Works Cited
Crook, Marion. The Body Image Trap: Understanding and Rejecting body image myths. North
Vancouver, B.C.: Self-Counsel Press, 1991. Print.
The Body Image Trap is book that explores society’s idea that thin is perfect. Crook
examines the psychological and social pressures from the media, family, ourselves and friends
that affects a person view on their appearance. Specifically, there are chapters in this book that
are dedicated to discussing, what is considered perfect, how the body image myth influences us,
why we accept the body image myth, , the weight prejudice people experience and chronology of
body image from early cultures to the twentieth century. Additionally, this book provides ways
in which people can accept their body and challenge the body image myth. This book was
written by Marion Crook. Marion Crook is a Canadian author born 1941 in New Westminster.
In her early years she worked as nurse in Canada and farmed, sheep and cattle
(www.marioncrook.com). Marion Crook later studied education and began researching and
studying problems faced by teenagers (www.marioncook.com). In this respect, this text is aimed
at both teenagers and older men and women to help them help themselves with accepting their
bodies. In this sense the book functions as a self-help book. This one of the main reasons I
choose to incorporate this material with my project. The book discusses both the issues with
body image and ways to combat this myth of the perfect body. It also provides a historical
perspective on body image. This is an important aspect of the book because it links in with
concept of the local and situated knowledge’s by highlighting the evolution of body image in the
past.
Grogan, Sarah. Body Image: Understanding Body Dissatisfaction In Men, Women, and Children.
London: Routledge, 1999. Print.
The book the Body Image: Understanding Body Dissatisfaction In Men, Women, and
Children discusses concepts around the idealization of slenderness. The book compares body
image issues in relation to age, social class ,ethnicity and sexuality. In this book Grogon states
that body image is affected by social factors and in this respect it is open to change through new
information (2-3). Additionally, the author states that body image is socially constructed and that
the western culture creates a narrow range of body shapes that are considered acceptable
(Grogon 3). Moreover, the book was written by Sarah Grogon a senior lecturer at Manchester
Metropolitan University. She has been published in many academic journals such as Body Image:
An International Journal of Research, Psychology and Health and British Journal of Health Psychology
(http://www.hpsc.mmu.ac.uk ). Most of the research she does focuses on body image
(http://www.hpsc.mmu.ac.uk). Based on the information stated in this book and based on Grogon being
a professor of psychology the main audience of this book are students from the disciplines sociology,
psychology, media and gender studies. The information stated in this book focuses on the influence of
western cultures ideology of beauty on other culture. It discusses different cultures, ethnicities and social
class perspectives on the body, which links concepts about local and situated knowledge’s being used
cause change and resistance.
Okoro, Enuma. "What actor Lupita Nyong'o can teach us about beauty." theguardian.com.
Guardian News and Media, 17 Jan. 2014. Web. 20 Jan. 2014.
<http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/17/lupita-nyongo-actress-colorismbeauty?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487>.
This source is an article written in online newspaper called the Guardian. It discusses the
issue of colorism and the conceptions of beauty in Hollywood. In particular the article states that
in Hollywood there is a tendency to obscure the beauty of dark skinned women (Okoro par 2). In
this respect the actor Lupita Nyong’o is a welcome sight in Hollywood especially for dark
skinned women (Okoro par 2). Moreover, the article discusses the internalization of racism and
its contribution to the Rwandan genocide (Okoro par 3). Stating that people have tendency to
associate light skin with worth as a result of western colonizers (Okoro par 3). Furthermore this
article was written by Enuma Okoro the author of Talking Taboo and Silence
(www.enumaokoro.com). Enuma Okoro was born in New York City and is a NigerianAmerican. She studied psychology, communications, theology and counseling
(http://enumaokoro.com). Based on the information presented in the article the intended
audience of this article is women. The article hopes to bring awareness about colorism and
internalized racism. In relation to the research being conducted for this research paper, the article
provides an outlook on the effects of the western ideology of beauty. It also depicts different
campaigns that are aimed at dealing with the issue of colorism which demonstrates different
societies working towards change and resistance.
Poulton, Terry. No Fat Chicks: How Women Are Brainwashed to Hate Their Bodies and Spend
Their Money. Toronto: Key Porter, 1996. Print.
This book questions the reasoning behind the body image myth. In particular the book
discusses how the weight loss industries manipulate the concept of beauty, turning prejudice into
profit and fat into gold (Poulton 9-231). The authors asserts that fat profiteers intentionally
poison the lives of women who do not fit the media’s idea of beauty in order to make profit. The
poisoning the body image by fat profiteers causes discrimination in employment, health care,
clothing, education and regulates them to a marginalized existence (Poulton 9-231). This book is
a great source for researching body image and capitalism. This article highlights the oppression
of people being used for profit and it is also in an act of itself a form of resistance against the
dominant ideology of beauty. The author’s background allows her to have insight into the issue
of body image. Terry Poulton is a journalist in Canada and the United States, she has written for
both the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star. Additionally Poulton has often written on the
topic of obesity and her own personal life long struggle with body image. In this regards the
audience for her book is women, men, and students. The information presented in this book
relates to the use of stories as a way of causing change and using a situated knowledge’s to
resist.
Rajesh, Monisha. "India's unfair obsession with lighter skin." The Guardian. Guardian News and
Media, 15 Aug. 2013. Web. 20 Jan. 2014.
<http://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2013/aug/14/indias-dark-obsession-fairskin>.
This article assess the effect of India’s obsession with fair skin. The article discusses
three major points about the obsession with fair skin. The first one is that skin colour in India is
used as a part of the caste system. Additionally, the article suggests that Indian actors or
actresses who endorse skin lightening feed into the ideology that only light skinned women can
be successful. Lastly the article states that India is very racist for endorsing skin lightening. The
article makes these points by discussing the experiences of Bollywood actress Nandita Das in
the Bollywood industry. In addition, the article also talks about campaigns against the skin
lightening and campaigns that promote acceptance of dark skinned women. In this sense this
article is promoting awareness and resistance through its depiction of Nandita Das experience in
the Bollywood industry. Furthermore, the author of this article is Monisha Rajesh a features
writer and author of Around India in 80 days, she was born in England (www.goodreads.com).
The intended audience of this article is women, men and Bollywood actors and actresses. This is
based on the articles attempt to bring awareness about the issue of skin whitening and naming
actors who support skin whitening creams. Moreover, the article is and good example of the
issue of beauty on a global scale, it provides resistance by showing how a Bollywood actress
accepts her skin color.