These statistics are not only heartbreaking but alarming. The big question that comes to mind is – are the fashion industry and media to blame? First, you have to ask why they choose to portray such an unrealistic spectrum of what women look like. The simple answer is that it’s just good business. So that’s it, the problem is capitalism! It’s what we want to see and that’s why they’re selling it. What that really means though is that we’re the vein ones, not them.
So I guess we might as well chalk it up to human nature and call it a day. The problem is that doesn’t explain how we’ve reached this point, where there’s is a glaring problem that’s only being exacerbated. It’s not exactly clear what the true root of this issue is, but a good clue lies in the fact of how disproportionately this issue is effecting women over men. There is something in the way that social norms have developed to separate what is the quintessential woman versus man that is allowing for this to happen.
It is undeniable however that the images we see in movies and magazines are only worsening this condition. If we want things to get better then that certainly wouldn’t be a bad place to start.