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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1 |
Hello Bellas!
I'm hoping to get the opinions of all you wonderful ladies with regards to images of women in the media, particularly throughout advertising, being used as a form of 'thinspiration.''Thinspiration' refers to the act of becoming inspired to become thin or thinner.
In your own opinion, are advertisements portraying females and the 'ideal' body and appearance destructive to the female self-esteem and body image or actually motivation for self-improvement, commonly referred to as 'thinspiration'?
Do you personally use images of women in advertising as 'thinspiration'?
I am really interested in any information regarding this topic and would greatly value each of your insight and opinions. Thanks so much for your time, ladies. I look forward to getting your feedback on this important issue! x
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,906
Elephant
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Elephant
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,906 |
I think it's o.k. to look to healthy women in the media for thinspiration as long as you know that you can't ever look like somebody else. You can only look like a better version of yourself (unless you're going to spend thousands on plastic surgery).
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 354
BellaOnline Editor Shark
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BellaOnline Editor Shark
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 354 |
Overall, I think the media emphasis on "thin" goes overboard. That being said, "thinspiration" can be used to inspire if used appropriately. If you pick a pic of a thin, healthy body from one of the weight loss or fitness magazines, it is inspiring. If you feel that the only way to be beautiful is to emulate a gaunt, anorexic model from some of the fashion mags, then it is a problem.
Healthy and fit should be emphasized over waif-like, gaunt models with sunken eyes.
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 417
Gecko
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Gecko
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 417 |
To the Ladies ,
Want to hear the side of a man.Kate Moss started the heroin attacked body,when she went for an interview and the interviewer told to come back when she would have lost another 20 pounds.
I go to the gym everyday ,and see woman of all shapes and sizes Never saw one that you could put your head between her knees like the models look like.This is a very bad exemple for the young girls and even guys that develop anorexia and bulemia.
Before becoming a Buddhist Monk ,I was a ladies man,would have been ashamed to go out with those bag a bones.
So if there are mother's out there check your girl, to see if she's only eating lettuce ,that's a sign.I am a vegetarian and eat plenty.
I have spoken with many guys throughout the years and none liked that style of woman.Look at Angelina Jolie,last photos of her she looked like she was dying out of not malnutrition.no nutrition.
Extremes are extremes ,Morbid obese or Anorexic look?
Buddha found the Middle way,women should too.
an ordinary guy loong
Last edited by loong; 04/05/12 06:24 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,398
Tiger
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Tiger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,398 |
I think the problem with using "thinspiration" is that we don't consider what the person in the photos has to do to look the way they do. Their body is their work so they spend hours a day focusing on their bodies and keeping fit because it is their career. It is impossible to achieve those kinds of standards unless you work in the same industry and most of us don't.
As Monica says, you can only achieve a "better version of yourself". I think this is where keeping track of your fitness level really pays off. i.e. You could only do 5 squats when you started but you can do 25 now. That is inspiring.
We need to focus more what we are able to do and less on what we want to look like. Looks are fleeting and ever changing.
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2 |
We should be focused on healthy first, thin second. Thin as an aim in itself misses the point - if it comes as a welcome side effect to a healthy, active life-style, then that's great, but you don't have to be a size 0 to be healthy (and happy).
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 16,487
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
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Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 16,487 |
Not at all. Now being overweight is considered normal and this is a huge problem. All over the internet and outside we see loads of people saying go eat a sandwich to people who are not overweight and we are supposed to stand by that just like we are supposed to accept that being overweight is healthy and normal. It's not just about how you look it is about being healthy. Yes some people who are not overweight have health problems but more overweight people have health issues. I laugh everytime I hear people say that skinny people too can have diabetes, of course we can and it has nothing to do with the fact that a lot of people have weight issues! The media (and i hate the media with a passion) and whatever else that is used as an excuse for that problem has nothing to do with it.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,671
Chipmunk
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Chipmunk
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,671 |
Hi Nancy -- I don't encourage 'thin'. I encourage 'healthy'. I had a gastric bypass back in 2005 and thin is not all it's cracked up to be. Sure, the operation will get you to thin but your head has to get you to healthy. Now that the weight is off me, I still struggle with my weight daily. I have to plan everything -- what to eat, what to drink, when to do it and add in exercise and meditation. That's a lot of planning.
Former Chocolate Editor. Also known as Daisybun.
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 16,487
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
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Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 16,487 |
daisybun,
Overweight and healthy does not go together. Just like thin does not always mean healthy because there are people who does not have enough weight on them.
I just hate the stigma around thin people. It's always go eat a sandwich while everything else is called fat shaming. Just like all the lists of what real women are supposed to look like, if we go by these lists I am not a real woman.
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