Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who\u27s the Thinnest of Them All?

Societal standards of feminine beauty are presented in all forms of popular culture, thus bombarding women with images that portray what our society considers to be the “ideal body type.” These images, as seen on the cover of magazines, in popular films and in all forms of web and print advertising, are consistently depicted and easily described with one word: skinny. The regular use of unnatural, unhealthy and unrealistic models sends the implicit message that in order for a woman to be beautiful, she must attain this ultra-thin physique. Such adulation of these images encourages women to sacrifice their health in order to be considered attractive by societal standards. Today we live in a world in which “healthy” is defined as “skinny” and “skinny” has morphed from a physical characteristic into a lifestyle. This paper examines the answers to questions: “What is this ‘thin-ideology’ that all women strive to achieve?,” “How has popular culture effected the ability of women to properly perceive a healthy body weight?” and “How far are women willing to go to reach these unrealistic standards?” This paper highlights the transformation of the way in which women are viewed as our cultural perceptions have taken a risky turn from a celebration of uniqueness to a pressured life filled with attempts to fit an unhealthy mold. Finally this paper calls for the need for combative work against these harmful messages and our societal need to redefine “healthy” in the context of our “skinny obsession.