‘the complete package: intelligence, looks,
Unfortunately, many think those three traits are finked—an idea reinforced by our
media. Heroes are also smart and beautiful; often villains are unattractive and
‘unintelligent. We associate particular physical characteristics with beauty, glamour,
style, and sex appeal, but no one ever explains why.
Linking extemal and internal qualities is such a powerful impulse that it affects day-to-
day behavior. "Everybody loves to stereotype people," says Jessie Johnson-Tyas, a
junior at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. "You look like this, so you must do
this and you must act like this. Having a certain type of body affects how people interact,
with you."
Numerous studies indicate that people associate body type with everything from
personality traits to occupation. In a study conducted by Dr. Rick Gardner and
colleagues at the University of Colorado in Denver, a group of undergraduate college
students were exposed to pictures of the same male and female models, though the
images were distorted with a computer to vary in size. Students seeing larger versions of
the models tended to assign them more undesirable personality traits compared with
students who saw average- or thin-sized models. It has been shown that these
perceptions are common in both genders, and that they tend to develop early in
childhood—much like racial and gender stereotypes
Although body image concerns have traditionally been considered a female concern, the
problem affects many men as well. There are fewer culturally acceptable body types for
‘men—-one type championed by slick designers like Gucci or Versace, another by
Abercrombie and Fitch or Ralph Lauren, More men are turning to diets, compulsive
exercise, and even eating disorders to lose weight, change their body shape, and achieve
the new ideal of male beauty. Although it’s estimated that up to twenty percent of
female college students suffer from an eating disorder, the American Anorexia Bulimia
Association reports that men make up about ten percent of eating disorder sufferers
36More recent data suggests that the percentage may be even higher, perhaps because of
men’s reluctance to seek help for a "woman's issue"
Matt Miller, a senior at Oklahoma City University, feels the heat, "Recently, you've
started seeing a lot more health magazines for men. I've been influenced to exercise
more to achieve a certain look." As a former dorm resident assistant, his exposure to
body image problems and eating disorders helped him put things in perspective and
focus more on goals than looks. Unfortunately, men suffering from an eating disorder
may find it hard to find help. Many colleges house most of their body image resources
in women's resource centers, a rather misleading practice. Perhaps as a result of this
gender gap, men may be less likely to recognize that they have a problem, and may
avoid seeking help.
These issues go far beyond asking your roommate if you look fat in your jeans. Extreme
body image concems often lead to eating disorders, Various factors contribute to
bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating, although the psychology and medical communities
suggest that the staggering increase in eating disorders over the past couple of decades
is partly due to our culture's increasingly unrealistic definition of beauty, For example,
the British Medical Association recently issued a report contending that extreme
thinness among models and actresses contributes to the development of eating disorders
in young women.
Ironically, athletes, typically thought to be in outstanding health, often suffer from
eating disorders and exercise obsession. Much of the pressure comes from a lingering
fat phobia among coaches, trainers, and even doctors, says Dr. Mary Beth Diener, a
psychologist at the University of Texas who treats students with body image concerns
and eating disorders. "There is a perception out there—the less body fat, the better,” she
says, “Athletes get a lot of pressure from coaches and people who contribute to their
training to be thinner and to have more muscle." Sadly, these ideas are a dangerous
myth; not only can extreme thinness impair performance, but it can also cause long-
lasting health problems, particularly in women,
David Holt, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, realized the severity of body
image problems after watching several friends suffer from eating disorders, "I [realized]
how big a problem it was, and | became more and more disgusted with the fact that
this could be elevated to being more important than intelligence, aptitude, for] any of
the things that actually matter." Since coming to college, his feelings have become more
intense. "In high school, we were told that it... would go away," he says. "Then when
you get to college, you see people who are twenty-five or twenty-six who still haven't
gotten over it, and you wonder if it's ever going to happen."
Some progress is being made, University health centers and other campus organizations
give more attention to eating disorders, drug abuse, depression, and other consequences
of poor body image. Outreach programs target groups at a high risk for body image
problems and eating disorders, such as dormitories, athletic groups, and Greek
organizations. And organizations like . a San Francisco-based group
dedicated to exposing unrealistic depictions of women in the media, attack negative,
demeaning, and stereotypical images of women head-on, Unfortunately, the campaign
towards positive body image has yet to eliminate the problem
StKirstin Ralston, a non-traditional, second-degree-seeking student at the University of
‘Texas at Austin, has noticed that even on her activist-friendly campus, no one steps
forward to promote body acceptance and awareness of negative messages in the media
"Lthink that the biggest problem is that... you are dealing with people who have just
come from home... they still believe in a very ‘traditional’ point of view. I think it isn't
until they really start to develop their own {sense] of who they are that they start to
realize just how bad the media is. By that time, most of these traditional students
have already left the campus." Other factors also influence students, says Ralson. "I am
sure a number of these students struggle with body image issues everyday and they
think, "If [stop this charade, no one will like me, no one will want to be with me, and
good grief who would want to marry me’
Many people suffering from a poor body image cite the media as one source of concern,
While the motives of advertisers aren't exactly complex (sell, sell, sell!), it’s interesting
to wonder why we have internalized their ‘ideal body image’. Why does a non-
existent —or barely existent—standard created on a runway or on Madison Avenue
attract us? Maybe it's not just a matter of worshipping a human mannequin. Dr. Hue-
Sun Ahn, a psychologist at the Princeton University Counseling Center, theorizes that
“with the advancements in technology —whether it's the ability to create a computer-
refined . .. unrealistic but ‘perfect’ image, or whether it’s the increase of communication
‘through electronic means —we [have fewer] opportunities to get to know people on a
personal level. [We don't see] the non-visible qualities of a person, such as compassion,
spiritedness, sense of humor, loyalty, along with all the human flaws, shortcomings, and
imperfections." Could it be, in our culture of Instant Messages and cell phones, that we
forget what people are really like, both internally and externally? More importantly,
how many of us would like to remember?
Despite these obstacles, some people are optimistic. Holt and Miller look to the future
for change, both from the media tycoons who decide what we are exposed to, and from
society finally shunning looks obsession—in the same way the civil rights movement,
the women’s movement, and other social movements changed the way we live together
‘Imagine living in a world where we revere human bodies for what they can do, rather
than for an arbitrary set of physical features.
Fortunately, the medical profession has also been shifling its views, recognizing that
proper nutrition, regular exercise, and healthy lifestyles are far more significant
indicators of overall health than weight or body size alone. Some ideas, though, have
been painfully slow to develop. For example, few people recognize the influence of our
fat-phobic culture on the growing rate of obesity in America. I's likely that many
people taught to hate their bodies do not care for them as a result. Though our style-
‘over-substance, form-over-function culture influences even highly trained profession
more people are realizing that good health is not synonymous with the type of body
idolized in fitness magazines.
Drawing attention to the problem is crucial. The thin, tanned, sculpted celebrities
promoting causes like animal rights or AIDS awareness seem ill suited to hold benetit
concerts or media events to promote body acceptance. Even among students, it's much
more stylish to act on behalf of starving children in Africa than starving young middle-
class women in America, However, unlike many of the causes that have been furthered
38by student activists, this is our battle. A poor body image silences far too many in our
‘generation—are we ready to talk back?
54