2008 Woodie Awards
Models create fake image
Shaun Logan
Issue date: 7/24/08 Section: Opinion
Women spend billions of dollars nationally to get the right make-up, a $400 pair of sunglasses or that prada handbag they feel they have to own so they can look like and identify with the models portrayed on television and in magazines.
Self-image, whether it comes from celebrities, magazines or television paints a picture for women of how they are supposed to be.
Girls get led to believe that they have to be skinny, large breasted model types in order to get noticed in the real world.
The standard portrayed by these media has caused many physical and emotional problems for women.
Some develop eating disorders in their quest to lose weight even though they may not even need to.
Low self esteem and depression are also somewhat common among girls that don't feel they measure up because they are slightly overweight or unable to achieve that facial look of a supermodel.
This information has become common knowledge for most, but I believe men are exposed to many of the same issues.
Most people at a young age form their identity by what they wear or the music they listen to. Men and women create ideas of how they are supposed to be through their exposure to ideas on television and in magazines.
The average reader of most men's fitness magazines are slightly overweight, underachieving males who are looking for a ways to improve upon themselves.
Only a small percentage of those who read these types of magazines are in shape or financially well off.
As you flip through the pages of Men's Health, Maxim or GQ, you will see pictures of the ideal male.
They seem to have the perfect set up: six pack abs, perfect skin and ironically seated on the deck of their yacht sipping cristal champagne with their beautiful girlfriend.
The ads in these magazines vary, but they all seem to imply that you need their product to become a better person.
You will see at least ten ads in any of these magazines that are for muscle building or weight loss supplements that promote the idea that if you are not in shape, you are less of a man.
Turn the page and there will be ads for hair loss products that show charts implying that if you don't have a full head of hair women wont want to be around you.
The last and most absurd ads that are toward the back of men's magazines are the sexual enhancement or penile enlargement pills.
They show "testimony" from women stating that if their man didn't take these awesome pills to improve his sexual performance and enlarge his penis, they would never be with them.
So while it has often been pointed out that women's magazines are traumatizing to women, men's magazines are just as bad.
They let me and the average male know that if we aren't buff, with a full head or hair, sporting a huge penis and driving a Mercedes, we just don't measure up. Oh the depression.
Self-image, whether it comes from celebrities, magazines or television paints a picture for women of how they are supposed to be.
Girls get led to believe that they have to be skinny, large breasted model types in order to get noticed in the real world.
The standard portrayed by these media has caused many physical and emotional problems for women.
Some develop eating disorders in their quest to lose weight even though they may not even need to.
Low self esteem and depression are also somewhat common among girls that don't feel they measure up because they are slightly overweight or unable to achieve that facial look of a supermodel.
This information has become common knowledge for most, but I believe men are exposed to many of the same issues.
Most people at a young age form their identity by what they wear or the music they listen to. Men and women create ideas of how they are supposed to be through their exposure to ideas on television and in magazines.
The average reader of most men's fitness magazines are slightly overweight, underachieving males who are looking for a ways to improve upon themselves.
Only a small percentage of those who read these types of magazines are in shape or financially well off.
As you flip through the pages of Men's Health, Maxim or GQ, you will see pictures of the ideal male.
They seem to have the perfect set up: six pack abs, perfect skin and ironically seated on the deck of their yacht sipping cristal champagne with their beautiful girlfriend.
The ads in these magazines vary, but they all seem to imply that you need their product to become a better person.
You will see at least ten ads in any of these magazines that are for muscle building or weight loss supplements that promote the idea that if you are not in shape, you are less of a man.
Turn the page and there will be ads for hair loss products that show charts implying that if you don't have a full head of hair women wont want to be around you.
The last and most absurd ads that are toward the back of men's magazines are the sexual enhancement or penile enlargement pills.
They show "testimony" from women stating that if their man didn't take these awesome pills to improve his sexual performance and enlarge his penis, they would never be with them.
So while it has often been pointed out that women's magazines are traumatizing to women, men's magazines are just as bad.
They let me and the average male know that if we aren't buff, with a full head or hair, sporting a huge penis and driving a Mercedes, we just don't measure up. Oh the depression.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Sweeterex
posted 10/21/08 @ 10:56 PM PST
Models create fake image this is true. Every body men & women are more concern in their looking, smartness and always touch with latest fashion especially teenagers. (Continued…)
SJS
posted 11/28/08 @ 1:32 AM PST
I really like your closing lines which say that - It all works out in the end.
wu yi tea
posted 1/04/09 @ 12:32 PM PST
Well said. What's worse is that many of these models are airbrushed and Photoshopped.... which makes our standards of beauty pretty unrealistic and unobtainable. (Continued…)
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