Growing Up in the Culture of Slenderness: Girls' Experiences of Body Dissatisfaction

In Sarah Grogan and Nicola Wainwright's article, "Growing Up in the Culture of Slenderness: Girls' Experiences of Body Dissatisfaction" (from Women's Studies International Forum 19, no.6 (1996): 665-673), interviews were conducted with participants of two age groups, 8-year-old girls and 13-year-old girls.  They were asked questions about their satisfaction regarding their body images. Although the 13-year-olds didn't like the skinniness of the models in a magazine, they were jealous of their skinny friends. (Grogan and Wainwright, 1996.)  The self-consciousness associated with the unrealistic expectation(s) for women to be skinny, brings about negative and unreachable goals.  These warped images are exposed to girls in the media, thereby starting at an early (pre-adolescent) age the unrealistic idea that to be beautiful, a female must be skinny.  These delusions are the epitome of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia.  Other consequences include psychological disorders resulting from dissatisfaction with body shape/size, as well as poor self image.  Psychological issues are not the only consequences.  Physical health, including medical concerns, is jeopardized by the lack of important nutrients essential for good health. This is especially true for not only young, developing girls, but also for women, including those who are pregnant.  Unfortunately, because our society is one in which beauty is dictated by outside imagery, the health of young girls is in danger.








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