Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to expose and reflect upon some commonly held notions around body image and sexuality among young women while relating the causes and implications of such ideas. The key idea in the article is the negative effect of media on body image and sexuality for young girls. A study was done via a survey website called kwiksurveys.com and nineteen questions regarding body image and sexuality were asked to each participant. A total of 195 responses were collected and analyzed. This article and the study it is based off of are the sole product of a personal interest and inquiry into the topics covered. This review also takes into account previously published work and makes conclusions based on these sources and the data collected from this study.
Keywords: body image, sexuality, media
Introduction
Uncertainty and change are two prevalent life experiences most teenage girls are forced to face when entering high school and they last throughout much of young adulthood. It seems many of the core issues surrounding the increased stress of adolescence are socially constructed and fed by the media. Body image and sexuality have many of the same societal influences, such as the media. Puberty for girls involves the hips widening, breasts growing, hair growth, and weight gain. The changes they experience are sometimes drastic and because their bodies no longer align with the idealistic image of beauty they see in the media, girls often find fault in their own selves during this time. This could be why throughout developmental years, 13-25, many women struggle with their own body image and it adds an unnecessary, socially constructed, stress into their lives.
Views on Body Image and Sexuality
Re-purpose: to take something old and give it a new vision
This nineteen page research paper was inspired by a short, three page analysis of a girls' health website written for a Women Studies class. Empowering young girls to take hold of their own health and wellness became an obsession and choosing to repurpose this analysis was simple. Switching the audience from teen health educators to teen girls/ college women was a decision based on the choice to turn the project into a way of connecting with young girls. Including the survey was a chance to expose the true feelings of women on the subjects of body image and sexuality. Surprising results from that survey might just help you figure some things out about you.
