Girls Bodies By Jennifer Aniston Summary

Actress Jennifer Aniston said, “You’re damned if you’re too thin and you’re damned if you’re too heavy. According to the press I’ve been both. It’s impossible to satisfy everyone and I suggest we stop trying.” If someone as idolized and admired as Jennifer Aniston receives criticism about her appearance, then what is the ideal woman and how can a regular woman find acceptance? Women are often subjected to double standards by people and can never truly fit in. These double standards lead to body issues and low self image. Even though not all women comply with this conformity it often leads to them being shunned and put down by society.

In her essay “Girls’ Bodies, Girls’ Selves: Body Image, Identity and Sexuality”, Research Scholar Elline Lipkin

writes about how women are exposed to the impossible standards that the media lays out from a very early age. This essay, featured in Lipkin’s book, Girls’ Studies tells readers that women are often subjected to standards that include being thin and having caucasian features such as light hair and thinner noses. She states that women are insecure about their bodies because they see the “ideal” women often shown in media like commercials. They are constantly comparing themselves to each other and the faces they see in the media. Women are sexualized at a younger age than ever seen before. Comparing girls from modern age with those before World War I, one can see the dramatic differences of how the girls approached their appearances. The young women from that time left their appearances alone. Girls today often face issues such as anorexia and low self-image. Even when companies attempt to boost the self esteem of young women, they are still creating unrealistic standards for the consumer. Lipkin uses the book, The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls by Cultural Historian Joan Jacobs Brumberg, for much of her evidence. The evidence found in the book further supports her statement that the standards for girls has changed over the years. However, she feels that all women are insecure and cannot accept themselves.
Due to modern American culture many people believe that all young women are overly influenced by the media, however that is not always the case as some girls turn away from the standards.
Media informs women of their “ideal features”, and in today’s society, they receive this message constantly. A person can turn on a television and would be bombarded by hundreds of images and commercials directed towards women. In these commercials, one finds products that made blemishes disappear, bring back a youthful look, enhance their skin or hair making it softer, and products that make weight “fly off” while tightening their features. These advertisements are just the beginning for how a woman can be pressured into conforming with society and changing herself into the model woman. However this goal is not always achievable as every woman is created differently. The media condones women changing themselves and often uses this to their advantage. If the products want to be sold to the target audience they have to create a need for it which can be achieved by making women insecure. They use women who are considered beautiful by society’s standards to be spokesmen for their product stating how it changed their lives. Not every woman falls into this trap however, as many see through all these “enhancers.” This beauty can not be obtained by every woman, because it may not work for them. As a young woman in today’s society I have been surrounded by these ads. I have also been told to accept myself and not change my appearance to fit in. It is a constant battle between the two faces of society. Self acceptance is something that most girls don’t have as they are influenced the most by the media.
Weight is an extremely common issue that most women are pressured about.

There is a constant battle between being too thin and being too fat. If a woman is seen as being fat, then she is automatically assumed as being lazy and overeats. If she is too thin, then she starves herself and is often seen as number obsessed. For the woman who is not the ideal weight, but over it, she is told she needs to lose weight and that she is just a pig who refuses to exercise. Health issues like Hypothyroidism can affect the hormones that regulate metabolism, causing weight gain. Women that are on the other side of the spectrum are seen having issues with Anorexia and Bulimia. Diseases are often ignored when it comes to weight because all that society sees is the shape of the person, and women are criticized for it harshly. Society is so obsessed with weight that it often blocks out aspects like personality when people address women. A male friend came up to me one day and told me that if I lost some of my waist, men would be more attracted to me. When did numbers come to outweigh personality and overall compatibility? I have come to accept the fact that I will not fit in with the “ideal woman’s” body image, however I do not let it affect how I see myself. Instead, I embrace it as part of being me. The need for a thin body has been fed by the media to make the woman change her ways and give in to society’s demands. Weight loss programs are displayed on television for low prices enticing women that are “overweight” to buy the product so she can become more desirable. The internet is filled with banner ads that tell people to, “click and learn how to lose 5 pounds in 1 week.” Blogs are being dedicated to weight loss and article upon article are being created for the sheer need to be thin and ideally what every woman “wants.” However, amongst the ever growing weight loss powerhouse are a few people who stand up against it. As people flip through channels on their TVs they can

find shows where women are trying to promote self love. These women have gotten over the pile of supplements and videos and realized that they do not have to be accepted by anyone but themselves. They can find themselves being judged by the rest of society but are unwavered in their self appreciation. These few are the ones who have overcome the crushing pressures of the public and are ultimately happier for it. Weight isn’t the only bodily pressure women have on them.
Breasts are another aspect that women are pressured about. Breasts are overly sexualized by media, with the shape and size being criticised the most. Lipkin says in her essay, “Her breasts are not a physical aspect of her body, but a way in which others will perceive her as a teenager rather than as a child - custom will dictate that it’s time to wear a bra, parents might deem her old enough to handle more privileges and responsibilities, and she might receive more sexual attention from acquaintances.”(597) This way of thinking often allows for the criticism to continue. What will the girl who has not developed “adequate” breasts think when she sees a woman with a bigger chest getting more attention? She will begin to compare herself to other women and lower her own self esteem. The problem is that society has turned to a “bigger is better” method with breasts. Scantily dressed women with larger breasts are used to sell products to men. Even bra advertisements use women with fuller breasts to attract consumers. Women with smaller chests are faced with constant reminders that they cannot “fit in.” Women who are bigger chested can face ridicule from their smaller companions and from men. As a girl who developed more than her friends, I have been teased about my chest since I hit puberty. Girls would poke fun at my chest saying that my breasts were fake or I stuffed my bra. People would stare at me like I was a freak whenever I did any physical activity. On the other side of the spectrum my friend Emily, who is less developed, would be made fun of for her lack of size. Being bullied by others for something one cannot prevent, lowers a woman’s self esteem and can hamper her own acceptance of herself. After a while I became desensitized to the comments and stares of my peers, as did Emily. We began to see that it wasn’t our bodies that made us ourselves, but our personality and lifestyle. Not all women are affected by body issues to the point of expansion or reduction. Those who can stand up and ignore the eyes of society can be closer to achieving self acceptance which is important to anyone, regardless of gender.
The question on the minds of most women is, when will society change? Society can only be changed by those who are willing to change it. Insecurities need to be readdressed and found as parts to be loved. Media needs to knocked from its throne in deciding what an ideal woman is and how she can be achieved. The ideal woman is just that, a woman. One who breathes, bleeds, and thinks like any man for they are both human. Author Naomi Wolfe wrote, "Beauty provokes harassment, the law says, but it looks through men's eyes when deciding what provokes it." If beauty is seen from the eyes of men, then what can a woman do to change it? The answer is simple, she is to take back her beauty and wear it proudly. The beauty that she herself has discovered and grown to love, all while ignoring society and it’s ridiculous standards.