M EDIA, S OCIETY AND M ODELS : G OOD OR B AD I NFLUENCE ? Savannah Sappington Dr. Moschetta

Q UESTION What do YOU think of when you hear the word model?

C RYSTAL R ENN Size: 2; Age: 14 Size: 8; Age: 24

W HY D ID I C HOOSE T HIS T OPIC ? After graduation, I plan on going into the beauty industry as a beautician. I plan to study at Empire Beauty School to get my state cosmetology license and then go back and get my cosmetology instructor certification. Ive had friends that look up to movie stars, actresses and models and theyll do anything to look like them, so I wanted to know why.

T HESIS With all the drama in the beauty industry, the media, society and models can be a positive and negative influence on young women. They can be a good inspiration, you work flexible hours as a model, and its money. They also can influence you to obtain an eating disorder and the beauty products commercials make you always second guess yourself.

50s Very covered up Barely any swimsuit modeling Considered risqué for showing too much skin 60s & 70s More freedom Women became trendsetters for clothes & physical appearance 80s Tighter clothes All-American girl look was in (blonde hair, blue eyes) Exotic looking girls

90s &00s Super skinny runway models returned Form-fitting, low cut clothing became more popular Models of varying ethnicities made mainstream African American models Tyra Banks & Naomi Campbell lead the modeling industry in early 2000s

P LUS SIZE / FULL FIGURE MODELS AREN T FULLY ACCEPTED IN THE INDUSTRY, BUT THERE IS MORE ACCEPTANCE FOR CURVIER MODELS. T HE MEDIA PORTRAYS PEOPLE WHO GAIN WEIGHT NEGATIVELY. overweight is ugly Sending message that being thin is beautiful and being overweight is ugly.

P OSITIVE Financial Stability Flexible Hours Inspiration

N EGATIVE Beauty Products Self Esteem Imitation of Behavior

T OP M ODEL Tyra Banks has apologized for showing a commercial for her hit show Top Model showing a girl with a dangerously thin waist.

C ONCLUSION I think that the media only affect us in negative ways. I dont see why someone would want to go into the industry as a model, actress, or anything of that nature because youre going to be judged on how you look, how you act and who you hang out with. Most compelling research? Most interesting idea? Satisfied? Future research?