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Parker Coggins
Adam Padgett
English 102- 063
16 February 2016
How do Female Celebrities and Models in Advertisements Influence Body Image Insecurities in
Teenage Girls?
The entertainment industry heavily influences todays society because we are constantly
surrounded by methods of entertainment. I am interested to figure out how this constant
coverage of female celebrities and models in advertisements influence teenage girls. Although
my field of study at the University of South Carolina is Hospitality Management, I have always
been very interested in the entertainment industry. I am interested whether or not the Hollywood
culture is influencing body image insecurities in teenage girls. Being a dancer my whole life,
eating disorders are very common among the people around me. We are constantly in tights and
leotards, which can easily reveal many body insecurities. I have not suffered from an eating
disorder, but the phrase body image insecurities goes way beyond this serious health issue. I
think this term implies even the small circumstance of looking in the mirror and thinking that
you look fat. I believe that I am qualified to write on this subject because of my personal
experience and my passion regarding this issue. Body insecurities are a growing problem in
society and the mass media culture is influencing this influx.
In my first source the author reviews information from an analytical book titled, Body
Shots: Hollywood and The Culture of Eating Disorders, by Fox- Kales. The article discusses
how the American culture has many issues with females struggling with body insecurities,
causing the rise in eating disorders since the twenty-first century. This source also discusses how

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there is constant media coverage of female celebrities (and their bodies) which potentially
pressures fans to want to look like their celebrity idol, therefore categorizing them into the
culture of body dissatisfaction. The major values and interests at stake for this article
surrounds women and gender studies. In this situation women are struggling with body image
insecurities and disorders. The author is reviewing how Fox- Kales is largely concerned with
exposing how Hollywood conventions and reproduction of regulated female bodies impact
female audiences negatively and disallow any feminist progressive potential to emerge
(Siddiqui). Gohar Siddiqui, the author of this source, is affiliated with Syracuse University and
researches English/film studies and Women and Gender Studies, making her qualified to write
this review. The book being reviewed presents biases toward the opinion that females who are
struggling with body insecurities are, in fact, influenced by the media. Even though the book
Siddiqui is reviewing is biased, she is not biased in this source because her own opinion on the
subject is not presented.
My second source, "Pressure to Be Perfect" by Jennifer Wulff, discuses the responses to
Mary Kate Olsen being admitted into a treatment facility for her eating disorder. The article
explains how some of her fans did not find images of Mary Kates body alarming, but instead
inspiring. One fan had cut out the skinniest pictures of Mary-Kate and pasted them in [her]
journal, because that is what [she was] striving to look like (Wulff). The pressure celebrities,
themselves, feel in the industry to stay looking thin and glamorous is also presented. Jessica
Simpson, whom many girls strive to look like, is quoted because she has struggled with her own
body image. The major values and interests at stake in this article surround the concerning
doings of fans that strive to look like their celebrity idols. Simpson reflects on the industry and
says, There is so much pressure in society to look like the girl on the cover of the magazine. But

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[those photos] are airbrushed and have special lighting That just sets expectations really high
for young girls." The author, Jennifer Wulff, is an expertise in the woman and gender studies and
body image/ diet fads subject areas. This makes her credible because she has written many
articles, for People Magazine, on these topics and has gained knowledge from constantly
interviewing young adults and celebrities. I think Wulff is slightly biased because she seems to
agree that Hollywood influences are negatively affecting girls, like the teen who created the
journal of inspiring pictures of Mary Kate Olsen. However, the article is plausible because
Wulff directly quotes celebrities and other patrons as warrant.
My third source, Stop Blaming the Media for Our Body Image Issues by Lauren
Berninger discusses the opposite argument. The article says that although 92 percent of women
are unhappy with their bodies, the media is not the only influence on body image insecurities
(Berninger). The major values and interests at stake in this article surround the campaigns that
are promoting positive body image, such as #aeriereal (where Aerie began using unedited
photographs of their models in advertisements and in stores). Another major value presented is
the idea that females need to reconsider who their role models are. The author shows biases in
this source because she presents this idea, of finding girls new role models, when she suggests
that we explore the incredible (and often forgotten) women trailblazers throughout history and
get to know local women in your town, from doctors to dance instructors, who are doing what
they love (Berninger). Lauren is the founder and director of Finding the Fabulous, a non-profit
organization that connects young girls with positive role models to show that uniqueness is
inspiring, not inhibiting. She has been presented with many awards for the research and
dedication to this organization, which I think makes her credible on the topic of body image.

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This source is biased because Lauren presents her opinion on how the problem of body image
insecurities should be addressed.
My inquiry question is researchable because it allows me, as the writer, to conduct
research and find how advertisements influence females in both a positive and negative way.
Some people feel that constant media coverage of female celebrities (and their bodies) pressures
fans to want to look like celebrity idols. Others think that the media should not be blamed for
these insecurities, because instead many brands are trying to promote positive body image by
capturing healthy, but glamourous, models and promoting that zero is not a size. Another
argument is that females need to be influenced to explore for different, non celebrity, role
models. My original research question was Does constant media coverage of female celebrities
influence body image insecurities in some of their fans?. I changed this question to make it
more specific to one source of media. I decided to go with the influence of advertisements
because of the effect of airbrush and major editing to create the perfect picture. There is also an
opposite influence of advertisements from companies who are leading campaigns to promote
positive body image. I might need to revise my research question once again, but I need some
more advice on this! Im not too sure, but I decided that I am interested in the influence of
advertisements and I want to learn more about their positives and negatives for my final research
essay.

Work Cited:
Berninger, Lauren. "Stop Blaming the Media for Our Body Image Issues." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 22 Jan. 2014. Web. 5 Feb. 2016.

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Siddiqui, Gohar. "A Review of Body Shots: Hollywood and The Culture of Eating Disorders."
Quarterly Review of Film & Video 30.4 (2013): 348-351. Academic Search Complete.
Web. 2 Feb. 2016.
Wulff, Jennifer, et al. "Pressure to Be Perfect." People 62.4 (2004): 72-78. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 2 Feb. 2016.