As we all are aware of, the media sets extremely high expectations of the ‘perfect body” image. The perfect body is typically targeted towards young females. The media couldn’t be anymore false and the people couldn’t be anymore misled. Such ideas and images are very damaging to the developing minds of young teenagers. The perfect body is not a natural one, and doesn’t come with ease. The seed planted in girls minds is that they are not beautiful unless they match their favorite celebrity, and this thought alone, could potentially bring a lot of harm. In the end, their bodies aren’t left as perfect as they had thought.
The biggest concern here is obviously health, and the damage that can be done to the human body. Fighting yourself in a losing game to be unnaturally skinny is very dangerous, especially for teenagers. Nobody has a high enough metabolism to keep them “tooth-pick” thin. The events that take place in order to fit this mold, can often lead to an eating disorder. Starvation dieting, anorexia, and bulimia actually CAN be prevented. Only as long as the idea to be unnaturally perfect is kept away from one’s mind. That is the thought that starts it all. Perfection includes a strong and healthy body. So clearly, the perfect body is far from what it seems to be.
Another high risk factor competing with the perfect body is self esteem. National study shows that on a scale of 1-10, the average teenager’s (13 years) confidence level is sadly only 1.2. When teenagers see the hype of celebrities and the way the media displays them, it does everything but make them feel good about themselves. The self esteem among young adults is low enough, so why seek to deaden it completely? It is stars like Demi Lovato, and Queen Latifa that keep hope alive. They aren’t tiny, but they still are beautiful and have the true meaning of a perfect body. They don’t make people feel bad about themselves, unlike the perfect image of the media.
The last reason among many proving the media’s perfect body image is disgraceful is because it’s a waste of money. You didn’t think your perfect body was going to come cheap, did you? Along with the perfect body, come the products. Maybelline, Neutrogena, and Mac are all examples. Most teens experience at least one case of acne in their early years. Unfortunately, acne isn’t considered perfect. The media knows what its after, and it knows exactly how to get it. Let me guess, these words are somewhat familiar to you, right? “You want clear skin? Then you’ve just GOT to try this!” Have you ever fell prey to these words? I bet you have. Not only do the media want you to feel bad, but they want you to pay for it.
In conclusion, it is obvious that the perfect body turns out to be not so perfect, at all. Not only is it very harmful, and degrading, but the media is a scam. Nobody has the right to single anybody out of a crowd and make them feel anything less than beautiful. From, getting someone sick, to lowering their self esteem, to making them pay the price for it, the media is in no place to do what it does. Models need to get out from behind the camera and let a real person take their place, because healthy and happy with who you are, is the real definition of perfect.