Body Image in Media

Initially, I was not surprised that social media had such a large impact on body image. We are exposed to what the media thinks is how our body image should be every single day. You typically never see ads in a magazine or billboard that shows an average to slightly overweight person, unless it's advertising weight loss. There is never an unattractive person posing for the ad either.

What surprised me the most was that social media is effecting body image on such young children, both male and females. I was shocked to find out that even preschoolers were thinking of body image at that age. It made me think of my childhood and how social media showed body image years ago. I don't remember there being a lot on body image. I mostly just remember there being ads about toys and food. Now it seems like that's almost all you see on tv. There are advertisements about people trying to shed those few extra pounds to look good in a bikini because that's how social media portrays body image. It's what they are showing us looks "hot." This is the image that children are exposed to every single day. It's no wonder the children are thinking about their body image when wight loss is an obsession and looking "bikini thin" for women and "ripped" for men is what is portrayed to be as normal and attractive.

As it said in the video, parents are a huge impact on children. I believe that it's the parents responsibility to teach their children what their body image should really be. If the media won't change the "perfect" body image that the children are being exposed to, then the parents need to take charge so that the children don't feel aware of their body image and what looks good or not at such a young age.