Course Assistant Introduction

Hi everyone!

My name is Cola! I guess I’ll start by telling you a little bit about myself. I am a senior here at IUP. I am a double major in Nursing and Psychology. I love to read, write, and cook. I am a very straight forward person and I speak my mind at all times.

I am really looking forward to working with you all this semester. Though I have never done this, I look at everything as a learning experience, and feel we will all learn from one another. In no way do I feel that I am an expert on this class, (that’s what we have Marlen for;p )I am mainly here to help in anyway I can, offer advise, or whatever else I can assist you in. Sometimes all you need is an ear, and I’ll be that.

So, in closing, I just want to say that I am really looking forward to this semester, and I cant wait to meet you all!!! TTYL

P.S. Take a look at my posts from class.

Add a comment August 21, 2009

Transition

I think that my research paper was a good start into the background for my novel. Since this is something that i have previously worked on, the research I have done has allow for a whole new aspect for the finished novel.

I am taking what i have learned from my original research and molding my characters, both their viewpoints and the way that they look. When I concluded my research paper, I spoke about wanting someone to take a stand, that is what the characters in my novel are going to be doing.

 

1 comment April 16, 2008

Blog #10

After my feedback, i know I definately need to change my format, state my research questions more clearly, and probably arganize the information better so that it flows, even with headings.

Add a comment April 16, 2008

Blog # 9

I think that two strengths of my paper are the facts as well as my voice. I took what I was learning and tried to put it in a way that i felt my audience would relate to and be interested in. I think that the addition of my own personal experiences makes the piece more believable and attention grabbing.

Two weakness would be my formating and lack of results. I have yet to reeive my results from everyone so that part of the paper is missing. I also know that my formatting is horrible. I need to definately go back and fix that. I will probably have a much better paper once the formatting is changed.

I want to change a few thing I think. I like my voice, but I want more quotes from people who have done more research. I think that my original research is something that is realling bringing my paper together. My audience is the same as those that I surveyed, so to hear their voices as well as mind helps to drive my pint across.

 

Add a comment April 16, 2008

Finally finished!!!!

Introduction

Everywhere we look, we are bombarded with new and up-and-coming fashion, but why is every new design hung on a tall, willowy, size 6 model, when the typical American woman is a short, curvy, size 14, housewife (cottonic.com, 2007)? The image that the media promotes as “ideal” in all actuality is not healthy. Years ago it seemed a curvier shape was ideal. Now less curves and more ribs makes one sexy. What kind of message are we sending to the younger generations that view this new image and strive to emulate it?

            Fashion is a major market all over the world, yet every part of the world has their own idea of the “perfect shaped” woman (Dempsey, C., 2007). What men find attractive I think is a key in some women’s search to get that ideal body type.  Men have always seemed to view playboy centerfolds as the sexy, attractive, and desirable (Singh, D. and Young, R.D., 1995).

Young men and women pour over fashion magazines and look up to the models that are represented there (Lawrie, Sullivan, Davies & Hill, 2006). It is not just the clothing that is being advertised, but the body image as well. What kind of problems does this cause when the picture portrays an unhealthy and unrealistic idea of perfection? It is true that over the years that this idea has changed, but is it for the better? An article that addressed this issue was Thinness and Body Shape of Playboy Centerfolds from 1978- 1998.  This article really hit home the issue that the image promoted is not the best. The weights and measurements of 240 models were taken and compared to the BMI. The conclusion of the article was as follows,  “Given the perception of playboy centerfolds as culturally ‘ideal’ women, the notion that 70% of them are underweight, highlights the social pressures of women to be thin and helps explain the high levels of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating among women.”

This promotion of an unrealistic image could possibly be one of the main reasons for overweight or apparently overweight people. With 65% of Americans being overweight, most would think that the fashion world would try to promote a healthier image and not one that is just as harmful as being obese. (Weight loss international, 2003) We are shocked when we learn of someone with eating disorders or hear of someone dying because of one, but the media broadcasts that we need to be just as thin.

Things we see in hear on the radio or televisions or even magazines are the images that gives Americans this not an ideal body image. At the time we view it, we may not see where it matters, but some where down the line it impacts us. This is true for both men and women. Although statistically the media is harder on women, men do feel its impact.  The need to be stronger and leaner in order to be deemed “sexy” puts pressure men (Anderson, A.E. and DiDomenico, L. 1992).

The ideas of perfectly shaped women the media gives men, puts women in a particularly rough position. Men look at these “perfect” models and actresses and they judge “real, everyday” women by these standards. When someone does not fit into that mold, they are regarded as unattractive and undesirable (Singh & Young, p. 500).  just like everything in life, one needs variety. All women are not built the same and there are so many factors that determine a person’s shape. A lot of women weigh the same amount, but because of how they are proportioned, they will look differently.

Personally I know what it is like to grow up in a world that looks down at one because one does not look like the people around them. Growing up, I was always the one that was taller than most of the girls and since I developed early, I was also curvier. It was hard. Grown men looked at me, and guys my age avoided me because they were shorter. Girls my age made me an outsider. They talked about me behind my back and in general made my life as a child hell.

I remember one event in particular. My best friends and I were at lunch, laughing and joking in line awaiting our turn to get our food. The cafeteria was famous for their huge chocolate chip cookies. Everyone wanted one. I was at the end of my row of friends, and as we approached the counter we realized we would be taking the last cookies in the basket. First come first serve was my only thought until I heard the girl behind me say, “Her fat ass needs to leave that for someone else. It isn’t like she can’t stand to lose some weight.” I was hurt, but I wouldn’t let her know it. I was used to things like this, but they still hurt. This is one of a few minor incidents that I have faced. Some people have gone as far as calling me names to my face. I guess that is where I drew my strength from. I learned to not care what others think, and love me for me.

The pressure to fit in, to change, and to be “perfect” is a burden. Some people snap under the pressure and look for unhealthy ways to make their body do things and look a way it is not meant to. This is where many eating disorders stem from. Although a lot is said about control being the major contributing factor in cases of patients with eating disorders, I believe that an underlying cause is the media.

There are successful voluptuous women in the media, but they are few and far in between. Many are ridiculed about their weight and they eventually lose the weight. One actress that inspires me is Monique. She has taken the role of spokesperson for the larger curvier woman. Her show “Fat Chance,” shows women that they should love their curves and that they are beautiful and sexy and desirable just the way they are. This is the message that all media should be promoting. I am not saying make everyone gain weight, because that would be just like the people that say society should lose weight. Society needs to see that what they promote has a major affect on people’s choices.

Many studies have been done to find the correlation between media exposure and the messages that are being given to young people and the rise in cases of eating disorders. The results are all similar. Young people are more likely to have or develop an eating disorder because they feel pressured by the media to lose weight or feel that the media is telling them they way they look is wrong. Children as well as adolescents are viewing these shows and magazine articles and then looking at themselves and seeing an unattractive person. Then they are taking drastic measures to fit in and find approval from their peers. The article by Lawrie “et al”, there were facts showing children as young as 9 and 10 were placing themselves on diets and thinking they needed to be slimmer.

Is this what we really want? What happened to the message that we are all different and that we are better off because of our differences. I for one want these things to change. I want my children to grow up in a world, where no matter what size or shape they are, they can go into a mall and shop where ever they want. To not go into a store only to be told “no, we don’t carry that size.” I want it to be okay for my daughter to have curves and my son not to have a six pack, but they are both still seen as attractive.  I want them to love their body as I love mine, and not be ashamed or look down upon because of it.

An aspect of how one may view their body image is ethnicity. According to Winzeler, (para. 2, sect. 3) black women have a body image that is more congruent with their current body size than white women. Also women of higher socioeconomic status are more likely to be satisfied with their weight and proud of their body. (Winzeler) This is something that I had never even considered in my initial thinking on this topic. So now I raise the question why is this?

Parents play a key role in the way children view themselves as well. I know for certain had I not had my mother telling me that the way I looked was how God intended me to look and that once I was happy with myself, nothing anybody could do or say would matter. I hope that eventually the world will realize that we can all never look alike, and the idea that we should is ridiculous.

So my questions are how does the media’s promotion of the ‘ideal’ body type affect American women and men’s ideas about body image? Also how does this image correlate with the rise of eating disorders? Lastly I want to know how college aged men and women feel about this issue and how they view body image. To find out the answers to these questions, I will look up articles of others that have researched something similar to what I am writing about. I will also conduct a survey of my very own of college aged American students on what their feelings are on the subject of body image. I will give details of all the pieces of literature I used, followed by the method that I used when picking those who took my survey. The results of all those involved will be shown and I will explain how their answers helped to answer my original questions. In the end I hope to have found my answers as well as shed light on some aspects of the topics that people may not have ever considered.

Literature Review

The articles and reviews that I have found through my research have agreed in many ways with the issue at hand. Many of my sources have had an actual voice. The writer seemed to be in touch with the audience and I found that refreshing. Though there were quotes from doctors and professionals that deal with this dilemma daily, I did not feel that I was reading something I could not relate to.

            Take the article Fashionistas weigh in on the super-thin. The article discussed how a panel from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) met with the media to justify and back their age and weight guidelines for models. The guidelines have recently been under scrutiny by many experts of eating disorders. The thought is that the CFDA is too relaxed about the acceptable weight and age for a model.

            The article went on to discuss the proportions sizes of models to that of average American women. The fact that stood out was that only 2% of American women are represented in the modeling world. The average American woman is a size 12-16 and models sizes range from 0-2. Not to mention that models are a lot taller than average. Their body weights should be more, due to their height.

There was an article that was written on the subject of whether there was a determining factor in attractiveness due to body size. This article was Body Weight, Waist-to-Hip Ratio, Breasts, and Hips: Role in Judgments of Female Attractiveness and Desirability for Relationships. The article talked about how men rate women depending on their body appeareance. A study was conducted where men compare differnent bod images depending on the BMI and determined if the female was attractive and how they would be seen on a relationship basis. Larger women and those with more hips, tend to be viewed as older and less attractive. where  slim, big breasted and small waisted women were attractive and would be considered younger and worthy of a long term realtionship.

            Many of the articles that I have read focused on adults in their research. Though that is the audience that I am focusing on, I began to think about the younger generation and how this image affects them or if it does at all.  The article I found that focused on children adolescents was called, Media Influence on the Body Image of Children and Adolescents.

This was an article written based on a survey of children both male and female between the ages of 9 and 14. The survey was conducted to see how and if children felt the media affected their idea of themselves, mainly their body image. The over all conclusion was that the children felt that the media was not telling them to gain weight.

After awhile I started to think, where are we exposed to these body images? Of course we see it in television all the time, but are they the main source. In an article called, Diet vs. Shape Content of Popular Male and Female Magazines: A Dose-Response Relationship to Eating Disorders? I found my answer. The article was written because of a hypothesis that the incidence of eating disorders in men and women could be correlated to “socio-cultural norms” promoting thinness. The findings were remarkable. The basis of the testing consisted of 10 different men and 10 different widely read women’s magazines being read and the number of diet or shape related article were counted. The results were shocking. It seemed like every paged you turned there was an article or a picture, or a promotion of a “thinner you

            To add to this fact was an article entitled, Thinness and Body Shape of Playboy Centerfolds from 1978- 1998. The piece focused on the BMI’s of different Playboy models. Although there may be some imperfection in the findings due to the fact that weights and heights were told to the researcher and they might not have been always true, the findings amazed me. The weights and measurements of 240 models were taken and compared to the BMI. The conclusion of the article and I quote “Given the perception of playboy centerfolds as culturally ‘ideal’ women, the notion that 70% of them are underweight, highlights the social pressures of women to be thin and helps explain the high levels of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating among women.”

Methodology

Since this is a problem that many people may face on a daily basis, I decided to ask a few of my friends their opinion about the issue.  I spoke with both men and women. The survey group consisted of college aged students. They aged from 18-24 years old. There were twenty people that participated in the survey, ten men and ten women. They were all American and ranged in ethnicity. There were African American, Caucasian, Asian, and Puerto Rican. Body size was also something I considered when choosing my candidates. I did not want just full figured men and women. I wanted to have a broad spectrum of sizes represented, so I randomly gave out my surveys.  The women’s dress sizes ranged from 6-20 and their height from 5’0 to 5’10.  The men had a waist measurement from 29-44 and height from 5’6 to 6’3. There were tall and petite voluptuous women, as well as tall, and petite thin women, and others that fell somewhere in between. The men were also chosen randomly. Their body types ranged from tall or short and thin, to tall or thin and fat, also tall and short, but muscular.

   I began by thinking of my questions. I tried to make them as broad as possible as not to seem as if I lead the interviewees to answer in a particular way. Most of the people I surveyed did not know anything about my research beyond the fact that it was for my paper. Even though I knew each of the participants in some way, it was not mandatory for them to state their names. Since my true research is geared more towards women, they had more questions. The males that took the survey came into play because I wanted to see if how men feel on the subject relate in any way to how women feel.  From the women, I wanted to know…

•  
  • What size do you wear?
• How do you feel about the body image that the media promotes?
• Have you ever gone shopping and not been able to find your size in a store because it wasn’t carried?
• Do you know some one that has had the above problem?
• If you have had the problem above, what did you feel like when you were not able to buy what you wanted?
• What do you think should be done about this issue? Why?
• Do you think the media has anything to do with the way that men and women feel about body image? Why or why not?
• How do you think men view you?

From the men, I wanted to know…

• What size do you wear?

• Do you have a girlfriend?
• If so, what shape would you say she is? ( Thin, curvy, thick, full figured..etc)
• What is your idea of the perfect body type?
• What shape is your mother? And would you change her in anyway?
• How do you think the media perceives and promotes larger women?

            I gave each male and female, ten of each, a survey. I asked them to answer the questions with their true feelings and return them to me. After I received all of the surveys back, I sat down and read through them all.

Results

            Since some of my candidates decided not to give their names, I randomly gave each participates a number from one to ten, with a F or M, to signal their sex. the responses of all the participants are below.

• (F. 1.)This participant was a size 6 and age 18. She felt that the body image that the media promoted was unrealistic. She had never been to a store that did not carry her size. She has friends that have had this problem. She felt that manufactures needed to make more of every size known because everyone is different and they could make more money. She also felt that men and women were affected by the image because that’s how we think we should look to be popular. She felt that some men viewed her as sexy and attractive while others thought she was too skinny.
• (F.2.)  This participant was a size 20 and age 20. She felt that the image promoted was stupid. She had been to stores that did not sell her size, and she was pissed about it. She wrote “ I want to be cute too!” She has also had friends experience the problem and felt that manufactures need to realize that everyone is not skinny and make bigger clothes. She felt that men and women are affected because everyone wants to look like the stars. She thought men saw her as “just a friend”, unattractive, fat, and non-datable.
• (F.3.) This person surveyed was a size 10 and age 19. She felt that the image was unhealthy. She had been to stores that did not sell her size. She also had friends that had experienced this. She felt this was unfair, and manufactures needed to rethink the sizes they produced. She thought that men and women were affected by the image, because they thought this was what everybody wants to be with. She felt some men think she is not their type, and others found her attractive. She said “to each his own”.
• (F.4.) This contributor to the survey was a size 16 and age 20. She felt that the image promoted was stupid and unrealistic. She had been to stores that did not sell her size, and so had some of her friends. She said it angered her, and depressed her. She felt that manufactures were missing out on money because everyone likes to look good, even “big girls”. She thought that men and women were affected by the image because people tend to let others tell them what is right and wrong instead of what they feel. She thinks some men see her as unattractive, while others like her curves.
• (F.5.) This person surveyed was a size 13/15 and age 23. She thought the image promoted was ugly. She had been to one store that did not have her size and knew of someone who had that problem as well. She thought it was  a stores right to sell what sizes they wanted, but it might be a good idea to sell all sizes to make money. On the instance where a store did not sell her size, she said she just left, with no hard feelings. She thinks that men and women are affected by the image because they choose to be. She thought men viewed her as cute, sexy, and desirable.
• (F.6.) This candidate was a size 8 and age 18. She felt the image was ridiculous, because ‘real people’ don’t look like that. She had never been to a store that didn’t sell her size and didn’t know anyone who had. She said that if that were ever the case, she would raise hell. She felt that stores needed to make more of every size, it would boost their profit. She felt that men and women were affected by the image because they think that will make them popular. She thought men all viewed her in different ways. Everyone is attracted to something to different, she said.
• (F.7.) This participant was a size 12 age 21. She felt that the image is wrong because it looks like the models are hungry. She had been to a store once that did not have her size, but she doesn’t think it was because they did not sell it. She had been with friends that encountered that problem. She thought that more of bigger sizes needed to be made because the few that are made, sell fast. She felt that men and women are affected because they figure if the people who look like that are stars, then they are want others are attracted to. She though most men viewed her as nice looking.
• (F.8.) This person was a size 18 and age 21. She  thought that the image that was promoted was unhealthy, and unidealistic. She had been to stores that sis not sell her size, and so had her friends. She said she stop going there and was very mad when she first realized it. She called them ‘skinny bitches stores’. She felt that stores and manufactures were losing out on money and needed to make bigger sizes. She felt that people were affected by the image, when they had no self esteem and could not form their own thoughts. She felt that as long as she loved and liked herself and  her man found her attractive, what other men thought didn’t matter.
• (F.9.) This candidate was a size 6/7 and age 19. She felt that the image promoted was sometimes unhealthy, but being overweight was worse. She had never been somewhere that did not sell he size, and neither had her friends. She though there was nothing that needed to be done about the problem. She thought people were and should be affected by the image because they know that being overweight is wrong. She thought most men found her attractive, but others thought her to be fat or too skinny.
• (F.10) The last participant was a size 14 and age 24. She thought the image was dumb, and looked silly. She too had been places that did not sell her size with some of her other friends in the same situation as well. She thought that people need to start speaking up and making stores feel bad about not carrying their size. She felt that people were affected because that is all they see, all the time. She felt that she was beautiful and how men felt about her were their own business, unless they liked her. In that case she wanted them to share it with her.
• (M. 1.)This participant was a size 30 and age 20. He did have a girlfriend and he described her as thin, but not skinny. He said you can’t see her ribs. He though the perfect body type was someone with nice curves, and nice sized boobs. He described his mom as chunky, but he would not change her. He loves her just the way she is. He said that the media views larger women in a bad way.
• (M.2.)  This participant was a size 44 and age 22. He had no girlfriend, but he thought the ideal body type was curvy with big boobs and a nice butt. He said his mother was short and thick. He said she is perfect and he would never change her. He thought the media viewed larger women as not sexy. He felt is was because of how some larger women carry themselves.
• (M.3.) This person surveyed was a size 38 and age 18. He did not have a girlfriend. He thought the ideal body type  was a women with ‘meat on her bones’.  He said he hated to feel like if her hugged her too hard she would break. He said his mother was a little on the thin side, but he would never change her no matter what she looked like.
• (M.4.) This contributor to the survey was a size 40 and age 24. he had a girlfriend, a long term one. He said that she was petite and thick. He said that she was his ideal body type; nice boobs and butt without a whole lot around the middle. He said his mom was shaped like she was as well and her would never change her.
• (M.5.) This person surveyed was a size 36 and age 19. He too had a girlfriend. He described her as tall, and curvy. She was different that what he normally date which were really thin girls. He said that she is his ideal body type. His mother was what he called ‘a plump housewife’, and he loved her that way.
• (M.6.) This candidate was a size 29 and age 18. He did not have a girlfriend. He felt his ideal body type would be a tall thin women, but not one that looked ‘sickly.’ He thought that was not attractive. He said that his mother was thin, but after children she gained some weight. He said that she was beautiful the way she is and he would never change her.
• (M.7.) This participant was a size 32 and age 21. He had a girlfriend and she was described as a ‘big girl’. He said she had big boobs, a nice butt, and thick thighs and hips. He said this is ideal body type, he has never dated any other type. He wrote that is mother is a ‘big girl’ and he was brought up around this type of women. He said he would never change his mother. 
• (M.8.) This person was a size 42 and age 20. He did have a girlfriend, and he described her a perfect; long legs, hips, and curved in all the right places. He said she was his ideal body type. His mother was described as lean and healthy, but not overly thin. He felt that he would never change her no matter what she looked like.
•  (M.9.) This candidate was a size 38 and age 21. He did not have a girlfriend and thought his ideal body type would be tall, and thin. He stressed he did not like ‘too skinny’ girls. His mother was said to be chubby, but healthy but he loved her that way
• (M.10) The last participant was a size 42 and age 23. He had a girlfriend and said she was voluptuous. He said he loved her curves. This was his ideal body type as well. He said his mother was a little smaller than his girlfriend. He said he would never change her.

 

Discussion

            This whole paper for me was a learning experience. All the literature I read helped to promote or diminish some of the ideas of the answers I had for my questions, going into my writing. The findings that children as young as 9 and 10 wanted to go on diets because they felt they were too fat were appalling. These children should be out enjoying their childhood, not worrying about whether or not they fit into the “norms” that society has established. I worry for my own future children. I do not want them to come into a world that does not allow them enjoy childhood because they are bombarded with the ideas that they do not fit in.

Other articles I read focused on my point that it is not just women being brainwashed. Men too look at larger women and think of them as undesirable. To see  a man look at one that way, some women then turned to themselves and see the same thing. This is what leaves women to strive and meet the standards that will make them a suitable partner for the men that they find attractive. No wonder people develop eating disorders. Everywhere they look they are told that they have the wrong image.  The articles and reviews that I have found through my research have agreed in many ways with the issue at hand. Many of my sources have had an actual voice. The writer seemed to be in touch with the audience and I found that refreshing. Though there were quotes from doctors and professionals that deal with this dilemma daily, I did not feel that I was reading something I could not relate to.

When I finally reviewed my results of my own research I had all that I had read to compare it to. Being in the same age range of those that took part in the survey helped me to better relate to the findings, better than to some of the previous research others had done.  It seemed to me that although the see on a daily basis women are told that being super thin is what they should look like to be attractive, men are forming their own opinion. With such a small survey group no real scientific conclusion could be drawn. I just found the results promising. It was a source of hope that all men are not in love with the idea of playboy models being the ideal woman. And since the male population I reviewed was young, my hope is that the later generations are forming their own opinion as well and we will eventually leave this negative image behind.

Of the men that were dating, they described their girlfriends as nicely shaped, curvy or thick or something of that nature.  None described their girlfriends as thin or skinny. All of the men, dating and non-dating, seemed to like women with “meat on their bones.” They did not out right say they did not like thin women, but their idea of a perfect body shape reflected that. Another common thing among the men was the fact that none of them described their mothers as thin, but said they would not change her at all. When I asked how they thought the media perceived larger women, many felt that they were ridiculed and looked down upon.

Some of the women surveyed felt quite strongly about the image that the media promotes. They too felt that larger women were looked down upon. This was not just a common factor among larger women, but the smaller women as well. The women large and small said that they felt pressured by the media to fit in.

            Though I did not review all full figured women, I found that the common response of all seemed to be centered on anger. The Anger was with designers, stores, and over all the media. The smaller women that are friends with someone that has felt discrimination due to their size, were also angry. They felt anger at the fact that their friends were unhappy because they didn’t seem to “fit in”.

Conclusion

My survey was not done to gather statistic or offer breakthrough discoveries of how men and women feel about body image. It was more or less an eye opener. People are faced with this issue everyday. There are many things that influence how one views themselves and others. I’m not placing all the blame of these problems on the media, I just want to shed light on the fact that media is not helping; but it could. Maybe we could find ways to utilize the media in a way that promotes a healthy and realistic body image. For example Spain banned all underweight models from fashion week last year. When will America get the picture and take this unhealthy image off the market?

With the rate of eating disorders increasing, the idea and need to promote the fact that it is okay not to be rail thin should be something that is instilled into today’s kids. Instead they are bombarded with the confusing message that “the skinnier the better.” We want our kids to be happy with the person they are, but they can not because they are constantly told by the media, that what they look like will determine who likes them and how others perceive them. Society needs to see that we are all different and our differences make us who we are. Our differences are not a bad thing. They are things that need to be celebrated.

So in conclusion, I did answer my research questions. There is a correlation between the rise in eating disorders and the body image that the media promotes. This image seems to be an underlying cause. Also college aged men are forming their own opinion on what they find attractive, and women of the same age felt that this image is not ideal and are angered by it. Finally I found that the promotion of this image affects American’s in many ways. Whether it is a causative agent in an eating disorder or the reason behind someone protesting the fashion world’s guidelines, people are affected.

 

 

 

Add a comment April 8, 2008

Novel proposal…blog #13

I have decided to use the characters from a novel I am currently writing and make this a spin off from that. The main characters are Andrea, Mimi, Shawn and Raashaun. Mimi and Andrea are best friends, and Shawn and Raashaun are as well. I think the story will begin senior year of college, right before Andrea and Mimi’s graduation.

The main plot that will tie into my research will be Andrea’s struggle with her weight and her love of fashion that is prohibited due to her size. The guys will come into play eventually. With Shawn falling in love with her and helping her to learn to love her size just as he does. There may also be a part in the story where she goes up against an antagonist…but I am not sure yet.

I want to develop my characters well within the first chapter or so, that way the audience can relate to them and their struggles later on. Although the story will begin with the girls away at college, I think I want them so eventually move to the city(Philly) where they are both working and I want them to meet the guys at a club or something of that nature.

Of course I plan on having some steamy sex scenes in this novel, because that is what I like to read, and have always enjoyed writing that way.

5 comments April 2, 2008

First draft….. feelings blog 12

I am really excited about the feedback I received from everyone. It has really helped me with my writing. I am looking forward to handing in my finished paper.  I have also changed a few things that make the paper all together more personal, and I think that is something my audience will love.

With the deadline approaching, I must admit, I am a little apprehensive, but also excited. I am glad that the hard part is done and I am looking forward to my next piece. I also have some really good ideas about how I want to present my paper next week. All in all this has been a really fun project and I have definitely learned a lot.

I think that moving the due date back has also helped me as a writer. I can now analyze my entire paper and have more than two people proofread it for me. I know a lot of my mistakes are from me thinking faster than I type. Also from silly grammar mistakes, that I don’t catch. This paper has made me a better writer, and has also made me think more seriously about grad school.

3 comments March 17, 2008

First Draft…..Not Completed…..

It Just Doesn’t Fit!!Laughing and joking, my friends and I exit the store and I ask, “Where to next girls?” “Let’s go in there. I saw these cute jeans in the window, “my friend says, leading the way to the next store. “Ok. I could definitely use some new jeans.” I reply. I have just gotten paid and am looking forward to expanding my wardrobe.“Oh, these are so cute. Let me find them in my size.” I search the entire rack and the biggest size they carry, is a 12. I head to the register and ask the cashiers there, what is the biggest size they carry. “Oh, we don’t carry your size. There is a plus sized store on the next level.” With that she turns her back and converses with a customer that can “fit the bill.” I am pissed. I probably have more money in my pocket then the women in this store, but because I don’t fit, I’m not worth the trouble. Frustrated I leave my friends and head to the “plus size” store. More disappointment!! Everything looks like my grandmother should wear it!   I’m ready to go home… Everywhere we look, we are bombarded with new and up-and-coming fashion, but why is every new design hung on a tall, willowy model, when the typical woman marketed is a short, curvy housewife? This body image that the media promotes as “ideal” in all actuality is not healthy. Years ago the “coca-cola bottle” shape was ideal. Now the less curves and more ribs you can count makes you sexy. What kind of message are we sending to the younger generations that view this new image and strive to make themselves fit into it?          Fashion is a major market all over the world, yet every part of the world has their own idea of the “perfect shaped” woman. America’s ideal woman for years has been the centerfolds of Playboy magazine.  Men have viewed them as the sexy, attractive, and desirable. They have been the ultimate fantasy for many. For many women, this is the image that they strive to become, in a way a fantasy of their own.           Young women and men, pore over fashion magazines and look up to the models that are represented their. It is not just the clothing that is being advertised, but the body image as well. What kind of problems does this cause when the picture portrays an unhealthy and unrealistic idea of perfection? It is true over the years that this idea has changed, but is it for the better?An article that addressed this issue was “Thinness and Body Shape of Playboy Centerfolds from 1978- 1998.”   This article really hit home the issue that the image promoted is not the best. The weights and measurements of 240 models were taken and compared to the BMI. The conclusion of the article and I quote “Given the perception of playboy centerfolds as culturally ‘ideal’ women, the notion that 70% of them are underweight, highlights the social pressures of women to be thin and helps explain the high levels of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating among women.”This promotion of an unrealistic image could possibly be one of the main reasons for over weight or apparently overweight people. With 65% of Americans being overweight, most would think that the fashion world would try to promote a healthier image and not one that is just as harmful as being obese. We are shocked when we learn of someone with eating disorders or hear of someone dying because of one, but the media broadcasts that we need to be just as thin.With the rate of eating disorders increasing, the idea and need to promote the fact that it is okay not to be rail thin should be something that is instilled into today’s kids. Instead they are bombarded with the confusing message that “the skinnier the better.” We want our kids to be happy with the person they are, but they can not because they are constantly told by the media, that what they look like will determine who likes them and how others perceive them, not their personalities. Media plays a bigger part in our lives then most people realize. Whether it is television, the newspapers, magazines or the radio, things we see and hear stay with us. At the time we may not see where it matters, but some where shown the line it impacts us. This is true for both men and women. Although statistically the media is harder on women, men do feel its impact.  The need to be stronger and leaner in order to be deemed “sexy” puts pressure on all men.For women, the ideas of perfectly shaped women the media gives men, puts them in a particularly rough position. Men look at these “perfect” models and actresses and the judge “real, everyday” women by these standards. When you do not fit into that mold, you are regarded as unattractive and undesirable. Just like everything in life, you need variety. All women are not built the same and there are so many factors that determine a person’s shape. A lot of women weigh the same amount, but because of how they are proportioned, they will look differently. Personally I know what it is like to grow up in a world that looks at you with distain because you do not look like the people around you. Growing up, I was always the one that was taller than most of the girls and since I developed early, I was also curvier. It was hard. Grown men looked at me, and guys my age avoided me because they were shorter. Girls my age made me an outsider. They talked about me behind my back and in general made my life as a child hell.  The pressure to fit in, to change, and to be “perfect” is a burden. Some people snap under the pressure and look for unhealthy ways to make there body do things and look a way it is not meant to. This is where many eating disorders stem from. Although it is about control for many patients with eating disorders, the underlying cause is the media. There are successful voluptuous women in the media, but they are few and far in between. Many are ridiculed about their weight and they eventually lose the weight. One actress that inspires me is Monique. She has taken the role of spokesperson for the larger curvier woman. Her show “Fat Chance,” shows women that they should love their curves and that they are beautiful and sexy and desirable just the way they are. This is the message that all media should be promoting. I am not saying make everyone gain weight, because that would be just like the people that say society should lose weight. Society needs to see that what they promote has a huge affect on people’s choices.Many studies have been done to find the correlation between media exposure and the messages that are being given to young people and the rise in cases of eating disorders. The results are all similar. Young people are more likely to have or develop an eating disorder because they feel pressured by the media to lose weight or feel that the media is telling them they way they look is wrong. Children as well as adolescents are viewing these shows and magazine articles and then looking at themselves and seeing an unattractive person. Then they are taking drastic measures to fit in and find approval from their peers. Is this what we really want? What happened to the message that we are all different and that we are better off because of our differences. I for one want these things to change. I want my children to grow up in a world, where no matter what size or shape they are, they can go into a mall and shop where ever they want. To not go into a store only to be told “no, we don’t carry that size.” I want it to be okay for my daughter to have curves and my son not to have a six pack, but they are both still seen as attractive.  I want them to love their body as I love mine, and not be ashamed or look down upon because of it. Parents play a key role in the way children view themselves as well. I know for certain had I not had my mother telling me that the way I looked was how God intended me to look and that once I was happy with myself, nothing anybody could do or say would matter. I hope that eventually the world will realize that we can all never look alike, and the idea that we should is ridiculous.Since this is a problem that may people face on a daily basis, I decided to ask a few of my friends their take on the issue.  I spoke with both men and women. From the women, I wanted to know if they personally had every dealt with the rejection of not being able to buy what they wanted or even been with friends that have experienced it. From the men, I wanted to know what body shape they looked for in a woman and what they felt was perfection.           I don not discriminate in the choosing of my friends, so the answers came from people of all different backgrounds and sizes. I began by thinking of my questions. I tried to make them as broad as possible as not to seem as if I lead the interviewees to answer in a particular way. Most of the people I surveyed did not know anything about my research beyond the fact that it was for my paper.           I gave each male and female, ten of each, a survey. I asked them to answer the questions with their true feelings and return them to me. After I received all of the surveys back, I sat down and read through them all. Some of the answers form the males were surprising.           Of those that were dating, they described their girlfriends as curvy or thick or something of that nature. None described their girlfriends as thin. All of the men said that they like women with “meat on their bones.” They did not like thin women, and their idea of a perfect body shape reflected that. Another common thing among the men was the fact that none of them described their mothers as thin, but said they would not change her at all.  It seemed to me that although the see on a daily basis women that are super thin and are told that this is what women should look like, men are forming their own opinion. With such a small survey group any real conclusion can not be drawn. I just found the results promising. It was a source of hope that all men are not in love with the idea of playboy models being the ideal woman. From here, I took a look at the results I received from women. Those that took the survey ranged in clothing sizes from (to be continued*)  The articles and reviews that I have found through my research have agreed in many ways with the issue at hand. Many of my sources have had an actual voice. The writer seemed to be in touch with the audience and I found that refreshing. Though there were quotes from doctors and professionals that deal with this dilemma daily, I did not feel that I was reading something I could not relate to.          Take the article “Fashionistas weigh in on the super-thin.” The article discussed how a panel from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) met with the media to justify and back their age and weight guidelines for models. The guidelines have recently been under scrutiny by many experts of eating disorders. The thought is that the CFDA is too relaxed about the acceptable weight and age for a model.           The article went on to discuss the proportions sizes of models to that of average American women. The fact that stood out was that only 2% of American women are represented in the modeling world. The average women are a size 12-16 and models sizes range from 0-2. Not to mention that these women are also a lot taller than average. Their body weights should be more due to their height. To me this just speaks the fact that the body image represented to young people is not a healthy one.           To add to this fact was an article entitled, “Thinness and Body Shape of Playboy Centerfolds from 1978- 1998. The piece focused on the BMI’s of different Playboy models. Although there may be some imperfection in the findings due to the fact that weights and heights were told to the researcher and they might not have been always true, the findings amazed me. This article really hit home the issue that the image promoted by the media is not a good one. The weights and measurements of 240 models were taken and compared to the BMI. The conclusion of the article and I quote “Given the perception of playboy centerfolds as culturally ‘ideal’ women, the notion that 70% of them are underweight, highlights the social pressures of women to be thin and helps explain the high levels of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating among women.” The promotion of non ideal images can lead to some of the main reasons for over weight or apparently overweight people. I read many pieces of writing and they all helped in some way helped me to develop ideas or to strengthen the ones that I had already formulated in my mind. One that I found to be of particular interest spoke of the way women are rated on the scale of attractiveness. Many women tend to base the way they feel about themselves or how they should look, on what men find attractive. The editorial that broached this subject was “Body Weight, Waist-to-Hip Ratio, Breasts, and Hips: Role in Judgments of Female Attractiveness and Desirability for Relationships. The article talked about how men rate women depending on their body appeareance. A study was conducted where men compare differnent bod images depending on the BMI and determined if the female was attractive and how they would be seen on a relationship basis. Larger women and those with more hips, tend to be viewed as older and less attractive. where  slim, big breasted and small waisted women were attractive and would be considered younger and worthy of a long term realtionship.          This focused on my point that it is not just women being brainwashed. Men too look at larger women and think of them as undesirable. To see that look in a man’s eyes, women then turned to themselves and see the same. This is what leaves women to strive and meet the standards that will make them a suitable partner for the men that they find attractive themselves.           Many of the articles that I have read focused on adults in their research. Though that is the audience that I am focusing on, I began to think about the younger generation and how this image affects them or if it does at all. Surprisingly it does. The article that focused on children adolescents was called, “Media Influence on the Body Image of Children and Adolescents.”This was an article written based on a survey of children both male and female between the ages of 9 and 14. The survey was conducted to see how and if children felt the media affected their idea of themselves, mainly their body image. The over all conclusion was that the children felt that the media was not telling them to gain weight. The information from the article helped, because it built on my point that media can aid in eating disorders, due to the image that they promote.The findings that children as young as 9 and 10 wanted to go on diets because they felt they were too fat were appalling. These children should be out enjoying their childhood, not worrying about whether or not they fit into the “norms” that society has established. I worry for my own future children. I do not want them to come into a world that does not allow them enjoy childhood because they are bombarded with the ideas that they do not fit in. After awhile I started to think, where are we exposed to these body images? Of course we see it in television all the time, but are they the main source. So I began to look at some magazines as well as to see if anyone else had taken this avenue. In an article called, “Diet vs. Shape Content of Popular Male and Female Magazines: A Dose-Response Relationship to Eating Disorders?” I found some very interesting information. The article was written because of a hypothesis that the incidence of eating disorders in men and women could be correlated to “socio-cultural norms” promoting thinness. The findings were remarkable. The basis of the testing consisted of 10 different men and 10 different widely read women’s magazines being read and the number of diet or shape related article were counted. The results were shocking. It seemed like every paged you turned there was an article or a picture, or a promotion of a “thinner you.” No wonder people develop eating disorders. Everywhere they look they are told that they have the wrong image.  When are we going to look at our society and see that we are all different and our differences make us who we are? Sizism, the discrimination and oppression of people of different sizes, is an issue that faces many Americans daily. It’s a type of discrimination that is publicized but not really acknowledge. Learning to accept one’s differences and become happy with one’s self is what life should be about.    

Add a comment March 3, 2008

First Few Pages…. blog 8

I want to start off by say that the feedback I received from everyone was truly helpful. I appreciate it all and plan on putting it to good use.  The process has been quite easy. After i found the angle to my topic that I was after, everything just seemed to flow.

A lot of the reason that things have been so easy is the fact that I know who my audience is. Knowing that and finding the voice to address them, ahs really come in handy. Not just for the writing portion, but the research as well. My audience impacts on what articles I use, because I want them to understand why I picked that source as well as realte to it.

Although right now I am only at three or four pages, I am far from putting a dent in the information I have. Reading articles, as well as others beginninga have given me ideas on how to transition, how to capture and keep my audience’s attention. I learned that it is key to not just focus on the research aspect, but the way the issue or topic personally touches you as well.

3 comments February 20, 2008