Have you ever noticed that if you were feeling great about yourself, all you need to do is check out a copy of Vogue and you’re no longer quite so smiley? I have. And I just discovered that I’m not the only one, nor am I to blame for this. It’s actually what the magazine intended! No, really!
How it works is this: You look at a magazine. You see impossibly gorgeous women that all look alike in their unattainability. You subconsciously feel less-than because you know you could never look like this. Your subconscious has no idea that the images are FAKE and Photoshopped. You run to the nearest cosmetics counter or clothing store to buy a gallon of Maybelline concealer and Spanx.
Getting it now?
A study found that 3 minutes spent looking at a fashion magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed, guilty, and shameful. It doesn’t help that the average woman sees 400 to 600 advertisements per day.
With every issue of Elle, and every perfectly smooth-skinned model or celebrity we’ve seen in the latest fashion and beauty campaigns, we’re edging closer towards buying an anti-wrinkle cream that we’re probably ten years too young to be buying (and is full of toxins, but that’s another story), or worse, thinking of paying someone to jab you in the forehead with a needle. I’m no longer in denial, but how do we fight this?
For one, I’m not going to look at those magazines anymore. Now I read Rolling Stone, Organic Spa, Natural Health and Oprah (BTW – what’s up with Oprah always putting herself on the cover? How about at least putting her with someone else??) And I’m taking Hilary Rowland’s advice and buying my clothing on eBay. Vote for the change you want with your $$.
Over 24 million people suffer from some form of an eating disorders, and the root of these problems are often linked to rampant advertising that portray skinny, overly-bronzed, hyper-sexualized women as the ideal woman.
Read more: Digital Perfection (with lots of photos) and Warning: I’m Photoshopped
Tags: body image, photoshop, video
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