Beauty Standards and the Media

The Teenage Perspective

by Ava Bee Masterson

My group and I met with the LREI High School Feminist Club on February 16, 2024. The girls we met with discussed with us how social media has affected them, and how they grew up surrounded by it. We got to hear different perspectives on the matter, and generally, everyone agreed that they had felt insecure about themselves at one point in their lives. It was awesome to be able to relate and communicate with them and be able to gain so much first-hand information about how they have interacted with social media.
It was truly a pleasure, being able to collect data about what we’re really trying to prove. They were so welcoming and I felt comfortable asking what I needed to there. I appreciate them taking time out of their day for us, thank you.

by Ava Bee Masterson

My group met with Carrie Wofsy on Facetime, a therapist for adolescents with eating disorders or body dysmorphia. We discussed the causes of eating disorders and the effect social media has on our self-image. We discussed how editing the photos we put out into the media enforces an impossible standard that requires altering our appearance in some way, like an eating disorder. It’s not only the media that pushes this on people, it’s the people around you, that affect your opinions so strongly. If you hear someone talking about your food intake, or theirs, or talking poorly about someone’s appearance, that can really change your self-perception.
Carrie told us limiting the amount of time we spend consuming media can help us mentally, and stop us from spiraling into body dysmorphia. Everywhere you look beauty standards are pushed onto you, but it’s up to you to allow them to affect you. Eating disorders are a huge problem, and you might know someone struggling with one. We should all take time out of our day to think about what we say and how it could negatively affect someone. I know it sounds cliche but it’s what you can do to save lives.
Thank you Carrie for your time.

by Amelia Mundy

Carrie Wofsy is a pediatric therapist for adolescents around ages 10 – 20 who have or have had an eating disorder and/or severe body dysmorphia. We were going to video call her on Zoom, but unfortunately it was unable to work so we ended up facetiming her. Although there was a miscommunication, I think we were able to get all the information we needed even with a struggle at the beginning.
At first, we talked about eating disorders, and we dug deeper into what the main roots of an eating disorder are, and if there are any ways to prevent it. Next, we talked about social media and the effect it has on everyone who uses it. We talked about how if you are struggling with your mental health, a way to take a break is to get offline for a little bit and recharge yourself. We also spoke a lot about how when you scroll on social media, everything you see has an effect on you. Even if you only see something for a split second, it’s still engraved in your brain, and it can still affect the way you see yourself. Carrie said a lot about how if we post more positive things and think about the media in a more positive way, it can better the way we perceive ourselves and lead to a more healthy life. I really enjoyed this interview and got a lot of information from it, and I am so glad we were able to speak with Carrie about this topic.

by Ruby Belloff

On January 31, Amelia, Bee, and I had an interview with social worker Carrie Wofsy, who works with patients who deal with eating disorders. She answered all of our questions and talked about people’s impacts on posting on social media and how that leads children to develop and consume standards that they have to follow. Wofsy made it clear to us that when we post these photos and videos about how we look, act, and speak, they will mold into our brains and automatically grow to the next generation. She also said that people need to find a way to talk about media more positively and balance out the unhappy thoughts, and that can lead to a healthy mindset and life. Wofsy says that in her work, she sees patients between the ages of 10 to early 20’s. According to research, most of the insecurities and eating disorders usually spark from that age range. We learned a lot, thank you Carrie!

by 28miat

For our first piece of field work we met with Emily Pirro, an intake coordinator for Balance Eating Disorder Rehab Center. Her Job is to take incoming calls from people seeking help from the center and helps set them up with a program as well give them additional recommendations. The center provides body image support groups, mood groups and food safety groups. Many people that attend balance are younger however Emily mentioned there are many older women who come in who just recently realize they had been struggling with an eating disorder their whole life. The goal of balance is to ensure everybody has a health relationship with food and their body.

In the interview we discussed the effect that the media can have on women. We discussed how, with the age of social media, how many photos utilize lighting, angles, and photo-shopping to create the image of the “ideal body”. We talked about how the environment the you grow up in plays a large part in the way that you view your body and food.

by 28emmaf

When our group went to The Paley Center for Media, we talked to Rebekah Fisk who is a teacher for groups like us. Rebekah teaches about different ways women are represented in the media, and how some depictions of what a woman “should” be like or act like, can be hurtful to women’s self esteem and confidence.

When we were at the center, we discussed different ways women are represented in ads, movies, and TV shows. We also watched some old ads and clips from movies, and deliberated about which ones could be hurtful to girls watching from home. Watching these clips was incredibly interesting because I watched such different shows when I was little. Overall, it was a very interesting and informative visit, and I would love to go again.

by 28rayac

At first we sat down and talked to Rebekah Fisk who does many amazing things at Paley, but one thing that she does there that stood out to us was teach a class about how women are seen in the media. At the start of our interview we asked her many questions that we had such as, “what do you think is a big cause to insecurities for women.” Which she answer with, “Social media and how women are shown in movies and tv-shows.” Rebekah gave us many great responses, and we had many great back and forth conversations, and then she wanted to show us some videos of her own that she typically presents in her class about how women are seen in the media.

First Rebekah started off by showing us a clip from the 1950’s in which someone puts on a fat suit to not have a man like her. After watching this clip we talked as a group and with Rebekah about how this clip was saying that if you are bigger your ugly, when that is not the reality. This was a very mainstream show, so for content like this to be put into the world sets a lot of untrue standards. After that we saw a bunch of other clips such as Wonder Women from the 1980’s which over-sexuilzed her in physical appearance. Lastly we saw a video montage of shows from the 1950’s to now, and the beauty standards, and unfair media standards are still sadly in place.

by 28emmaf

In this fieldwork, we met with the intake coordinator for the Balance eating disorder treatment center, Emily Pirro. Emily picks up calls for people who seek rehab, sets up the care system, as well as give them recommendations. In the interview we discussed ways in which young people can support people struggling with disordered eating. We also discussed which groups get the most affected by eating disorders, and how to maintain a healthy relationship with your body and food.

When we spoke, the subject of support groups came up. Balance Eating Disorder Treatment center has two main support groups, the food and mood group and the body image support group. in the food support group, they make sure the people are eating and feel good. while in the body image support group, is for making people feel comfortable in their body and feel good about themselves.

by Ruby Belloff

On January 29th, Amelia, Bee, Raya, Emma, Mia and I all went to the Paley Center For Media at 53rd street. We had an interview with the director and educator, Bekah Fisk. She answered our questions, which are recorded. She also showed us a montage of different videos, including music videos, ads, and clips from movies and tv shows. They all had a connection to the portrayal of women in media. We learned that most of the stereotypes came from mens’ perspectives and then put them into media and that spreads and creates more standards. Fisk told us that her mother cared deeply about how she looked. We learned a lot of facts about social media and how women are more pressured on TikTok, Instagram, and other media platforms and how that affects their mental health and how it becomes addicting. Our groups learned a lot from this talk, and we also had fun interviewing Bekah!

by Amelia Mundy

On January 29, 2024, the two groups focusing on the topic of beauty standards traveled to the Paley Center for Media and met with Rebekah Fisk, who is a director and educator there. We had some amazing conversations, we watched some clips and videos, and overall we learned a lot. It was great to be able to speak with someone with so many good ideas, thoughts, and information. We spoke a little bit about how people are trying to make a difference and sort of fix this issue, and we explored a few of the ways people are trying to demolish stereotypes and put to sleep the many problematic ideas of women and girls.

One thing that we talked about in specific that was interesting to me was the portrayal of women and girls in TV shows, movies, commercials, and music videos. We dug deep into how girls are often expected to be a certain way and a lot of times they don’t want to be like that. We watched a clip from Buffy the Vampire Slayer where Buffy fought a vampire and saved a boy. At the end, the boy was asking how she did that and says: “But you’re just a girl,” and Buffy replies with “That’s exactly what I’ve been saying.” This is a great representation of how girls have extremely high expectations set for them, and although they do try to meet those expectations, a lot of times they don’t want to.

by Ava Bee Masterson

Me and my group traveled to the Paley Center, where we then met Rebekah Fisk, Director of Education with a history of working in museums and educational organizations. We discussed how beauty standards have spread and affected everyone. We discussed how they have originated and how unfair they are. Fisk told us her mother cared about her appearance, she said this was because if a daughter was imperfect, society would blame that on the mother. I added that girls are put to such a higher standard than boys, meant to be perfect and pretty and smart– but not too smart otherwise she’s a prude. Boys are raised to be imperfect, girls aren’t. I believe this is why so many girls have little confidence in themselves, we are raised to be unsure of ourselves, and hold less of an opinion because that’s what boys like to hear. Now, those girls are women and edit or filter photos of themselves to fit into that perfect body, an impossible and ridiculous standard that we are meant to somehow align to.

Fisk then showed us a few videos. The one that stood out most to me was one of a Wonder Woman fight scene. Wonder Woman (older version) was comedic and sexual, taking her role as a superhero unseriously and making a joke of a girl fighting. She, despite being strong and powerful in the comic, was submissive and ditsy in a way. It just shows how women have always been seen, as less than capable. She also showed us an ad asking older people vs young girls to “run like a girl”. The older ones ran offensively, tripping and bending their legs strangely. The girls ran normally, showing how women grow up being taught to have low self-confidence in themselves, it was sad.
The interview was very informational and I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated my time in the Paley Center. Thank you Rebekah for your time

by 28rayac

For our interview we met with the intake coordinator, as well as the third point of contact for Balance Eating Disorder Rehab Center, named Emily Pirro. Emily has a lot of tasks well working at Balance such as, picking up calls for people who have sought interest into going into rehab, she also sets people up into the care system, as well as give recommendations. Emily told us that a large cause to the people in this rehab center started with social media filters, and photo editing causing large body issue upon the patients.

This center not only provides body image support groups, but they also provide food safety and mood groups. Throughout the center they make sure that people eat, but not in a overwhelming manor, they do what is comfortable for the patients. A lot of people that attend Balance are younger, but Emily brought up that the older people that attend, go because they realize that they have struggled with their body their whole life and want to fix it. Balance is a place that people go to help their relationship with their body and food relationship, and 9/10 people come out feeling a lot more positive about themselves.

by 28rayac

by Ava Bee Masterson

On Janurary 12th my grade visited the United Nations. There we saw the rooms that have witnessed the trajectory of countries all over the world. Our groups all split up and were taken through the UN by our lovely tour guides. I learned that when you come to resolutions by a vote, you only need to get a majority to agree to proceed with it (for the most part). I learned the Security Council’s president, which is currently France, alternates every month as well– it’s fascinating how complex and grand the system in the UN is. It was interesting to observe the reserved seats for each ‘state’, just imagining all the important people that have sat in them was truly special.

I enjoyed seeing the various art pieces scattered about the building. I remember in the lobby there were portraits of different Secretary Generals made from silk fabric, very avant-garde. There was this plant with a little sweater on its branches, not something I’d expect to see in the United Nations- again in the lobby. Not to mention the beautiful sculptures outside the building, full of history in America (I think).
Overall I enjoyed this trip, and will certainly remember it for years to come. Thank you for taking us to the UN!

by Amelia Mundy

On January 12th, 2024, the eighth grade and staff got on the train and traveled to the United Nations in Midtown Manhattan. We were greeted with security, a large courtyard, and eventually, a tour guide in the main building of the United Nations. The UN tour sparked my curiosity, especially when I went to the Security Council Chamber. I discovered that the nations on the council were arranged to sit in in blue seats, with their assistants sitting behind them. The Security Council’s president, who is now France, alternates every month. The countries that are not members of the council are able to watch from the red chairs surrounding the main circle. I also learned that any nation engaged in a conflict that the council wishes to discuss is eligible to have a place at the table.

Another aspect of the United Nations building that I enjoyed was that were was a lot of art with a lot of meaning to it. There were sculptures, paintings, and architectural components that were donated to the United Nations to be presented in the building. These things were given from many different countries, such as Finland, Tailand, and Malaysia. I loved seeing the different artworks around the building, and I was happy that you could appreciate it as you walk around the workplace if you worked there.