Writing your Story
Writing Your Story
Kalika D. Peterson
CMC/240
3/10/14
Donna Rossi
Today’s society, the media has succeeded in brainwashing the world . Things like, “Thin is in” “fat is out”, “eat this”, “ your beautiful if you look like this”, the list goes on and on. From the media, to weight loss company, magazine articles and cosmetic lines, they all want women to take their advice because of course they know what’s best for you as a woman, right?
Self-esteem, according to an article on the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) website entitled, “Self Esteem,” is appreciating one’s own worth and importance and having the character to be accountable for oneself and to act responsibly toward others. It is a confidence and satisfaction in oneself, and an absolute necessity (2001, pg. 1). The article also states that “nearly 1/3 of all Americans suffer from low self-esteem” (pg. 1). The media, specifically women’s fashion magazines, is increasingly being held for the self-esteem epidemic that plagues’ our society.
In almost every woman’s fashion magazine such as Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour are advice articles on dating and sex, weight loss and beauty. In fact, the subtitles for these articles are on almost every cover of every issue of these publications. However, these same magazines consistently put thin, attractive women on the cover of their magazines as well. Studying how these advice columns in women fashion magazines affect women will determine how often and to what extent women rely on these articles, therefore assisting in understanding the role communications and its mediums have on society.
Women’s fashion magazines demonstrate how a woman should look and act and therefore have been criticized for idolizing the thin, attractive female. An article in the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences (Ogle, 2003) entitled “An alternative voice amid teen ‘zines: An analysis of body related content in Girl Zone,”
Kalika D. Peterson
CMC/240
3/10/14
Donna Rossi
Today’s society, the media has succeeded in brainwashing the world . Things like, “Thin is in” “fat is out”, “eat this”, “ your beautiful if you look like this”, the list goes on and on. From the media, to weight loss company, magazine articles and cosmetic lines, they all want women to take their advice because of course they know what’s best for you as a woman, right?
Self-esteem, according to an article on the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) website entitled, “Self Esteem,” is appreciating one’s own worth and importance and having the character to be accountable for oneself and to act responsibly toward others. It is a confidence and satisfaction in oneself, and an absolute necessity (2001, pg. 1). The article also states that “nearly 1/3 of all Americans suffer from low self-esteem” (pg. 1). The media, specifically women’s fashion magazines, is increasingly being held for the self-esteem epidemic that plagues’ our society.
In almost every woman’s fashion magazine such as Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour are advice articles on dating and sex, weight loss and beauty. In fact, the subtitles for these articles are on almost every cover of every issue of these publications. However, these same magazines consistently put thin, attractive women on the cover of their magazines as well. Studying how these advice columns in women fashion magazines affect women will determine how often and to what extent women rely on these articles, therefore assisting in understanding the role communications and its mediums have on society.
Women’s fashion magazines demonstrate how a woman should look and act and therefore have been criticized for idolizing the thin, attractive female. An article in the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences (Ogle, 2003) entitled “An alternative voice amid teen ‘zines: An analysis of body related content in Girl Zone,”