Ladies, is your body image more negatively impacted by men's magazines or women's magazines?I often hear that a lot of the body image issues and insecurities that women have stem from what they see in the media, and specifically 'men's magazines' (from FHM and Zoo, right up to porn)and this unattainable image of the 'perfect woman' that doesn't really exist. I hear that it's this unrealistic standard that is set of a specific, flawlessly airbrushed body type that women find oppressing.
I guess what I'm curious about though, is whether it is really the 'men's magazines' that have the biggest impact. From what I see, women's magazines have as big, if not a much bigger impact in this way. Funnily enough, women's magazines aren't filled with pictures of guys, they're filled with pictures of girls. There are of course the fashion magazines full of ultra- beautiful, ultra-thin models.
But also there are the 'gossip' mags like NW, Famous and Who Weekly, which, let's face it are all primarily aimed at women. To me, these gossip mags seem hugely damaging and bitchy. Every celebrity has their body completely scrutinised, picked to bits, laughed at and criticized. And seemingly by women. Anything other than rock hard abs, and there will be the headline 'Weight Battle' or 'Pregnant?'. Underarm stubble, or a sweat patch and you're laughing stock.
I have come to believe these kinds of magazines are the ones that do the lion's share of the damage. And these are supposedly women's magazines. I'm certainly not saying men don't play their part in all of this, but I just wonder how much men's magazines really play a part, or how much attention women really pay them.
I would really appreciate your opinions on this, especially from female readers. Do you think I have it wrong?
20 comments:
I think women's magazines damage women's self-image, making us feel overweight, ugly and dowdy.
Men's magazines are just as bad, but in a different way. They warp men's ideas of what a woman should look like. I'd say they're equally damaging.
I'd also argue magazines like Zoo are essentially porn, dressed up with a few articles in there to make men feel better about buying it.
I think its great to see that the New Weekly is tackling the big issue of the day: Cellulite. Not global warming or poverty or war or obesity. But cellulite. Thanks NW.
I agree Bonnie, bad in different ways. I think it's interesting though to look at the differences. Compare, say NW and FHM. The one for men says 'look at the female body, it's so hot', whereas the one for women says 'look at the woman's body, and criticise it- plastic surgery disasters, stars without make up, cellulite..
Both bad, but interesting how they play out in pretty different ways.
Simone, I agree that's a joke, but why does this sell then? What attracts women to this?
Ooooooh...can o' worms here mate...
I genuinely believe, and ladies, correct me if I'm wrong, that a lot of women buy the trash gossip mags to read about the fallability and realistic image of our so called celebrities so that they, in turn may feel that little bit better about themselves. I assume that by being able to laugh and point the finger at the supposed uber beautiful in their day to day, then by some way of comparison, are appeased by their similarities to the 'demi gods' of society to the common housewife.
So benno, I have to say i think you may be barking up the wrong tree with this one. As much as the covers of these mags are littered with pics of cellulite bums and hairy armpits, one might say these are doing a service to the common woman's self esteem...maybe?
As for the 'porn' and its all that in one way or another.I think Bonnie is spot on. It probably influences men's perception more than women's. Unfortunately, women then take on the burden of feeling like they must comply with these perceptions if they are to succeed, get the guy etc etc..
Thats if you want a "ZOO" reader in the house of course.
Another reason mate, this stuff (NW, Who etc.) sells is because women just love to know what someone else is doing.
Personally, couldn't care less what any of them are doing, but then I think thats a guy thing, no?
one might say these are doing a service to the common woman's self esteem
But that wouldn't be a healthy self esteem, because it's based on the faults of others, not on the good things about yourself.
Mate. Healthy or not, if a women spends 3.50 on a mag and she ISN'T unhappy when she gets to the back page, then that can't be a bad thing.
She is going to read the trash so is it not better she feels better about herself, consciously or not rather than putting the thing down and feeling like she has a mountain to climb?
As far as any self esteem goes, It's ALL got to do with other people perception.
Think about it and to make a point I will use an overweight lady in her twenties.
Its only the fact that society says being fat is taboo that her self esteem is damaged.
If she was the only person on earth, thus having no comparison, the issue of self esteem would be moot.
She opens a magazine and sees that Saskia Burmeister has put on a few pounds on her summer holiday and suddenly, she doesn't feel so bad....
self esteem on the rise.
Again, its not the fault of others but the reality presented to her that, 'hang on, not everyone in the world sees tubby as bad'.....smile
you are living in a dreamworld is you think there are women in the world that DON'T care what people think about their appearance.
look at the sales of moisturisers, anti -ageing cacka, makeup and well, just bloody clothes...ALL about image and ... being happy with what they look like to OTHERS.
Ok, well, I don't want this question directed towards women to just become 2 blokes arguing about it. But to answer you--
Healthy or not, if a women spends 3.50 on a mag and she ISN'T unhappy when she gets to the back page, then that can't be a bad thing.
When I finish my large Big Mac meal, I am very happy. Doesn't mean it's good for me.
you are living in a dreamworld is you think there are women in the world that DON'T care what people think about their appearance.
Huh?? I never said there was.
Girls are weak. Chuck 'em in the creek. Boys are strong. Like King Kong.
What I was going to say has already been said I think: that being that I agree, I never would have blamed men's magazines for women's low self-esteem - what I would have blamed them for is the unrealistic expectations they give to some men, which impacts on women further down the line.
And I have to say, I do want to stop and look at pictures unveiling the blemishes of people who only ever look gorgeous. And I feel better knowing that Jennifer Aniston spends some obscene amount of money on some kind of cosmetic sculpting of her world-famous bottom.
But I actually think those issues are scattered. For every issue showing cellulite there will be dozens full of beautiful women (if my supermarket perusal is anything to go by). Yesterday on the SMH online I found myself looking at pics of those two Brazilian supermodels who just got engaged. It didn't make me feel so great.
women can hate each other just as much as they hate themselves, and hate men. The former can sometimes make you forget the latter two for a moment.
Yikes, that's very bleak, Drew!
Ali, I agree with what you say, that men's mags initially impact men, but then impact women further down the line.
What you say though about those issues (about faulty celebs)being scattered, whereas the others (of perfect celebs) are more prevailent-- this may be true, but is one worse or better? More or less damaging? One makes you feel bad in comparison, and one makes you take pleasure in someone elses faults.
Hmm Drew, I don't know. See I don't hate Jennifer Aniston because she spends huge amounts of money on her butt, neither do I hate Scarlett Johansen because she has stretchmarks. Infact I might like them more. :)
Maybe it is hateful to broadcast such information - infact, I am sure it is, and I don't buy any of those magazines because I just don't believe in publishing that kind of information about people 0 that, and as Simone says, they hardly contain the important stuff. But I don't think it would make the readers hate them. I think, as Pedro says, the result of such tabloid photos is that it does make women feel slightly better about themselves, even if that is based on a wrong premise.
Ah, but see, I don't that I, or other women, are really taking pleasure in someone else's faults. (Well, OK, so maybe some are.) I think it is just giving a more realistic comparison.
It's like that Dove campaign, which showed how much effort and manipulation went in to making women look flawless. I think that was helpful. It's a reality check. (If every now and then they show what these women look like on an ordinary day - and these women are getting about in public in their bikinis anyway, they could hardly be surprised to have their photo taken - then it probably doesn't do so much harm. I think the effect would be overwhelmed by the beautiful images anyway. I am sure most women are still awed by Scarlett, despite knowing she has stretchmarks.)
Yeah, I hear what you're saying, but it still just seems like self worth is then so heavily influenced by other people.
I'm not being preachy, as I struggle with this as much if not more than anyone else (though maybe in different areas).I just really think we need to peel our eyes off those around us, if we want lasting security. I found this quote the other day--
'If thou rest thy peace on any person because of the opinion which thou hast of him, or on account of the intimate acquaintance with him, thou shalt ever be in an insecure and an entangled condition.
..Man approacheth so much the nearer unto God, the further off he departeth from all earthly consolation.
..When thou lookest to the creatures, the Creator is withdrawn from thee. Learn in all things to overcome thyself, for the love of thy Creator, and then shalt thou be able to attain to divine knowledge'.
--Thomas A Kempis
Yeah, I hear you too. Though reckon that if we are going to be bombarded with images of others they would do well to be realistic.
I think we all need to acknowledge that we are flawed in this life, including physically, that everything is subject to decay, be humbled by that (rather than just trying to bolster our "self-esteem" somehow) and then go to the cross and look up from there and forward to the day when all things will be made new.
not to sound diva-like, but have you read the Dora the Explorer post on my blog?
I think it starts at a young age. So the answer, in part, is to teach our daughters differently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei6JvK0W60I
Yes, that's sad about Dora. My girl likes her the way she is. That is a good ad campaign too- I hadn't seen that before.
I think you are right, and I think it goes for our boys too. Though the emphasis for them is less about looks, there is still a massive amount of brainwashing that goes on with boys too, about what's 'normal'.
Not to be too pesimistic, but I can't help doubting whether good parenting will completely safeguard kids from the onslaught..
Hi Ben,
How do you judge your 'manliness'? By whether other men accept you as a man.
How do I judge my abilities as an engineer? By whether other engineers accept me as such.
So in the world of peer group acceptance, how does a woman judge her 'womanliness'? By the values of other women.
Unfortunately, these magazines, even by their "see they're just as bad as we are" cellulite photos of celebrities, do subtly reinforce the idea that cellulite is bad, as are hairy armpits/legs and a dearth of make-up. i.e. that being a normal human being is 'bad'.
Hi Laetitia,
Thanks for stopping by. You said How do you judge your 'manliness'? By whether other men accept you as a man. I think that is actually a bit of a generalisation that I don't agree with. I don't know how 'normal' I am in this, but I'd say a massive portion of my feelings of manliness and place come from the women in my life. When I feel the most manly is when I'm looking after my wife and daughter.
If men and women have been given to eachother to compliment and help eachother, it seems natural to me that the other sex has a massive part to play in your well-being and comfort in your own gender.
Yep, it was a generalisation based on what I've read about men and been told by other men in my life - certainly not from personal experience! Hehehehe.
My hubby actually explained it to me as similar to the work world where everyone not in the industry can claim that you're a good programmer / engineer / musician / teacher... but you know that you really are when the role models of the relevant industry accept you as "making the grade".
It seems to work that way for many women too judging by an opinion piece in the local rag where a woman didn't believe her husband that she looked good in a particular outfit but did believe another woman. The point of the article being that she didn't believe her husband because he was a man ("After all, what would he know about women's fashion?!")
Now, why does looking after your family (an admirable thing for anyone) make you feel "manly"? Is it because your wife or mother told that this is how men behave or is it something that your father / other respected men in your life modelled as the "right and proper thing for men to do"?
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