Body image is the personal conception of how we see our body and how others react to it. I’m studying this topic to better understand how the media contorts the image of women into something that’s no longer human. I think it’s important to study this topic so I can learn how to help reverse this phenomenon that continues to spiral out of control.
There are three waves of feminism that women in the United States have experienced. According to Amelia Richard, “the first wave fought to establish women’s right to be citizens-to vote, own property, divorce and inherit money. The second wave’s agenda was to elevate women’s status to that of men.” The third wave has continued the fight for equal status for women. Body image is the third wave issue that women struggle with.
The standards of beauty have changed dramatically over the centuries. It was once considered beautiful for women to be overweight because it signified wealth and status. As the centuries progressed, the ideal body image for women was to be thinner and thinner. If you were overweight you were considered either lazy or an embarrassment to society.
A body outlaw is a rebel with a cause, willing to step outside their comfort zone to expose people to a body type that has practically disappeared from the cultural imagination. I think Jordin Sparks is considered a body outlaw in pop culture today. She has curves and looks healthy and doesn’t conform to Hollywood’s standards of the perfect pop star.
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