Gender Stereotypes and Body Image

The media's influence in western culture is pervasive. Through magazines, television and print ads such as billboards, advertisers have consistently adopted gender stereotypes in terms of body image, and use these stereotypes to sell their products. Although it is certainly no secret that the stereotypical womanly ideal is slender to the point of unhealthy, the body image presented as the male ideal is similarly unrealistic. Men are consistently presented an overly muscular, perfectly lean physique as the stereotypical ideal to which they must aspire. In considering the effects of such unrealistic stereotypical ideals, it is important to consider just what the ideals presented are, before one discusses the effects they have. Finally, it is an interesting extension of the issue to look at the effects of the female stereotype on men and vice versa.

The primary factor that typifies female stereotypes in the media is...
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