect” female body is 5'5" and 128 pounds, with a 26-inch waist” (Hoff, 2019). If we truly think about those proportions, that body type is almost impossible to healthily achieve. “Today, the average American woman is 5’4″, has a waist size of 34–35 inches and weighs between 140–150 lbs, with a dress size of 12–14” (Peeke, 2010). The ideal body type versus the average body of an American woman is very different. This is because women in the media are portrayed as smaller individuals who seemingly have no physical flaws.
Going back to Billie Eilish, she does not have the average body as those in the starlight or the perfect female body type. But the thing is, we should not care about her body. She looks extremely healthy. There is nothing concerning about her physique. Also, a majority of online trolls are not doctors, therefore, they should not be commenting on a young woman's body. Billie made a video showing her body while simultaneously talking about societal issues surrounding body type. One powerful line that I took away from it is: “If I wear what is comfortable, I am not a woman. If I shed the layers, I’m a slut. Though you’ve never seen my body, you still judge it and judge me for it” (Billie Eilish, 2020).
The people who troll women for their body type fall under the upward social comparison, which is a form of social comparison theory. Upward social comparison means that we compare ourselves to people who are better than us in a particular trait or ability. A lot of times, jealousy is the main reason for a troll to post something. A lot of times, men attack successful women who may be more rich or threatening to them. Women attack other women for similar reasons, but additionally, they attack other women for having a better body than them. It is the way that our society runs, but continuously attacking women for the way the look is harmful for all women and young girls and can lead to body dysmorphia.
References
Billie Eilish — NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY — a short film. (2020, May 26). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlvfYmfefSI
Hoff, Victoria. (2020, September 20). This Is the “Ideal” Body Type, According to a New Survey. Byrdie. https://www.byrdie.com/body-standards-survey
Peeke, P. (2010, January 25). Just What IS an Average Woman’s Size Anymore? Retrieved October 15, 2020, from https://blogs.webmd.com/from-our-archives/20100125/just-what-is-an-average-womans-size-anymore