More Common, Not More Important

It is likely that some may argue that Body image has affected women to a higher extent than men. Lets take it back in history, in the early 1900’s to mid 1950’s America was more accepting of full figured women, sex symbol Marilyn Monroe was seen as the ideal women and she was far from today’s “perfect body” expectations. In the late 1900’s is when you really started to see the media and the fashion industry showcase the “ thin boyish look” as the new ideal women. More full figured women vanished the runway and magazines, which later resulted in the epidemic of young teenage girls idolizing this look, which is impossible to obtain. Polls from the National Eating Disorder Association show that 42 percents of 1^st -3^rd grade girls want to lose weight, and 80% of 10 yr olds are afraid of being fat. According to Teen Magazine, “35 percent of girls ages 6 to 12 have been on at least one diet, and 50 to 70 percent of normal-weight girls think they are overweight.” These young girls grow an addiction and obsession with figuring out ways to get the body they want, from dieting and anorexia to plastic surgery.

The first step to getting over any obsession, addiction and even depression is acceptance! When you accept you have a problem it’s easier for you to open up about it and seek help. Try opening up Google and see how many articles come up on women body image issue verse men body image issues. There are most likely 100 to 1 articles, which right there proves my point. These women who have written or have had articles written about them, have realized and or accepted the fact that they have an issue with the way the see themselves. When it comes to men, they’re more reluctant to get medical help. Meaning they continue to deal with these issues in hiding, they’re anorexia, Bulimia, or Steroid use is going undetected.

Some will counteract my argument with the question “ well how can one help someone who doesn’t want or seek help?” That’s when I say LET THEM KNOW YOU CARE! Let these men know there are other young men out there dealing with the same issues. Let them know that it is okay to seek help. Let them be brave!

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