A young girl sits at her desk as she stares at the television in front of her. ‘Why can’t I look like them?’ She ponders as she squeezes her stomach and stares at the mirror critiquing her every imperfection. Quite often, teens feel that a number on a scale determines their worth.  Today, the youth spends more time criticizing and shaming one’s self than celebrating the wonderful qualities they contain.  Low self esteem is becoming an epidemic among youth as they are consistently subject to unrealistic lives of strangers. The promotion of the thin ideal in the culture has lead to a situation where the majority of women dislike what they see in a mirror. Therefore, perceptions of self-acceptance need to be enforced to adolescents due to the constant negative messages sent by models, social media, and photoshop.

To begin, adolescents are bombarded with images of attractive models, thus causing a damaged self-image. Susan Albers, a psychologist, believes that the constant exposure to thin looking celebrities plays a role in the formation of self image issues, believes “If a woman has a predisposition for an eating disorder and spends a lot of time looking at fashion magazines, this can be a factor that triggers feeling bad about her body, which she then turns into eating disorder behavior, like excessive dieting” (Hellmich). The country should use more positive images in the media, instead of promoting consistently dieting celebrities. Exorbitantly thin models feed lies to the gullible youth, by making them believe the body 5% of women have naturally is their expected body type (Roberts). Now, a near 70% of girls between the ages 11 and 17 claim that their image of a perfect body comes from models (Pearson). Most girls are unaware of all the effort that goes into photoshoots and are easy prey to feeling worthless. Nada Stotland, professor of psychiatry at Rush Medical College states “scientists know seeing super-thin models can play a role in causing anorexia” (Hellmich). If models who in many cases serve as influences to the youth, were of a larger weight more females would begin to accept their perfect, normal selves. Furthermore, it was discovered that the difference between a weight of the constantly idealized model and the average American woman has increased 15% from 1975 to 2016 (Bahadur). A noticeable difference from the weight of a woman previously and the type of beauty worshipped today. Some may agree with Kelly Cutrone, owner of a worldwide fashion chain, that thin models look the best in her clothes and “If there is a girl who is bigger than a 4, she is not going to fit the clothes... Clothes look better on thin people. The fabric hangs better” (Hellmich). Despite this, plus sized models, such as Leona Palmer, agree that plus sized models do not have to change - it is the industry. Palmer believes ‘If [she] had been growing up and seen someone who looked like [her] in a magazine, it would have changed [her] life’ (Pearson). Arising the question - is better- looking advertisements justified for the impact on self esteem?  In today’s world, everyone wants to change to look like a model, while doing this someone often forgets the value of acceptance.

Likewise, social media is negatively impacting adolescent’s image of themselves. Let it be explained that, “social media creates an environment where disordered thoughts and behaviors really thrive” (Dove). For girls who have a tendency toward perfection, they may see images of thinness as advertising success, therefore “validation” online can falsely fill the need for acceptance. Mysko, a recognized author about body image issues, explains, “...there is this feeling of wanting to be accepted” (Pearson). If images of body acceptance and plus sized role models replaced the constant negative claims those interpreting the advertisements might feel change is not necessary. The media makes it increasingly difficult for someone with an eating disorder to recover with the constant talk regarding weight loss and new diets. Moreover, The University of Stafford, decided to conduct a study of social media’s impact on self esteem and anxiety. What was discovered is that 50% of 298 social media using teens said that their “use of social networks makes their lives worse” (Bahadur). Social media using adolescents witness “pictorial perfection” on their feed, leading them to feel depressed about their own lives for not being as exciting. It might seem that the edited pictures posted online may offer inspiration or goals for those who view the pictures. However, what young adults see on social media make them question their own abilities/appearance. Due to impossible standards, 80% of 10 year olds have been on diets and 70% of children ages 6-12 would like to lose weight (Roberts). Overall, the excessive social media creates an environment that leads to a majority feeling terrible about their bodies.

Following this, the usage of photoshop by advertisements makes teens believe their bodies are flawed. The media encourages youth to fear curves, cellulite, acne, and scars. Photoshopped images makes teens strive for a unachievable shape. In a 2014 survey, 75% of females and 50% of males edit pictures prior to posting them online (Menza). Additionally, when psychology major Yvonne Igodan was questioned as to how she felt about the thin ideal, she claimed “The better technology gets, the worse our perception of beauty becomes...they Photoshop the models so much to the point they are no longer real humans” (Jones).

Furthermore, Lady Gaga, in response to her recent photoshopped Glamour magazine cover wants “to see the change on [magazine] covers... When the covers change, that’s when culture changes” (Vaginosis). Celebrities agree photoshop negatively-impacts beauty standards and should be unutilized. Admittedly, as said by model, Katie Kenny, “just like a song writer can go back and edit his or her work, a photographer might go back and edit/retouch a photograph. Retouching is part of the art” (Robinson). However, Michael Graupmann, author of  “Photoshop on the Chopping Block” writes, “perhaps it is time for a refresher course for the media of what Photoshop was created for originally: bringing a subject more into focus, not creating works of fiction” (Diller). The media by saying an already stunning women needs technology to be “enhanced” makes normal girls follow in this belief. Retouching pictures causes teens increasingly low self-esteem. Despite this: industries refuse to stop practicing it. Instead, society needs to implement ideas in younger generations to explain the advertisement’s inaccuracy, the countless different body types, and how being healthy is superior to spending life obsessing for an unnatural body shape.

Overall, without messages of  self love, teens will still be among the 98% of women who admit to not feeling comfortable with their bodies (Dove). Without confidence, teens will lack the motivation necessary for success. Historically, women such as Mae West, The Gibson Girl, and most famously Marilyn Monroe were celebrated for their natural sizes, instead of believing thin is a main goal in life. The social belief on elegance needs to change, before future generations will live in a world of negativity. Teens need to appreciate themselves amidst the superficial world as they are bombarded with size 0 models, unrealistic media photos, and photoshopped images. Basically, girls are not born hating their bodies, society tells them to.