Figure Skating and Body Image Essay

Submitted By shruthika-jeyaram
Words: 1170
Pages: 5
Open Document
Depiction of Body Images By Different Walks Of Life
The way body images have been visualized by individuals has changed over the years. Numerous media outlets, which include reality shows such as figure skating competitions, tend to show the ideal body image of a female as a slender and tall individual that lacks flaws. While the media outlets portray women whom are models or figure skaters as a size 2 or 4 the reality is that the average woman wears a size 9 or 12 (Wakewich 2000). I think the acceptance of the variety of body types have started increasing, and woman are focusing more on their body for all the right reasons. Although woman are starting to focus on being healthy mentally and physically by adapting healthy habits , sports such as figure skating still require its participants to look like the body image that is often depicted in magazines and bill boards (McGarry 2005) . The two articles analyze the definition of body image and the significance of body image within two different populations belonging to two different circles within society.
The article authored by McGarry explores the standards established by the national figure skating organization that causes its participants to go to an extent of becoming anorexic to achieve their ideal body types (McGarry 2005). The article authored by Wakewich explores the implications faced by a normal man or woman with normal body types, and their perspectives on body images, and health. The women on average are drifting away from the fake ultimately unhealthy body images represented by the media, and heading towards maintaining healthy comfortable body weights (Wakewich 2000).
These two articles hit close to home due to the fact that I am an overweight individual myself whom has been constantly fighting the weight gain battle. Hailing from a South Asisan family I have grown up watching Bollywood movies that portray female protagonists with flawless light skin with curvy bodies that lack visible fat which was always the ideal body image that was encouraged within my extended family. I grew up hearing the words from my grandma that I should model my look after these actresses, dress like them, and maintain my body in order to be attractive to future male prospects. In the article about figure skating participants described the fact that it is required by the female participants to uphold the standards set out by the organization and team (McGarry 2005). The second article written by Wakewich interviews both women, and men drifting away from the idea of trying to achieve unattainable body images (Wakewich 2000). Wakawich discusses women who have started eating healthy, and maintaining their bodies in order too feel content instead of focusing on how they are depicted to society . Women are focusing less on impressing society with their bodies, and focusing more on improving one’s self for themselves rather than to gain attention, and admiration from others. Wakewich’s study consisted of interviewing women from various types of ethnicities, careers, and ages within the city of Thunderbay that is located in northwestern Ontario (Wakewich 2000). All the woman were asked about how they visualized body image, and what their point of view was on how their body should be presented. The women all agreed on preventing from deviating from the accepted norms within the city due to being scared of ridicule or unwanted comments (Wakewich 2000). I think most of the women agree that as they age their own definition of body image changes from being focused on being attractive to being active and healthy. I can understand why while your younger, your attractiveness can be an important factor especially if you are trying to pursue a romantic interest. Due to media, and popular culture the idealistic body image that is depicted by them is what everyone seeks for in the opposite sex. I think over the years the idea of the idealistic body images have changed from extremely thin
Show More

Related Documents: Figure Skating and Body Image Essay

Olympics 2014 Essay

coast and up to 24 miles inland. The inter­agency “Operational Headquarters” providing security includes the Federal Security Service (FSB) as the lead agency, the Interior (police) Ministry, the Emergencies Ministry, the Defense Ministry and other bodies. Military personnel in the zone are in combat readiness. According to reports, among the tens of thousands of forces providing security (variously stated by Russian officials to number up to 100,000) are 22,000 military troops using 2,000 vehicles…

Words 1882 - Pages 8

Essay on Little Girls In Pretty Boxes

Rebecca Bahlert Little girls in pretty boxes: The Making And Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure skaters When it came to choosing a second book to read I took into consideration that in this essay I would have to choose a passage that I connected with, so I thought to look at books that had to do with gymnastics. I wanted to look at a book about gymnastics because I was a gymnast from age three to thirteen and I was a competitive gymnast from age eleven to thirteen. Then I also had to think…

Words 1183 - Pages 5

Eating Disorders Essay

formatted to fit into today’s society, which leads to the mind set that everything they see on TV must be the normal and accepted. Society plays a huge role in molding the lives of our teenage population. Through magazines and commercials the “perfect” body type is depicted. Teenagers spend their time surrounding themselves with media everyday. From watching TV to reading a fashion magazine, the illusion that you have to be skinny to have a good life is branded into the minds of many. “47% of 5th-12th…

Words 1688 - Pages 7

Gender Stereotypes In Sports Essay

adopt certain beliefs or norms, as well as behave and speak a certain way. Furthermore, gender is also considered a social categorization. In the same way, defined by the Oxford Dictionary, a stereotype is “ A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing”. The goal of this paper is to examine the impact that gender roles and stereotyping have on women in sports. First, we will discuss gender logic created by society. Secondly, I will go into detail on…

Words 1631 - Pages 7

Athletes In Advertising Essay

do not consider is how their image affects average people, especially children. We consumers love to idolize these athletes, and companies can easily manipulate a child’s mind to want their product if a famous athlete claims to use it. For the sake of the youth, athletes need to realize their responsibilities as role models, and promote only positive messages in their advertisements. Professional athletes have the decision to maintain a positive or a negative image in the eye of the public. Some…

Words 1991 - Pages 8

Gender Stereotypes In Sports

Women are perceived as inferior to men when it comes to sports. Society has enforced these norms by using media for example. There are an unequal amount of sports ads that feature men most of the time. Women have the potential to shape their body image into a more sport like appearance. Women could play men's sports regardless of potential. Having the mentality of sports not being for women, it’s all about appearance when it comes down to women sports, and women are not interesting is a false…

Words 1676 - Pages 7

Essay about Mass Media And Gender Roles Grsj 300

which feature power and strength (football and hockey) while undermining sports which have elements of grace and control (gymnastics and figure skating). This media representation of sport is not only problematic for females, but also for males. It will be discussed how the focus of masculinity within sports can cause great pressure on men to obtain a certain body type, and that being a successful athlete relates to how “male” one is. In comparison to male athletes, the press focuses on how female…

Words 2336 - Pages 10

sex and gender paper

productivity, and relationships. Having an eating disorder can harm your life and therefore should seek for help. The longer you wait for help, the less the likelihood of physical and emotional recovery. Anorexia nervosa’s cycle of self-starvation, the body is denied the essential nutrients it needs to function normally. As a result to that, the abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure, which mean that the heart muscle is changing. It reduces the bone density, which results in dry, brittle bones…

Words 1569 - Pages 7

Essay on Female Athlete Triad

The female athlete triad is a health condition in which active women experience three inter-related disorders due to unhealthy body weight and eating habits. In the case of the triad, the word active refers to females who display moderate to high intensity levels of performance. The rate of performance must be high in order to counterbalance the decrease in calorie intake. Females who perform at a high intensity are at risk for the triad since they do not take in enough calories to fulfill the…

Words 1960 - Pages 8

1099478112 2004 English Area of Study Notes jules gb Essay examples

tone is apparent throughout the poem. May be seen through the references to: Memories “Or to watch a sunset/ They would never see again” “Memories strayed/ From behind sunken eyes…That shared their secrets/With storms and exiles.” The reoccurring images of death: “Blood/ Leaves similar dark stains-/ When it runs for a long time / On stones or rusted iron.” “That brought a reminder/ Of people listening to requiems.” “Had we talked/ Of death/ Perhaps something/ More than time/ Would have been lost…

Words 4932 - Pages 20