History

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Women’s struggle with body image emerged in the 20th century in the 1900s. It began because of Charles Dana Gibson. He created an illusion that rapidly become popular; “the Gibson Girl”. This image represented “’thousands of American girls’”. It represented femininity “as slender and tall… with voluptuous bust and wide hips”. The illustration first came to life by models and actresses. To be a Gibson girl, women “exaggerated look was achieved by way of corseting, pinching the torso and waist significantly”. These were the extreme measures that women took to have this ideal body. The Gibson girl was considered the current fashion and the women became fascinated. Gibson girls were portrayed as healthy as it represented tall and slenderness.

There were several factors that caused body image to become an issue. The “ideal body” is a trend because every decade is different. In the roaring twenties a new form of the ideal body emerged. Flapper women were the new style. They “represented an idea of women that was far more casual than the formal corseted Gibson girls”. Flappers revealed more skin. What was different about flappers was that having large breasts was a downfall. So there were bras that were produced to tighten the chest and make them look flat. During this era was where body image became an issue. Due to the fact that “the ideal of thinness and an enhanced appearance often drove women… to diet and exercise”. This look was being publicized in the ads throughout the cities that’s why it drove women to these circumstances. The production of ready-to-wear clothing was another factor that lead body image to rise as an issue. As the fashion world was advancing the ready-to-wear clothing industry “turned in the 1920’s to standardizing…that put increased emphasis on personal body size”. It then became a concern to the women because during that era women’s bodies were very thin. The women no longer had to get custom fittings for clothes as they normally would. Instead they went to the department store and pick their size from the racks. It became a growing concern to the women, “experiences in department store dressing rooms created a host of new anxieties for women and girls who could not fit into stylish clothing”. Big women found themselves at a disadvantage because the production of clothing was to accommodate slim women. However, it did not end there; women were self-conscious about their figure because the ideal body was even notes in books. This book was used as a guide to control food portions women ate, “America’s first best-selling weight-control book confirmed that weight was a source of anxiety among women and that fat was out of fashion”.

Being unsatisfied with the physical appearance was first seen among the wealthy women. It was during the 18th century in were thinness was expected upon those with class. Thinness was a requirement for the wealthy because “thinness had become a way in which young privileged women could distance themselves from their working-class counterparts”. Having a slim body was a boundary between the women who had everything and the ones who didn’t. Once the 20th century entered having the ideal was a must for all women (rich or poor) as a way showing their attractiveness. The portrayal of body image rose rapidly. Society’s expectations of the perfect body were different as years went by. This made it difficult for women to reach the ideal body. The audience had been for the most part women and young women. But, sadly that was no longer the case. Young girls are now being targeted with the rise of the media in 2000s. American society has turned into a culture of thinness. A type of thinness that doesn’t exist. Young girls are being affected by this because their mothers might be struggling with body image. The media is also, to blame for as images are circulating all around magazines, social media etc. The media does it as a way to educate them as to what is expected of the American women. According to statistics, “40% od 6-year old girls expressed a desire to be thinner”. These girls fear being fat because society has implemented that being thin is the only way to be accepted.

The ideal body seems to fluctuate over the decades. It began with a curvy body, slim body and vice versa. But towards the end of the 20th century the thin body remained as the desired body type. Now we are in the 21st century and body image is still an issue today. Many younger girls and women are continuing to fight the battle with body image. The struggle with body image took a toll in the 1970s. The desire to be thin lead to the beginning of eating disorders. “Anorexia nervosa first began to receive mainstream coverage”. Women no longer cared to watch what they ate and instead starved themselves to get instant results. Also, “this era also saw the rise of diet pills, which often used potentially dangerous amphetamine to suppress the appetite”. Women were now taking pills that gave them results without even thinking how life threatening those pills were”. Today in the modern days in order to reach the ideal body women do numerous things. They not only control meal portions but now they do intense exercise, diet pills and the new trend plastic surgery. It’s not only a struggle day for women, but as well for young girls who feel the need to lose weight to fit in and causing harm to health. That’s why we are struggling with body image today because the desire to be thin has now impacted young girls. Young girls got caught up in thus because the U.S has normalized thinness. Eating disorders are most common among younger girls. “Eating disorders frequently develop during adolescent or early adulthood”. When young girls feel overweight this is what drives them to develop eating disorders. Dieting is also seen among young girls because they see images of modes with the ideal body. They look up to the models and as they viewed magazines it makes them want to lose weight. The battle with body image has taken a tremendous turn because it’s now affecting girls at a young age and affecting their health at an early start. The media has had an influence of these girls because they are constantly being reminded that in order to be accepted in society that’s what they have to look like and achieve the ideal body that is desired at all costs. Even if its life threatening and tormenting.