The Media Effect: Male Body Image

The Media Effect: Male Body Image Many men and women are in the midst of a fight for that perfect body depicted by the media. In the UK the average man is 5ft 9ins tall and weighs 13.2st while the average woman is 5ft 3Â ½ins tall and weighs 11st (Whitlock, 2009). Researchers investigated the perception of ideal body weight in both men and women and found 38.3% of normal weight women thought they were overweight, while for men 32.8% who were overweight thought they were about the right weight or underweight. (Christakis, 2003) Men tend to see themselves as being thinner than they actually are and have a desire to become bigger (Mintz, 1986). A study of around 1000 men found that over 50% were unhappy with their bodies. They were asked to draw their ideal body and researchers found that the body ideal was so muscular it could only be achieved by using steroids. (Croft, 2009). Some Psychologists speculated that media influences shaped peoples idea of body size by presenting thinner women and bulkier men than average. (McCreary Sadava, Vol 2(2), Jul 2001). Studies by The Eating Disorders Association shows that around 1.15 million men and women in the UK suffer from an eating disorder with 61% of women feeling fat compared to the medias image of beautiful women. (National eating disorders Association). Another worrying thought is that most fashion models are thinner than 98% of American women (Smolak, 1996).As women are constantly surrounded by such models in TV adverts, magazines, news articles amongst other things; its not surprising that they find this level of thinness the ideal. Wiseman et al conducted a study on Cultural expectations of thinness in women. They found that the body measurements of playboy models for 1979 1988 were up to 19% below the average body weight for their age group. These findings were compared to an early study between 1959 and 1978 and found that body measurements had decreased while there was a significant increase in diet and exercise articles during this period suggesting that there is a link between to the two. (Wiseman, 2006) In studies on media and body image, most of the research is directed towards women. This means that men are often forgotten. As men are increasingly characterised by their body, I aim to highlight the effect of media on them. (Henwood, 2002), says that the media presents ideals for men as well as women. patterns of consumption, life style choices and media representation of men now often focus on mens appearance and the male bodymedia advertising routinely depicts in positive ways youthful toned muscular male bodies. Psychology Today readers completed questionnaires on body image in 1993 and found The muscle-bound body build was highly rated by men, while women preferred a medium, lightly muscled build in their ideal males. (Neimark, 2009) It seems that men are influenced by the media and not by real women. The use of men in media may have a substantial effect on the way males view themselves. A muscular toned body is being used in much the same way as the thinness ideal for women. Mens Health magazine is spilt into 6 subsections compromising of Fitness, Health, Weight loss, women, nutrition and grooming. This shows that males are being made to think that their weight is not ideal and to bulk up to look like the men portrayed in the magazines. On the mens health website, there are links to a new way to sculpt your abs and build the body you want on a back ground of a super toned males torso. (Moore, 2010) Attitude is the best selling gay magazine in Britain and is also distributed worldwide. (Gilmour, 2008) In the latest issue of the magazine, Gareth Thomas, a gay rugby player, is the front cover. He has huge leg muscles, a big chest, and muscular arms, making it seem that this is what men like, and so the readers will strive to become like this. (Attitude Homepage, 2010) It has been proposed that males have become more muscular and toned in an attempt to be more masculine. Soft and rounded is traditionally seen as the female ideal, while males are the opposite. So by working abdominal muscles to achieve the much desired six pack is an attempt to hold this masculine ideal. (Henwood, 2002) Studies into male body image have begun to show that men have as much displeasure with their shape as do women. This is not just found in the UK but all over the world. Pope el al (2000) found that men from France, US and Austria chose an ideal body shape that was heavier and more muscular than them. They also believed women preferred that body shape too. Women are willing to settle for their own mates appearance, accepting extra weight, even though their ideal male is different. Males are not as worried about being overweight as women, but more troubled by muscle mass, showing our cultural ideals of men. The muscly body build was preferred by men, while women liked a medium, lightly muscled build in their ideal males. (Neimark, 2009) The old ideal of maleness has been replaced. The New York Times writer Natalie Angier says that boys of school age are now being diagnosed of hyperactivity and having learning problems just by being a typical male. So as the behavioural ideal has changed so has the ideal male body. It is more muscular but also in contradiction, quite feminine. Schwartz conducts studies in America on gay men he says that the male body clean skinnedNo longer stiff and upright but sinuous representing the feminine side. (Blashill Vander Wala, 2009) Men are now exercising more than ever with around 8.5 million having a gym membership. The American Sports Data company found that those men with memberships spend a mean of 90.8 days a year in a gym. This could be linked to males trying to become what they believe women want, judging by how the average male is portrayed in the media. The gender gap in the way the media present the body has closed. The unattainable female bodies shown now have a male equivalent, the V shaped physiques of male models everywhere in todays media. George Gerbner the founder of the Cultivation Theory, which looks at whether the media has a long term effect on audiences, such as body image, said that what we see on TV and in magazines eventually becomes our standard of reality and desire. (Seed, 2006) Schooler and Ward measured the male real body discomfort due to media consumption. They found that by watching television it made men feel uncomfortable with their bodies. People see the same images over and over and start to believe its a version of reality, if those bodies are real and thats possible, but you cant attain it, how can you not feel bad about your own body? Mens bodies are being used more often to sell products. Dolce and Gabbanas (shttp://amandagore.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/dg-ad.jpg) ad contains 4 males with the V shaped body that has become so popular today. The male modelling for Jean Paul Gaultier in the advert for aftershave has a body most men are striving to achieve. He has very muscular figure and is topless in the picture. (http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/images/Le-Male-2009-Billboard-B.jpg). Men are spending more time and money on fragrances, facial creams and hair products. By presenting males in the media this way to sell products, males may believe if they take more care with their skin and buy all this products they will achieve the look of the airbrushed models. In this sense the media is endangering mens health by promoting these images, but will not stop willingly as the beauty industry has such high revenue. The big question is whether the media and our culture are truly to blame. Jeffrey Yang from Harvard University looked at the differences in body image in men from the west (Europe and America) against men from Asian countries. He found that men in Taiwan were satisfied with their bodies and had a lower use of steroids compared to men in the West. Also, unlike in the west, there were no Taiwanese magazines for fitness or bodybuilding. (Cromie, 2005) This seems to suggest that the media are to blame as there were no pictures of super fit males in magazines promoting exercise, and fewer men used drugs to achieve the figure desired. If someone has a poor body image, they might take steps to change their body, even if it taking potentially harmful substances. Anabolic Steroids are described as being any of a group of synthetic steroids or hormones used to stimulate muscle and bone growth; sometimes used illicitly by athletes to increase their strength by steroid.com (http://www.steroid.com/drugprof.php) Anabolic steroid abuse has been associated with a lot of side effects. Examples include acne, and breast development in males, which although unsightly are not severe. However other consequences of taking steroids can be life threatening such as heart attacks due to high cholesterol levels and liver cancer (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2006). Those who inject the drug also risk getting HIV ( InfoFacts: Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic), 2008). Is taking steroids to get a hench body worth it? The U.S. Census Bureau says there is a total population of around 301 million people. The National Centre for Education Statistics believes that of this 301 million, 16.5 million are school children between 9th and 12th grade. The Centre for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) says the percentage of students who admit to a lifetime steroid use was 4%. This means theres an estimated 660,000 students (14 to 17 years of age) whove admitted to steroid use. (ASA) Not to mention those unreported. This is a huge figure. Although this doesnt make a direct link with steroid abuse and the media, it can be inferred that these teenagers are taking steroids to get the body of the media male. Boys and men who are not happy with their body have been found to try and put weight in the form of muscle. (McReary Sasse, 2000) And steroids do this. The medias depiction of what is normal keeps getting for women and more muscular for men. Female models 25 years ago weighed only 8% less than average; currently the figures stand at around 23%. Male models are seeing similar things. In the past 25 years the media male has lost 12lb of fat but put on 27lb of muscle. (Body Image Website) With these ideal bodies represented in the media, its not surprising that males and females are turning to extreme measures to deal with their bodies. According to the ladies room, only 5% of women have the right genes to ever attain the Barbie shape. The body ideal for men is also almost unachievable, without illegal steroids and there is a limit to how much muscle a man can get naturally. (Tart, 2009) Although there is not a direct link between males body image and the media, it is implicated in many previous studies. Further research would be beneficial.

Brother Stories from the Holy Bible Essay -- Cain and Abel Jacob and E

When I was younger my brothers and I would fight over the attention and gratitude of my parents. From reading the Stories of brothers in the Bible I have discovered that brothers have been fighting ever since the beginning of time. Through the stories of Cain and Abel, and Jacob and Esau I have determined that Brothers stories are one of childhood ignorance and desire to obtain everything. Once adolescence has turned to adulthood, brothers seem to reform there ways toward each other due to the realization that you don’t need to have everything to obtain happiness. In book 4 of the Bible the first brother story takes place. It is one of deceit and competition over receiving better blessings from God. This is the story of Cain and Abel. Cain, being the older brother, felt that God was...

“Don’t worry, it’s a 20 minute drive!” – Creative Writing

It's 8. 40 and we've just got off the plane. It was the longest flight of our lives. With a three hour delay while we were stuck on the plane and then the luggage getting lost. My suitcase managed to get on a flight to Miami and my mums' to Barcelona! Sometimes I wonder, do the suitcases just sprout legs and go someplace they've never been before? We were tired and hungry. We had been awake for almost 20 hours at a stretch and were desperate to flop on to a soft bed and sleep! As we hurriedly looked around for a taxi to get us to our hotel, a tall, tanned lady walked up to my dad and asked him if he wanted to rent a car. Typically, my dad thought it was a good idea. You may not know this, but my family and I, have all experienced my dad's driving in a foreign city, and believe me it is no where close to good. So, amidst out cries of protest, my adamant dad marched up to the rent-a-car counter and asked for a people carrier. After standing around for another half hour, the lady showed us to a lift and told us our car would be waiting downstairs. We found that we had a bright green people carrier to drive around New York for the week that we were there. After moaning and groaning we all got in the car, and my dad ad started driving to the exit of the parking lot when he suddenly braked and started reversing back to the lift where the lady was still standing and waving. He had forgotten to ask for directions. He sat back in his seat mumbling about â€Å"turn right at the light, then take a U turn and head back east on the thru way. At exit 443 take a right and follow signs to the†¦ or was it turn right then left and then take a U turn? † My mum was already furious with my dad for agreeing to the idea of the car. Tight lipped, in her â€Å"this is so annoying† voice she asked my dad if he was sure of where he was going. Obviously no man likes to dmit he's not sure so in his very false voice he assured my mum that he was positive about where we were going and that the lady had told him its only a â€Å"20 minute drive† and â€Å"not to worry†. The lady couldn't have been more wrong. She obviously misjudged my dad and may have over-estimated him when she saw his international driving license. â€Å"Wroom, Wrooom†, the vehicle, startedas though we were about to begin a race. It was warmed up and all set to embark on the race against time. Our course was unknown and we had one of the slowest drivers of all time. Taking it at 5Km an hour, we took 20 minutes alone to get ut of the three-storey parking lot. How long was it going to take us to get to the hotel? When we eventually got on the road, my younger brother said he needed the toilet. As usual my mum taking charge asked my brother to wait 20 minutes while we got to the hotel, while giving my dad a very wary look. I think, having a mothers instinct she knew that stopping anywhere would just prolong this dreaded journey and we would all end up traipsing to bathroom and making an even bigger mess of ourselves. Luckily, my dad made a good guess and we turned on to the right road. It was usually my brother managed to get s to our planned destination, because my dad's sense of direction is as good as any bird that flies into a window. Tired of directing my dad during previous escapades like this, my brother had flat out refused to do any sort of map reading. After much driving on a straight, dimly lit road there was finally a lonesome turning to the right, which my dad decided to take. Obviously, our good luck had to run out at some point, and this was the time. We were on a nameless bridge which we later found out was the Brooklyn Bridge. It was now when my mother began panicking. We had been driving for 25 minutes already and there was still no ign of getting to Manhattan Island. While my mum was muttering to herself about how we wouldn't make it to the hotel in time and that they would cancel our booking, my dad just said that being on the bridge gave us a view of the beautiful city of New York at night. All we had left now was to â€Å"follow the signs and arrows. † The average person might ask, how difficult could it be to follow signs? Obviously, this hadn't had the experience of a lifetime: A car journey with my dad. So, driving along the Brooklyn Bridge, my brothers and I were taking my dads advice and were enjoying the view, when we made a very unexpected stop. We had just come to a tollbooth. Now, having arrived a mere hour ago we hadn't had the chance to acquire any spare change, so my dad had to reach into his secret money belt which was tucked under his shirt, and he pulled out 50 dollars. The man taking our money gave my dad a very shocked look as he gave back 48 dollars and 50 cents. Luckily, my dad had thought that it was a good idea to ask the man how to get to Manhattan Island. He told us to take the second exit on the left and then follow the signs. We did just that. Or we thought we did. I think it was because we weren't accustomed to the American accent; either that or the guy was trying to lead us into Harlem on purpose. Harlem is supposedly the most dangerous neighborhood in New York. At hearing the news, my mum became really hysterical; she kept yelling useless opinions like: â€Å"I told you not to get the car! Now were all going to get shot! Why do you have to put all our lives at stake? † My dad just raised his eyebrows and carried on driving. My brother was complaining that he was really desperate for the bathroom, and that just got my mum started again with things like: â€Å"Look at what you've done! We can't even stop any where because we're in HARLEM nd his bladders going to burst, and†¦. and†¦. † At this point I just blocked my mum out. Before we knew it, thanks to the well-lit signboard pointing us out of Harlem we were back on the Brooklyn Bridge. My mum calmed down, but only very slightly. Anything was appreciated at this time, because it was nearly 11. 30 and my brothers and I were dying with tiredness. My dad just kept driving. He was wide-awake. How? I don't know, but I had a fealing it may have had something to do with the 3 cups of coffee he had on the plane. Shockingly, we ended up at another tollbooth and asked directions. Again. After about 10 minutes of nodding, ointing and looking at the map, we were finally on our way. It was like Christmas come early when we reached a turn off. We were finally getting of the bridge! Suddenly, all our sleepiness left us. We were back to a wide-awake state and were all excited to finally be going somewhere. What seemed like 10 minutes later, we were getting out of the dreaded people carrier and were walking in to the hotel. The first thing my brother did was make a beeline for the bathroom. It seems amazing, that how ever many bad experiences we have with driving cars in foreign, and sometimes in not so foreign countries my dad never gives up.

Homosexuality and the Christian Faith - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1253 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/10/30 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Homosexuality Essay Did you like this example? Homosexuality has always been a controversial issue in many religions and is increasingly becoming more relevant in society. Throughout the past centuries, homosexuals would hide their sexual orientation to prevent the cruel punishments and ridicule that would result from openly accepting themselves to the public. Today, more people identify within the homosexual spectrum as society gradually becomes accepting of same-sex relationships and marriages. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Homosexuality and the Christian Faith" essay for you Create order However, religion is a factor that restricts the growth of homosexuality acceptance throughout the entire world. Homosexuality is often perceived to be taboo and an abomination to society in the eyes of many Christians. This causes a large divide between the two communities as both groups have conflicting views on the issue. Homosexuality and Christianity is divided due to the interpretations of Bible teachings, varying religious views on the matter, and the difficulty for one to be a part of both communities. Many people who are affiliated with Christianity are opposed to the idea of same-sex relationships due to the interpretation that it violates teachings in the Bible. David P. Gushee, a professor of Christian ethics at Mercer University, discusses the most-referenced bible verses regarding the Christian ban on homosexuality in Evangelical Christianity and how they are interpreted in Reconciling Evangelical Christianity with Out Sexual Minorities: Reframing the Biblical Discussion. There are six main verses that are used to reference the intolerance of homosexuality in Christianity: Genesis 1-2, Genesis 19, Leviticus 18:22, Matthew 19:1, Romans 1:26, and Corinthians 6:9 (Gushee 145). Evangelical Christians associate these verses with a male and female paradigm being the only acceptable form of relationship in society. The texts are often centered around sexual acts rather than relationships and offer harsh language towards the acts (Gushee 146). However, they do not relate to modern se xual identity and orientation. Gushee concludes his essay with the idea that many Evangelical Christians draw a moral line that causes people to be driven away from the church and God (Gushee 153). In The Bible on Homosexuality: Exploring Its Meaning and Authority, Kenneth A. Locke, a professor at Hsi Lai University, explains the importance the Bible has on morals for Christians, including homosexuality. The Bible is the fundamental resource for many Christians when it comes to inspiration and guidance. The Bible is still relevant because it can be related to life today, but still lacks information on social issues that are more prominent now than they were when the text was written (Locke 126). Locke also explains the biblical verses in relation to the historical and cultural context, discussing how many translated words are potential errors and how they can be interpreted in many ways. Many Christians can interpret biblical texts differently, causing some Christians to either oppo se or accept homosexuality. Another factor that causes a division between homosexuality and Christianity is the different views Christians have on homosexuality. Many Christians are taught to have certain beliefs on issues throughout society, including homosexuality, depending on who they are surrounded with and who they are raised by. Dawne Moon, a professor in the Department of Social and Cultural Sciences at Marquette University, discusses the different views religious Christians have towards homosexuality in Beyond the Dichotomy: Six Religious Views of Homosexuality. There are two main sides to the argument consisting of the belief that an individual is born homosexual, and the belief that sexual orientation can and should be changed (Moon 1216). However, Christian views can be further divided into homonegative, moderate, and homopositive. Homonegative Christians view homosexuality as sinful and an abomination while homopositive ones view it as good and just. Moderate Christians have both negative and posit ive views towards the issue (Moon 1218). The difference in views shows how there is no one universal belief regarding homosexuality in Christianity. There are many ways to disprove both arguments for and against homosexuality; therefore, a Christians view will be up to the individuals interpretation and beliefs. The varying views Christians have on homosexuality creates a division because there is not one common belief on the matter. It is often difficult for an individual to be both a Christian and homosexual. Typically, homosexuals are pushed away from Christianity due to differences in views on same-sex relationships and commonly-occurring discrimination. Nasrudin Subhi and David Geelan studied the effects Christianity has on current and former Christians who identify as homosexual in When Christianity and Homosexuality Collide: Understanding the Potential Intrapersonal Conflict. The survey conducted revealed that eighty percent of homosexuals who were affiliated with Christianity experienced conflict between the two communities (Subhi 1396). The conflicts between the two have affected the participants through high rates of depression, guilt, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and isolation (Subhi 1399). In the essay 1Cross + 3Nails = 4GVN: Compulsory Christianity and Homosexuality in the Bible Belt Panopticon, Bernadette Barton, a professor at the University of Kentucky, discusses homophobia and discrimination based on sexuality in a region where Christianity is the primary religion, the Bible Belt. The area consists of the West South Central, East South Central, and South Atlantic regions of the United States where Christianity dominates the majority of the population (Barton 72). Barton, a self-identified lesbian, discusses experiences where she was discriminated against for her sexual orientation and the Bible was used to justify it. She also includes a story of a homosexual man who knew he was same-sex attracted since the age of eleven but never came out due to the fear that he would be in danger and alienated from his family. Another story is also told of a woman who came out to her family who thought she had a devil within her that was causing her to be homosexual. Her family attempted to keep her captive in their house to have a preacher pray the homosexuality out of her (Barton 79). Bartons study of homosexuals in the Bible Belt shows that they are often placed in harmful situations where they are rejected from society completely or experience physical violence on the basis of their sexual identity. Individuals who identify within the homosexual spectrum experience difficulty when it comes to accepting their sexuality and Christianity as one and are typ ically forced to choose one over the other. This is due to the difference in beliefs on homosexuality and the dangers and discrimination that accompanies the sexual orientation. The divide between homosexuality and Christianity is caused by the interpretations of biblical teachings, the difference in views, and the difficulty for an individual to be both a Christian and a homosexual. The issue is becoming more prevalent in society as more people are becoming more comfortable publicly identifying with their sexual orientations. The division between homosexuality and Christianity may persist in the future as the belief of whether homosexuality is morally acceptable is at the discretion of the individual. Works Cited Barton, Bernadette. 1CROSS 3NAILS = 4GVN: Compulsory Christianity and Homosexuality in the Bible Belt Panopticon. Feminist Formations, vol. 23, no. 1, 2011, pp. 70â€Å"93, muse-jhu-edu.libweb.lib.utsa.edu/article/429860. Accessed 24 Sept. 2018. Gushee, David P. Reconciling Evangelical Christianity with Our Sexual Minorities: Reframing the Biblical Discussion. Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, vol. 35, no. 2, 2015, pp. 141â€Å"158, muse-jhu-edu.libweb.lib.utsa.edu/article/603262. Accessed 24 Sept. 2018. Locke, Kenneth A. The Bible on Homosexuality. Journal of Homosexuality, vol. 48, no. 2, Sept. 2005, pp. 125â€Å"156, www-tandfonline-com.libweb.lib.utsa.edu/doi/pdf/10.1300/J082v48n02_07?needAccess=true. Accessed 29 Sept. 2018. Moon, Dawne. Beyond the Dichotomy: Six Religious Views of Homosexuality. Journal of Homosexuality, vol. 61, no. 9, Oct. 2014, pp. 1215â€Å"1241, www-tandfonline-com.libweb. lib.utsa.edu/doi/abs/10.1080/00918369.2014.926762. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018. Subhi, Nasrudin, and David Geelan. When Christianity and Homosexuality Collide: Understanding the Potential Intrapersonal Conflict. Journal of Homosexuality, vol. 59, no. 10, 1 Nov. 2012, pp. 1382â€Å"1402, www-tandfonlinecom.libweb.lib.utsa.edu/doi/abs/10.108000918369.2012.724638. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.