Girls Bodies Girl's Bodies Analysis

The expectations that are shoved down the throats of men and women today, are most prominent before the start of adolescence. The stereotypical assumptions that are enforced on the future leaders of our society has determined how they should act. The image of themselves is reflected on what they view and visualize around them. Men behave in a certain aspect because of the need to feel and be masculine. Women on the other hand, are more influenced by the models they witness who wear the clothes they like as well as the television shows and movies that star their favorite actresses. The way society has depicted the issue at hand: expectations, has created an assumption on how one should live their life and what should matter most to the average

The importance of one’s body in the world we live in is something that has drastically changed; with models that are not of height and weight of the average American woman, the assumptions of what a woman's body should look like continues to emerge. The author of Girls’ Bodies, Girls’ Selves: Body Image, Identity, and Sexuality, Elline Lipkin, provides evidence from a teenage girl that states that, [she doesn’t] know a girl who’s happy with her body.” (Lipkin, 596). From this we can fully understand how women see themselves and the harsh effect it can have. Their body shape is of great importance to them and is a large part of how they feel about themselves. The completely waxed, toned, and clear-skinned women seen in magazines by the real women of the world, is their inspiration and role model for how they believe they should look. Lipkin continues to talk about how the female becomes sexualized through the growth and development of their body and that according to some cultural differences, the body shapes that are shown in the media vary. It is unacceptable that the color of one’s “perfect complexion” and body shape determines what is normal in others’ eyes. The expectations placed on women have created extreme amounts of insecurity and low self-esteem, leading to more serious issues. A large variety of eating disorders and other health-related issues relating to weight control and body image has become another infamous trend that the public knows too much about. An article from Psychology Today that was written by psychologist, Romeo Vitelli, Ph.D., suggests that teenagers with these disorders, “can be linked to the bullying they often receive from their age peers as well as the unrealistic media images presented as an ideal for them to follow” (Vitelli). The media has become a constant threat on the individuals who view it.