Running head: What are the psychological effect society gives women 1

What are the psychological effects society gives women?

Ramos, Karla
University of Texas at El Paso
Tamari Nugent
RWS:1302
Running head: What are the psychological effect society gives women 2

Abstract

What I will be talking about is the psychological effects that our society gives women and what

type of views we have instead of having. The views we give women what we are telling them

what they need to look like, how they need to act, and what they need to be wearing. These

views are the things that send women into a mental and physical illness.
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The way our celebrities are nowadays they are the ones setting the images of what our

average women should be looking like. Our society places these women at the top of the food

chain because that who has the most power. They make these women Gods in everyones eyes.

The problem with that picture is that even though these women are the women that have the most

power this are the women that, for the lack of a better word, are the worse role models we

have. Us as young women need older women that are appropriate role models that send message

of self-respect and responsibilities. Women with ambitions and goals for their lifes that isnt all

about finding a man with money and being set. We need women that are independent and know

their self-worth.

For as long as I as can remember, women should always be skinny and being fat was a

problem. The events that took place that shaped the way society views women now were music

videos by rappers that degraded women to a sexual object not a person. These men talk about

women that have coke bottle figures, big butts, and big breast. Unfortunately, not all women

look like that. Not all women have long legs, clear skin, straight teeth, great eye sight, or colored

eyes for that matter, but because these men are saying those are the only type of women they like

its the only type of women there should be. There are countless music videos showing off the

women they are referring too. How these women are dressed the things they should be doing for

these men and how they should be acting and the things they should be taking for these men as

well. Although, all make believe this isnt the example that we should be giving women. This is

not the example of person that us as women should be trying to follow. Music artist are thru

worse when it comes to objectifying women. They are the ones that do it the most, and because it

happens so often women think its okay for men to treat them this way. Sadly. We start doing it
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to ourselves. Thats part of the events that took place that got us here to objectifying the women

we so call love.

When asked, what do you think a beautiful woman looks like you get answers like

pretty face, straight teeth, nice body, big legs, big butt, big breast, colored eyes, nice smile, small

nose, nice feet, flat stomach, no fat, dresses provocative, and a tiny waist. If we think about it not

all women or no women fits this description. Why? Because we are all different and not made to

look the same. Some women have the face and smile and the nose and the teeth but dont have

the body for it. Some women have the body bur dont have the face. Then, you have the

exception, the girl that has it all the face the body but either no personality or not smart at all. Its

these poor girls that get taken advantage of by guys and just because shes not all there but she

looks the way she does, they see her as a sexual object. Someone they only use for sexual

intercourse. They are the girls that you can say the right things to and its easy for men to do

what they need to do. This how women are labeled as sluts. As horrifying as I find the word

and the term. This is what men call us, and because of this the word gets a around to his friend

and his friend and his friend that the whole school or work place knows and this is were the

physical damage happens with bullying. Girls start to tell them things then it starts getting bad

social media doesnt make things better because this people that you might now even know start

to call you names. Psychologically you start to break down and you start thinking bad things.

Things that are bad for our health. Nowadays its okay to be half naked in public and being

called a bitch is a good thing. If you cant tweak according to men you arent wife material.

If you are the type of girl that dresses sexy they are not the kind of women man want around.

In my mind, I think that what has this world come to where people start idolizing women that

talk about having sexy with multiple men at a time and that being okay because they are bad
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bitches instead of the women in this world that are going to enrich your mind and help you

further your education.

In many ways, women are extremely different in the way we are portrayed in books why

the way we are depicted in literature. The society views are as followed: Thin, size 1-5 and

nothing higher because you are considered fat, long hair, long legs, colored eyes, flawless skin,

because if you have ache youre considered ugly, straight teeth, long eyelashes, nails done, make

up done, pretty feet, always looking there best. Where we, as women, fail in all of this is that, we

give into these ridiculous demands by society instead of focusing on ones mind, ones spiritual

beauty, or in ones beautiful personality. We focus on appearance because lets face it no matter

what that is the first thing we look at. Unfortunately, we judge people by everything there

wearing instead of getting to know this person and sadly sometimes we miss out on the best

people because of this flaw. We all do this. Ever heard the saying, never judge a book by its

cover? Other people will argue, sometimes you get a good idea of what its about just by

looking at it which everyones entitled to their own opinion but do not complain when it bites

you in the butt for judging someone just looking at them.

In literature, we talk about our accomplishments and our successes. Not once do you read

books about women and think of what these women looks like. The describe their personality

and a little of their physical appearances but never go super into detail what exactly what you

see. Not all women to everyones eyes is going to be beautiful but all women are beautiful in

their own way. Instead of depicting women the way we do in society we should look at the

women from literature and want to portray them. Like the books of The diary of Anne Frank

Catherine the Great or Cleopatra all these women and their stories. They all portray a

hardworking woman trying to make it to whatever their goal was during the time they lived.
Running head: What are the psychological effect society gives women 6

Anne Frank for example was exiled because she was Jewish but that didnt stop her from

keeping a diary and writing a book that changed a lot of people. Cleopatra was a beautiful

woman who back then was just a woman just no rights. She was shrewd politician, a great leader

and a strong warrior. Catherine the Great was no different. This was women was an amazing

leader and did wonders for her country. That was probably one of Russians greatest reign at the

time. What I am trying to get to is that, these women were not to the standards of society but did

amazing things, things that nowadays the young women minds dont seem to comprehend.

Sometimes its okay to look up to the women the society does not really pay attention to because

these are the women worth idolizing. Not the women in Vogue magazine or Cosmopolitan.

Unfortunately, the psychological affects that society has on women are getting worse and

worse. Not only psychological but physical as well. When it comes down to women or young

women or little girls the way we perceive each other is just horrible. We tend to get bullied for

not having brand name clothing, for not having the best school supplies, or having parents that

are strict and dont let them do everything their friends do. Young women are the worse people

when it comes down to psychological damage to other females. Unfortunately, little girls are evil

around the ages of pre-teens. The bullying gets out of hand they start to push things little girls

into thinking they arent pretty they are t worth anything and just because they dress differently

or have a different opinion they are stupid and wrong. At this age peer pressure is a big factor

that goes into bullying. It defines whos getting bullied, and who is doing the bullying. A sad fact

to all of this is that because these little girls dont want to get bullied by the popular kids they

bully other little girls to stay off the radar of the bunch of bully girls.

In many ways, older women are no different. The only difference is that we get better at

hiding the way we do things and how we bully other girls. The way older women bully other
Running head: What are the psychological effect society gives women 7

women are by making remarks about someone loud enough to hear it but vague enough to where

people dont really know who they are talking about. The bad part about it is that since we are

getting older, our bodies are changing and certain things do not look good anymore. When this

starts to happen, we start to look for alternative results and start to get Botox. See the thing with

women is that since no matter what or how we are always the center of attention at some point in

our day. What people say and think about us has a very big influence on what we do, how we

act, and what we wear. If something isnt working for us we start to change and be different until

the react we want is the react we get from people. In this case, half of the time we are trying to be

like women that have no self-respect. These women are the ones that are out there showing and

teaching us that it is okay to be with multiple men at once, that it is okay to be showing half of

your butt in public, that it is okay for you to be disrespectful to people. Instead of the people the

preach nothing but positive things. These women are the ones that we should be looking up to.

The women that social media does not shine the spotlight on. Do not vet me wrong not all the

women that are on the news and social media are bad influences, but instead of following the

actions they do in reality, they follow the stuff they put in their songs and videos.

In some cases, the way we are viewed by society can be change and should be changed.

Why? Well because, who wants to look like everyone else? Who wants to lose themselves by

trying to become someone different? There is a difference between wanting to better yourself,

for yourself and trying to be an image that someone has for you because thats what everyone

thinks is right. In my opinion, the only way we are going to change the way society views us, is

if we stop putting each other down. If we start to build each other up and instead of making fun

of each other we need to start helping and encouraging each other as women. We have worked
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way to hard to get to where weve gotten just so the female gender in the themselves start to tear

each other down.

Us females, have enough trouble trying to rise to the top with men putting us down.

Frankly ladies, why are we doing it to each other? Why are women so intimidated by another

woman fulfilling her goals? Why not help one another get there? If younger someone struggling

to love themselves help them love themselves. Tell them there beautiful. If you see someone at

the gym trying to better themselves and they are on the verge of giving up encourage them

instead of laughing at someone that is trying to be a better version of them. See, it is in us to

change the version of the way people view us. We need to stop competing with each other and

start working together. Unfortunately, that image will never change if we keep feeding into it and

keep posting picture half naked, showing yourself no self-respect, and ignoring your

responsibilities. Lets start taking care of each other and start building up our mind to think

differently then what is showing on TV and on social media. Lets bring back self-worth, self-

respect, ambition, and that drive that got us to where we are now.
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When conducting my survey, I asked five women in my life what they thought of

societys views on women heres what they said,

1. Sonia Portillo said, todays views on women are demeaning and unfair to the

women that didnt have the advantages the one has now.

2. Myrna Flores says, young women now need to learn self-respect there are too

many of them out here looking like there are 24-25 when they are only 16-17
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3. Alexis Frescos said, looks arent everything one day we are all going to get old

and we are not going to look like we once did. Might as well be happy with

yourself the unhappy with someone that you forced yourself to be.

4. Devon McQuestion said, unfortunately todays society looks up too much to

artist instead of the women that have bettered the world for us and as a young

woman myself I expect better from my generation

5. Alyssa de Avila said, I am a young woman at the age of 19. I have first hand

experience seeing my friends trying to grow up too soon and dressing smd doing

things they arent supposed to. Frankly, it only looks bad on them and gives them

a bad image.

From having no voice in society to having too much of it I feel like it is our duty SMC

the duty of younger generations to help change the way we are viewed. To start loving yourself

for what you look like and for who you are. Nothing in this world was meant to be the same so

lets stop trying to be like everyone else. Lets start inspiring each other help empowering one

another. If we wont do it for each other then no one will.

References

Department of Applied Psychology. (n.d.). from

http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/appsych/opus/issues/2016/spring/rooney

American Psychological Association . (n.d.). from

http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2007/02/sexualization.aspx

U. (2015, July 07). from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CbDeaqBA7c

Running head: What are the psychological effect society gives women 12

B. (2015, January 16).from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1bGgnCBU14

R. (2009, October 25). from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPr4F8dplFg

(2009, October 29). from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4gXkpt6jPE

Y. (2017, August 25).from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrSadmwmmAs

Goodrich, F., Hackett, A., & Frank, A. (1989). Anne Frank: the diary of Anne Frank ; excerpts
from Anne Frank: the diary of a young girl. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.

Massie, R. K. (2016). Catherine the Great: portrait of a woman. London: Head of Zeus.

Schiff, S. (n.d.). Cleopatra: A Life. Imprint: BOT History, Biography, Release Date: November 2,
2010.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aQ7h5uyq5Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PehZPVJUD8g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZaJTSjrAZw

I will be doing a survey with 5 women.

Sonia Portillo

Myrna Flores
Alexis Frescas
Alyssa de Avila
Devon McQuestion