Photoshopped Women and Self-Esteem

Photoshopped Images and Women’s Self-Esteem

The perception of thinness in society has changed over the years. It has been hypothesized that the exposure of photoshopped images on online magazines leads to an increase in women’s body dissatisfaction. The media has caused us to believe that we must appear to look in certain ways that aren’t even "real". We have started to believe that being stick thin is the normal way to look through the pictures we see on magazines and advertisements aren't real but have been altered to look impeccable. There are several aspects of how women are brainwashed by the media. Exposures to photo-shopped images are tremendously effective; therefore, the greater women are exposed to images on TV’s or magazines, the higher the chance of increasing their body dissatisfaction. This matter may, ultimately, have a negative influence on women both emotionally and physically due to the fact that fashion magazines may cause women to adopt a negative body image. Magazines are fairly popular among women and they may be exposed to potentially harmful images in fashion magazines that can have an impact on their overall wellbeing. There is a strong correlation between changing media technology and affected self-esteem and body image (Klein 27).

Due to the increasing popularity of online magazines such as: Vogue and Playboy, studies show that many young women—and even prepubescent teenage girls—seek guidance from said materialistic magazines. In the article “Dying to be Barbie”, the author claims that 83% of adolescent girls read fashion magazines for an average of four hours every week. In addition, the article “The Effects of Women's Magazines on Body Image” has author, Kramer, stating that 80% of women develop insecurities after being exposed to images of women on television. Keeping on, more than 66 percent of women are influenced by the seemingly skinny models in magazines. Fashion magazines such as, Vogue and The Ladies Home Journal both have an impact on adults and adolescents due to the fact that models that are being photo-shopped. Subsequently, in the article “ Survey Proves We Still Really Need To Talk About Photoshop” the author explains that a survey has been done and results illustrate that over 650 of the survey’s participants are being affected and are struggling from confidence issues. With the rapid increase in the use of picture-editing programs, which are also available on cellphones, women are no longer confident in their natural image. Adobe’s Photoshop Software, mostly known as the world’s “magic wand”, edits photo-shopped images. Photo-shop can have adverse effects on the female body image and can change a society’s perception of how a “perfect woman” ought to look like. Not only are the covers of magazines influencing the reader’s thoughts and reminding them of their imperfections but are also becoming even more insecure as they browse through the magazines. Also, in the article “Do Photoshopped images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks”, Schulten claims that these alterations can be “colors brightened, a stray hair put in place, a pimple healed” and drastic changes such as “shedding 10 or 20 pounds, adding a few inches in height and erasing all wrinkles and blemishes.” The models you see in magazines are not only photo-shopped, however, they are already covered in makeup, glitter and other additional products even before the digital alterations. However, not only are there radical alterations but also major adjustments such as pasting a celebrities face onto a thinner body.  Moreover, these false images change the perception of beauty in a women’s world, because idealistic body images are not helping a woman overcome her flaws, instead it is further perpetuating her lack of self-confidence and body image issues, as the use of photo-shop distorts the views idea of natural beauty.