Women in the Media: A Devastating Effect

For decades women have graced the pages of print media such as Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and Vogue. Each of these magazines began catering to women with an interest in men, sex, and personal success. Through the years, women's magazines in the United States and Europe have become less interested with issues of personal growth and more interested in fashion advertisement. This media trend has shaped a negative and unrealistic image of women, thus creating a devastating …

…size. The media's message and techniques should be reevaluated and challenged on an ongoing basis in order to more accurately represent the "real" women of the world. This may be accomplished by celebrating characteristics such as possessing a positive attitude, intelligence, and compassion. Once these ideas are widespread, women may no longer feel that their worth is determined exclusively by their beauty and how it compares to a cultural "norm" that is anything but normal.