In Pursuit of Thinness
By Susan Chisholm
University of Victoria
1.
Throughout history and through a cross-section of cultures, women have
transformed their appearance to conform to a beauty ideal. Ancient Chinese
aristocrats bound their feet as a show of femininity; American and European women
in the 1800s cinched in their waists so tightly, some suffered internal damage; in
some African cultures women continue to wear plates in their lower lips, continually
stretching the skin to receive plates of larger size. The North American ideal of
beauty has continually focused on women's bodies: the tiny waist of the Victorian
period, the boyish figure in vogue during the 1920’s “flapper era”, and the voluptuous
curves that were the measure of beauty between the 1930s and 1950s.
2.
Current standards emphasize a toned, slender look, one that exudes fitness,
youth, and health. According to psychologist Eva Szekely, "Having to be attractive at
this time . . . means unequivocally having to be thin. In North America today,
thinness is a precondition for being perceived by others and oneself as healthy."
However, this relentless pursuit of thinness is not just an example of women trying to
look their best, it is also a struggle for control, acceptance and success.
3.
In attempting to mold their appearance to meet the current ideal, numerous
women are literally starving themselves to death. According to Comerci, the
incidence of eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, has "doubled
during the last two decades." This increase is no longer limited to women in their
teens and twenties, but is increasingly diagnosed in female and male patients in their
thirties and forties. Comerci adds, "No doubt, the current socio-cultural emphasis on
thinness and physical fitness as a symbol of beauty and success has contributed to
this age distribution."
4.
One of the negative psychological side effects associated with eating
disorders is the patient's distortion of their own body image. Murray defines body
image as "the picture a person has in his mind of his own body, that is, the way his
body appears to him." For the anorexic, this distortion is exaggerated: the patient
feels fat even while emaciated. However, many women who are caught up in the
relentless pursuit of thinness also experience some degree of disturbed body image.
The experiences and practices of women who "simply diet" are not radically different
from those who are diagnosed with eating disorders. For some women, achieving
the "perfect" body form becomes the most important goal in life.
5.
Men are not entirely freed from such social pressures. Researchers at
Harvard University Medical School conducted a study based on information obtained
from a mental health survey of nearly 9,000 adults across the U.S. The new data
suggests that up to 25 percent of adults with eating disorders are male. Whether that
figure indicates that more men are becoming eating disordered, or that men
previously escaped attention and diagnosis, or that diagnostic tools have improved
and are now catching people who would have escaped detection before has yet to
be determined. Preliminary information suggests that men are more concerned
about appearance and body image than they were in the past. Living in a culture
fixated on diets and physical appearance is also a risk factor. Male underwear
models and men participating in reality show makeovers lead other males to
compare themselves with these so-called Ideal body types as do ads for male skin
and hair care products. Weight loss and workout programs, as well as cosmetic
surgery procedures, whose goal is chiseled muscularity, can lead to the same sort of
body dissatisfaction that afflicts women who read fashion magazines and watch
movies and TV shows featuring "perfect" people.
6.
Feelings about body are closely related to a woman's sense of self. Orbach
has stated that the "body is perceived as acceptable or unacceptable, providing a
foundation for self-concept." It is alarming, then, that Kilbourne reports almost 80% of
women think they're overweight. Freedman adds that body image has very little to do
with the way a person actually looks; many women who appear to fit the ideal body
type are actually dissatisfied with their appearance. Women with perfectly normal
bodies see themselves as being heavy; so that the definition of "normal" becomes
inaccurate and this perceived normalcy is represented by a very small percentage of
women. It follows that if body image is so closely linked to self-image, it is important
for women to learn to feel comfortable with the body they live in, despite any
"imperfections". Freedman adds that consistently aiming for perfection is a "selfdefeating goal that only sets you up for failure."
7.
According to Szekely, all evidence indicates that "our sense of our bodies
develops in the process of learning, and these are social processes, not psychobiological ones given at birth." So why is it that during this process of development
so many women become dissatisfied, self-critical, and judgmental about their own
bodies? One of the reasons may have to do with the media and various forms of
advertising. Kilbourne points out that ads sell more than just products; they present
an idea of normalcy, who we are and who we should be. Advertising is a major
vehicle for presenting images and forming attitudes. The majority of ads incorporate
young, beautiful, slender models to present their products and services. While
individual ads may not be seen as a big issue, it is the cumulative, unconscious
impact that has an effect on attitudes toward women, and on women's attitudes
toward themselves.
8.
As women are consistently exposed to these feminine forms thorough both
print and television, it becomes difficult to distinguish what is normal, and even more
difficult not to compare themselves to this form. It is not just women who judge
themselves, but also men who begin to liken these models to the women in their own
lives and then make comparisons. Kilbourne adds that advertising creates an
"ultimate standard of worth, so that women are judged against this standard all the
time, whether we choose to be or not."
9.
Kilbourne condemns that “standard” expressed throughout the media. She
says there seems to be a "particular contempt these days for women who are fat or
are in any way overweight . . . above all, we're supposed to be very thin." Szekely
argues that this notion of the ideal body that is propagated by the popular media can
be linked with economic organizations whose profit is solely gained through products
that enhance this image. The images that are presented in advertising are designed
to create an illusion, a fantasy ideal that will keep women continually consuming.
Advertisers are well aware of the insecurities that most women feel about their own
bodies. Orbach agrees and states that the influential power of the diet, fashion,
cosmetic and beauty industries and their advertising strategies target this, their
"profits are sustained on the enormity of the body insecurity."
10.
The effect of many current advertising methods is that the "body is turned into
a thing, an object, a package," according to Kilbourne. In many ads, bodies are
separated into individual parts: legs, breasts, thighs, waists; the result is that the
body becomes separated from the woman. It then becomes acceptable for the
woman's body to be scrutinized. Women's bodies receive large amounts of attention
and comment and are a "vehicle for the expression of a wide range of statements,”
adds Orbach. Judgments may be made and opinions may be formed about a woman
by her appearance alone. A woman who is judged as overweight is often thought of
as a woman with little self-control. This type of generalization occurs on a daily basis,
by both men and women, and it affects the way we behave towards one another.
11.
Our preoccupation with appearance affects much more than the image that is
presented on the outside. Feelings toward our own appearance affect the choices
we make and the goals we pursue; "more than ever, it seems we are constricted by
beauty standards," in Freedman’s words. The recent emphasis on fitness, youth,
beauty and thinness has caused many women to try harder than ever to attain the
current body ideal. The tremendous increase in plastic surgery operations, such as
liposuction, breast implants, tummy tucks, and face-lifts attest to the extreme
adjustments that many women feel they must make in order to attain the body ideal,
in turn making positive adjustments to their own self-esteem. Szekely argues, "One
object of women's hard work which, potentially is also a means of their success, is
the body . . . women have been given the message that their efforts in improving and
perfecting their bodies would be rewarded by success" on both a social and
professional level. With that thought in mind, women have come to relate to their
bodies "as their objects/tools/weapons in the marketplace of social relations," in
Orbach’s terms.
12.
Perhaps a woman's ability to control her own body size and weight can be
seen as a metaphor, a substitution for control that may be lacking in other areas of
her life. While women continue to struggle for equality on an economic scale and
within their relationships, they still maintain control over their own bodies. It is
important that women begin to accept themselves for who they are, regardless of
their body type, and to feel comfortable with the body they live in. Orbach warns
women will only be setting themselves up for failure if they continue to pursue the
"elusive, eternally youthful body beautiful." Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating
Disorders, Inc. adds that it is important to remember that eating disorders in males,
as well as in females, can be treated, and people of both genders do recover. Almost
always, however, professional help is required.
Questions
1.
What do the examples in the introduction illustrate?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. The ideal appearance of today is (different from / similar to) the beauty ideal of the
1930s. Nowadays to be thin in North America signifies being (boyish/ healthy).
3. Why do many women eat so little, that they endanger their health? Complete the
sentence. They are trying to _______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. Paragraph 3: Why do eating disorders affect middle-aged women?
Complete the sentence:
Eating disorders increasingly affect middle-aged women as a result of ______
______________________________________________________________
5. True / False
Only people who are diagnosed with eating disorders experience a distortion of their body
image.
Quote from the text to support of your answer:
_________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
7. a. What are the new and unexpected results of the study carried out by researchers at
Harvard University Medical School?
_________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
b. List THREE possible reasons for these results:
i. ________________________________________________________
ii. ________________________________________________________
iii. ________________________________________________________
7. According to the new study, men ARE / ARE NOT subject to social pressures and they
have become MORE / LESS concerned about appearance and body image than they had
been in the past.
8. According to paragraph 6, there is a (strong/ weak) connection between the body image
and how the person really looks.
Copy from the text to support your choice
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
9. What is the recommendation given to women in paragraph 6?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
10. Does a single advertisement have a harmful effect on women’s perception of
themselves
Yes/No
Copy from the text to support your answer:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
11. Paragraphs 8: Who or what promotes the image of the ideal feminine body?
a. ____________________________
b. ____________________________
c. ____________________________
12. Business corporations are also interested in promoting ______________________ for
women. Why? __________________________________________________________.
13. a. What is the social implication of being overweight?
Complete the sentence:
It is considered that an overweight woman usually has _________________.
b. Could a person’s overweight damage his/her chances during a job interview? Yes / No
14. In paragraph 11, the writer says, “With that thought in mind.”
What thought is he referring to?
_________________________________________________________________________
15. What was the writer’s purpose in writing this article?
a. to warn people of the dangers of eating disorders
b. to warn people of the negative cumulative impact of advertisements on
women attitude towards their weight.
c. to call attention to the harmful effects inherent in our educational system
d. to discourage people from following blindly culturally prescribed and
unattainable ideals
Connectors Practice
1. a. Find a connector of addition in paragraph 2. __________________
b. What other connector from this group do you know? __________________
2. a. Find a connector of exemplification in paragraph 3. ____________________
b. Use this connector in your own sentence.
___________________________________________________________________
3. a. Find a connector of contrast in paragraph 4. _____________________
b. What are the three synonyms of this connector?
________ _________ _________
4. a. What connector in paragraph 5 means the same as “result in”? ________________
b. What other connectors with the same meaning do you know? _________________
_____________________________________________
5. a. What connector in paragraph 7 means the same as “whereas”? _________________
b. Write your own sentence using this connector.
____________________________________________________________________
6. a. What connector in paragraph 8 means the same as “since”? _______________
b. What relationship does it show? ___________________
c. What other connectors showing the same relationship do you know?
_____________________________________________________________________
Vocabulary exercise
I. Figure out the meaning of the following words as they are used in the text. Use your
knowledge of word formation and parts of speech.
1. precondition (paragraph 2) ____________________
2. figure (paragraph 5) ______________________
3. inaccurate (paragraph 6) ______________________
4. imperfections (paragraph 6) ____________________
5. self-defeating (paragraph 6) ____________________
6. unconscious (paragraph 7) _____________________
7. insecurities (paragraph 9) ______________________
8. target (paragraph 9) _______________________
9. regardless (paragraph 12) ____________________
II. Study the meanings of the following words as they are used in the text:
Paragraph 1:
transform
conform
Paragraph 2:
emphasize
Paragraph 3:
attempt
literally
Paragraph 4:
side effects
distortion
Paragraph 6:
perceive
foundation
Paragraph 7:
impact
Paragraph 8:
distinguish
Paragraph 9:
condemn
enhance
Paragraph 11:
adjustment
attain
Paragraph 12:
substitution
maintain
III. Answer the following questions.
1. What behavior does society usually condemn?
_____________________________________________________________________
2. How do you perceive yourself?
_____________________________________________________________________
3. What side effects do antibiotic pills have?
_____________________________________________________________________
4. Why do people usually conform to the social rules and norms?
_____________________________________________________________________
5. What goals do you attempt to attain?
_____________________________________________________________________
6. What should be emphasized during the English lessons?
_____________________________________________________________________
7. Is it possible to distinguish between two identical twins?
_____________________________________________________________________
8. How can you maintain good marks at college?
_____________________________________________________________________