1

Literature Review

Magdalen Paredes

University of Texas at El Paso

 2

Abstract

Body shaming was researched with four research questions to explore the concern and possible

solutions to the issue. Research shows that the media is either negatively or positively influential

to the view of body image and self-esteem. A primary interview was conducted to further

explore the population’s view on personal looks. Data suggest that implementing body positive

programs into schools and in the media may improve body image.
 3

Introduction

Body shaming is a problem that can affect many different type of people. It involves any

person who is victim to another making them feel self-conscious about their body image. The

effects of body shaming can lead to depression, eating disorders and in some cases, suicide. It is

a form of bullying that attacks personal looks and can be highly damaging to those who

experience it. The following research questions are aimed to add a depth of understanding to the

concern of body shaming:

 What is body shaming and why/how is it spread?

 Do people in society today identify themselves as self-conscious about body image?

 Do schools or the media try to help and promote healthy body image?

 What programs can be implemented to help those struggling with negative body image?

The purpose of this paper is to inform about the issue of body shaming. Also, the purpose is

to explore the research questions above and investigate which possible solutions could help the

problem of body shaming in the future. It is to explore whether or not the implementation of

body positive programs in the media and school would help the issue of body shaming.

What is body shaming and why/how is it spread?

In order to understand body shaming and how it affects others, the definition and why it

is spread must be understood first. According to a web page titled “Body-Shaming: What Is It &

Why Do We Do It?” by Erika Vargas of Walden Behavioral Care, body shaming is “criticizing

yourself or others because of some aspect of physical appearance.” She also states that “it is

everywhere.” Body shaming is seen is many aspects of life that have become the norm. This

includes magazines giving tips on how to look thinner, television shows making fun of
 4

overweight or underweight people, and the media only using thin models for promoting

products.

This type of criticism can be spread in many ways. Vargas provides three examples. One

being: “Criticizing your own appearance, through a judgment or comparison to another person.”

This could be comparisons like “She is so much prettier than me,” or “He’s the perfect height,

better than mine.” The second one is “criticizing another’s appearance in front of them.” An

example of this could be saying “If you lost a little weight, you could find more dates.” This one

is a personal and direct attack on someone. The last one is “criticizing another’s appearance

without their knowledge.” An example of this last criticism could be “Wow, at least you’re not

that skinny like her.” This could also include thinking negatively about somebody in personal

thoughts rather than speaking about it to a friend or family member.

Vargas then brings up the most important part of her online article: why is body shaming

spread? She focuses on her Braintree Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program and how the

patients deal with conflict. During these conflicts, adolescents will insult physical appearances

during their argument. Vargas says the reason behind this is “it feels easier to shoot for

something that will hurt, like targeting physical appearance, rather than expressing what is really

going on emotionally.” She infers that human beings have a hard time dealing with raw emotions

deep within themselves, so they bring up a defense mechanism to harm others instead of seeming

weak themselves. Other reasons why it could be spread is a need to point out flaws in others in

order to avoid the flaws going on within themselves. If a person is insecure about, for example,

their nose, they may point out another person’s nose in order to boost their self-esteem. (Vargas,

2014.)
 5

Do people in society today identify themselves as self-conscious about body image?

According to statistics about at dosomething.org, “approximately 91% of women are

unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting” to try and get a perfect body which “only 5%” of

women have according to modern day standards. Body shaming could be so that influential 91%

of women are unhappy with their looks and diet trying reaching a body type which only 5% of

women in the world naturally have without surgery or dieting.

Another statistic is “more than one-third of the people who admit to normal dieting will

merge into pathological dieting.” Following that, “one-fourth of those will suffer from a partial

or full-on eating disorder.” Some of those on diets to try and look better become obsessed with

their weight to the point that they will force themselves into an eating disorder. Lastly, “more

than 40% of women and about 20% of men” would take cosmetic surgery into thought for their

future.

In order to better understand the research question and obtain knowledge on whether the

population finds themselves self-conscious about body image, a primary source interview was

taken a local El Paso arcade named Adventure Zone. The location was chosen in order to target

all ages, from the young coming to play games and the older generation ordering food from the

kitchen. The interviews were also meant to target if body shaming affects men or women. Fifteen

people were interviewed with the following questions:

1. What is your age?

2. Are you male or female?

3. Do you consider yourself self-conscious about your body image?

 6

4. Have you ever been victim to body shaming?

5. Do you know of anyone personally who struggles with this issue?

6. Do you believe body shaming is an issue that needs to be better taken care of?

The data was made into a chart with the anonymous answers.

Column1 Question #1 Question #2 Question #3 Question #4 Question #5 Question #6

Person 1 14 Female Yes Yes Yes Yes
Person 2 21 Female Yes Yes Yes Yes
Person 3 17 Male No Yes Yes Yes
Person 4 30 Male No Yes No No
Person 5 16 Male Yes No Yes Yes
Person 6 17 Female No Yes Yes Yes
Person 7 23 Male No No No No
Person 8 24 Female Yes Yes Yes Yes
Person 9 43 Female Yes No Yes Yes
Person 10 32 Female No No Yes Yes
Person 11 16 Male No Yes Yes Yes
Person 12 24 Male No No Yes Yes
Person 13 38 Male Yes Yes Yes Yes
Person 14 19 Female No Yes No No
Person 15 20 Male No No No No

Table 1: Primary Body Image Interview, 2014

The ages from the interviewees ranged from 14 to 43 years of age with seven females and

eight males. When asked if they were self-conscious about their body image (#3), six out of

fifteen answered yes, with four being females and two being males. From this question’s data, a

little less than half found themselves identifying as self-conscious, the majority being females.

When the interviewees were asked if they had ever been victim to body shaming (#4), nine out of

fifteen answered yes. In this response, five were females and four were males. This data was split

almost evenly between the two genders. When asked if the interviewees personally knew of

anyone struggling with body image (#5), eleven out of fifteen answered yes. Lastly, question #6

was answered yes by the same eleven people. The participants who said no to personally

knowing someone struggling with body image said no to the next question, as well.
 7

When compared to the previous statistics from dosomething.org of this research question,

the interview showed that 57% of women and 25% of males were self-conscious with body

image, 60% of participants had been victim to body shaming, and 73% of participants personally

know someone struggling with this issue and think something needs to be done about it.

(Paredes, M, personal communication, November 2, 2014.)

Do schools or the media try to help and promote healthy body image?

In a journal titled “Promoting Healthy Body Image in Middle School” written in 2002 by

Danna Levitt and Patrick Akos, the authors state that “Part of personal and social development in

middle school is the development and continued evolution of one's body image.” They also

report that “In some schools, the discussion of body image is often limited solely to didactic

instruction from physical education and health teachers.” (Akos, Levitt 2002). They continue

with the article saying that school counselors and other subject teachers should take a bigger role

in the development of young student’s self-esteem and body image. The journal emphasizes how

healthy development should not be learned from only health and physical education teachers but

from the entire staff as well, mainly school counselors since they have more confidential and

influencing power over students.

An example from an online YouTube video titled “Media & The Distortion of Body

Image”, the video creator begins the video by the definition of body image: “a picture of one’s

own physical look established by self-observation and by noting the reactions of others.” The

video then restates the similar statistic from dosomething.org that “92% of girls are displeased

with their body image.” In the video, the reason for this statistic is the because of the media

presenting “beauty with unrealistic standards.” The also video presents the idea of the “Ideal
 8

Female” Predominantly thin, yet impossibly toned and curvaceous, accompanied by perfect skin,

teeth and hair.” The overall message from the video is that the media plays negatively into the

perception of body image with unrealistic advertisements. This could lead to people’s warped

perception of how a women or man should look.

Although the video shows how the media negatively plays into body image, it can also

play a positive role if given with a positive message. One example of a positive body image in

the media is in Colbie Caillat’s song titled “Try.” The song has lyrics like:

“Put your makeup on, get your nails done, curl your hair, run the extra mile, keep it slim so they

like you. Do they like you?” (Caillat, 2013) In this part of the song, Colbie Caillat, a popular pop

artist sings about how much the subject of the song is influenced to be liked by others by doing

their makeup, nails, hair and by being thin. Later in the song she sings, “Wait a second, why

should you care what they think of you? When you’re all alone by yourself, do you like you?

You don’t have to try so hard.” She is enforcing the idea of liking yourself above everything,

especially above what the media or others may think of you. She sings for the idea that people

don’t have to put so much effort into being something that they are not. This song shows that the

media can influence perception of body image, either negatively or positively.

What programs can be implemented to help those struggling with negative body image?

In a book titled Body Wars: Making Peace with Women’s Bodies by Margo Maine, the

author explains several reasons why society’s view on body image is so distorted. These reasons

range from the media marketing pills/diets to the targeting of the younger generation into dieting

and comparing one another. She says anyone who is a victim to low self-esteem is in the “body

war.” Maine also points out that men are part of the war, too because of the shift of power
 9

between genders. She says it is “time to fight back. Until now, Body Wars have been a one-way

battle.” (23.) Maine writes about how to fight back, the first step being with changing ourselves.

This one step can be achieved by looking to the reasons why our body image is so low and once

we “cultivate our internal resources, beauty, and values, the less Body Wars can infiltrate our

world.” The next step is to “develop a value system that puts appearance in its place and honors

our bodies as wonderful gifts regardless of the external packaging.” (24.) The author then has a

twenty five numbered list in the book about how to love your body. The list extensively explores

every aspect of enjoying life and the wondrous functions of the human body.

If this list were to be printed everywhere within the media, it could greatly influence the

way body image is perceived in society today. With previous research showing how the media

can be so influential on body image and how schools are not doing much, lists like this could

decrease the number of those who are struggling. Similar programs and ads could be

implemented into commercials and magazine articles seen every day by society. Repeated

viewings and exposure with positivity can wash away old negative marketing with new and

loving system that spreads healthy body image.

Counselors could also imply these lists and ads into their discussions with students.

Since counselors are seen to be a trusted part of the school system that students can go to for

advice and venting, the promotion of health body image would help the younger generation.

With teenagers and children being in school for so long during the day for a majority of their

lives, the school system would be a good place to target the issue.
 10

Conclusion

According to research from different sources, the media and school upbringing can have

a major impact on the view of body image. Whether positive or negative, a number of people

have been statistically influenced by society’s perception of bodies. A way to change the

negativity with positivity is to help students understand the importance of loving themselves and

also implementing this into the media.

 11

Citations

Caillat, Colbie. (2013.) Try. Gypsy Heart. Republic.

Levitt, D., & Akos, P. (2002). Promoting Healthy Body Image in Middle School, 6(2).

Maine, M. (2000). Body Wars: Making Peace with Women's Bodies. Carslbad, CA: Gurze

Books.

Media & The Distortion of Body Image. [Motion picture]. (2012). YouTube.

Paredes, M. Personal Communication. Nov. 2, 2014.

Vargas, Erika. (2014.) Body-Shaming: What Is It & Why Do We Do It? Walden Behavioral

Care. Retrieved from: http://www.waldenbehavioralcare.com/body-shaming-what-is-it-

why-do-we-do-it/

11 Facts About Body Image. Retrieved from https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-

body-image
12