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Carlee Logue

Professor Fielding

WRTC 103

October 03, 2017

Striving for the Unrealistic Perfection

In the 21 century, the media through false advertising has changed females mentality
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and perception of how they should look. The new goal for the media is to sell perfection by

showing emaciated women who only represented a small group of women who naturally look a

certain way. The majority of females strive for this perfection sold in ads, and some take extreme

actions. Therefore, the fashion industry promotes eating disorders among females. In the article,

The Fashion Industry Promotes Eating Disorder, Jessica Bennett argues how fashion

companies negatively affect females when advertising unrealistic models to the world. The

negative aspects the fashion industries promote are unhealthy eating habits, poor body image,

and a shift in priorities. Bennett first published her work in Newsweek, February 8, 2007 and then

again in 2012 in the publication, Eating Disorders. Jessica Bennett effectively argues how false

advertisement of perfection from the fashion industry diminishes a females positive self-esteem,

leading to unhealthy eating behaviors.

The article highlights how models in advertisements will encourage eating disorders. The

authors first claim is, the gap between models and the American womens weight average is

widening. This is due to the fact that models are eating less and women are forced to use extreme

eating behaviors to achieve a skinner look. (3). Also, the article conveys how the environment

plays a huge role in a females body image. The influence of environmental factor can affect

girls at a young age. (5). She adds how the media uses editing tools to make models look

perfect. (2). The intended audience for this piece is models, females struggling with negative
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behaviors or eating disorders, and the fashion industry. She structures her article by stating major

points that are separated by stanza, so her audience can effectively see her claims. Additionally,

her style allows the audience to clearly hear her passionate voice. Overall, Jessica Bennetts

claim of the fashion industry affecting females is supported with main points that provide

evidence.

Most evidence is presented through statistics, examples, and studies about women being

affected by the fashion industry. In particular the Dove campaign conducted a study on body

image with little girls. The study showcases how most girls start out with confidence and positive

self- image, but it diminishes through exposure to media. Today, 42 percent of first- to third-

grade girls want to be thinner, while 81 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of getting fat,

according to a 2004 global study by the Dove "Real Beauty" campaign. " What causes females

to have a bad body image is the pressure of the narrow definition of beauty and how it is popular

in their environment. The study supports Bennetts claim of how the environment impacts girls

and will slowly degraded their self-esteem because they are comparing themselves to

models. The statistic allows the reader to see the range of girls at an early impacted, while

additionally establishing credibility.

Jessica Bennett establishes credibility by stating her occupation and background research.

She is able to address the appeal of ethos in the opening of the article to display to the audience

that she is trustworthy. Jessica Bennett is a senior writer at Newsweek and the Daily Beast.

(Preface). Given Newsweek is a reliable magazine that is recognized by many members of

society, the reader is more apt to believe Bennetts findings. She includes additional pieces to

support: research and several sources. For example, she includes a statement from a photo

retoucher form a high-end Manhattan agency that supports her point of the industry false
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advertising perfection. "We're always stretching the models' legs and slimming their

thighs,[jl1] "(7). The retoucher talking about editing pictures, shows how women are modified

for ads. The fashion industry will edit pictures to achieve perfection. Some females in society

will look at this picture, and will adapt to unhealthy habits to achieve the perfect body seen in

ads. The author establishes a great argument through stating her research and occupation.

The appeal, pathos is represented when the author describes how girls feel when dealing

with negative eating behaviors. The author features Cynthia Bulik, a psychologist and researcher

at University of North Carolina, who talks the feeling of many younger girls. Cynthia Bulik

highlights how many adolescents with body image issues will look at models who are very thin

and question why they are getting fat. They change their eating habits in a negative way which

creates problems in their physical and mental health.(4) This represents pathos appeal because it

highlights how females develop a negative self-esteem. Models will diet or eat nothing to gain

the skinny figure. Many women in society try to diet to look like models; however, are

unsuccessful. Creating a gap in weight for average women and models. Many will choose

purging or not eating as a way to close the gap, but instead gain an eating disorder.

As a result, the audience effectively understands Jessica Bennetts argument of females

being impacted negatively from the fashion industry. The females will use harmful behaviors to

achieve the false image that model agencies publish. The issue is relevant because more and

more young girls grow up with poor self-esteem which can develop into eating behaviors that are

dangerous for their body. Women get frustrated because they are gaining weight. This affects

many womens psychological or mental health, behaviors, and eating habits just to strive for this

image the fashion industry encourages.

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Jessica Bennett writes a powerful piece on the effects of the fashion industry on females;

however, she can make changes to strengthen her article. More incite about eating disorders

would improve her position She mentions eating disorders in the title; however, gives little

information about them. Even though the article is specifically for females with unhealthy

behaviors, many men suffer from poor body image and the same manipulation by the fashion

industry. Men are influenced by media, people at the gym, and the media, causing them to

decrease their calorie intake and over work their bodies. Thus, body image struggles and eating

disorders are not specific to just women, they affect men as well. The fashion industry has held

such power over men and especially women in defining and unhealthy and unachievable

definition of beauty; therefore, they have the responsibility to correct this wrong before it is too

late for so many.

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Work Cited

Bennett, Jessica. "The Fashion Industry Promotes Eating Disorders." Eating Disorders, edited by
...Roman Espejo, Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in
....Context,link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010128244/OVIC?u=viva_jmu&xid=eb2b40a.
...Accessed 4 Oct. 2017. Originally published as "Why Skinny Models Are Making Us
uuuuuuFat," Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2007.