The idea of an ideal body in modern society

Looking back on the lives of children 50 years ago versus today, the difference between the two are significantly shown. Specifically within girlhood. Girls before did not have media, or any other forms of technology to dictate how they were supposed to look, or how they were supposed to dress. But in todays society, it is completely different. Many young girls, and women in today’s society are having a constant battle with their bodies. To them, the idea of a thin body is the norm, while a fat body is looked down upon. They get these ideas from the way women are portrayed in media, from the comments of other people, or from outside factors.

The women today are coming face to face with the pressures of society, making them want to achieve a certain body type, and to look a specific way. The ways in which women are taught to achieve these “ ideal” body types can be extreme, and women will do these things at any cost, even if that means starving their bodies throughout the day. From the day we are able to comprehend words, we are taught that our health, and the foods we eat daily should be our priority. But as we start to grow older, we begin to realize that the bodies we inhabit are not only to help us function in our day to day lives, or to get us from one place to another, but we start to learn that our bodies play a role in almost everything that occurs in our lives. As the young girl begins to grow into a young adult, they start to realize that their bodies are only objects. Women start to see that the only way to attract the attention of a male, is to have a desirable, and attractive body. They also start to believe that they would be more successful, and more likeable based on physical appearance. Women get judged daily on their physical appearance, which only reiterates that being thin, is something that everyone values. Women begin to start shaving their legs, buying provocative clothing, and wearing makeup, completely going against their typical appearance.

The idea of the ideal body gets engraved in females heads at a very young age, and the ways in which this affect them during their childhood, will only get worse as they grow up. To women, the appearance of their bodies, show the rank in how active you are. If you are thin, you eat healthy, and are very active. While if you have some weight, you are lazy, and eat unhealthy all the time.