Society has Unrealistic Image of Woman in Article, Fat Is a Feminist Issue”, by Susie OrBach

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Through Thick and Thin Society is obsessed with fitness and weight loss. Ever since I was in sixth grade I have had issues with my weight and self-image. The article “Fat Is a Feminist Issue”, by Susie OrBach focuses on how our society puts this unrealistic image of what women should look like into everyone’s heads. The media and magazines urge women to conform, at any cost, into a constantly changing expectation of what is beautiful. Women are taught to look at themselves from an outside view, to be a sex image for men and fuel the diet and fashion industries. Society thinks if women do not fit within the unrealistic image something is wrong with them. The highly glorified concept of beauty marketed by the media contributes to the concern over body image that causes many women, including myself, to eating disorders and poor self-image. I could really relate to the article, like Susie Orbach wrote about, most women in our society occupy themselves with making themselves fit into a image that society, men and the media find attractive and beautiful. “The women’s body is not satisfactory as it is. It must be thin, free of “unwanted hair”, deodorized, perfumed and clothed” (Orbach, 451). Even if we don’t realize the effect of advertisement and media has on our image it still has its way of creeping into your subconscious. Flipping thru magazines I constantly think, “Geez, I wish I looked like that.” Women constantly compare themselves to others especially those in the limelight. I started this fight at age eleven to reach this glorified image the media constantly throws at our face. I was a healthy average size pre-teen but I viewed myself as HUGE and that I needed to lose weight. I turned to magazines like seventeen that are full of... ... middle of paper ... ...nd do not have to be under weight to look good. It was not always an easy ride, but it was a battle I needed to take, and I wouldn't take back my choice to fight my eating disorder. Now, I realize how beautiful I really am, and I never want to let go of that. I now realize that I do not need to be stick thin to be beautiful. Similar to what the article mentioned, not conforming to the unattainable image the media flaunts is a “rebellion against the powerlessness of the women, against the pressure to look and act in a certain way and against being evaluated on her ability to create an image herself” (Orbach, 252). I no longer strive to meet impossible standards but strive to be happy and healthy. The world needs to learn how to create it’s own image and stop giving the media so much power over their daily life’s and for women and men to respect themselves for them.

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