Irrelevant? I Don't Think So.
- Kevin
- Jun 5, 2016
- 4 min read
Throughout our lives, we are faced with media’s unrealistic standards, but a part of that is the under-representation of certain existing demographics. If one does not see themselves in society as portrayed in advertisements, movies, etc-- then they will not normalize their individuality and will ultimately feel alien. This causes people to feel useless, abnormal, or even undesired all because someone behind a computer screen says so. The media and it’s minions, need to stop regulating what is deemed acceptable by eliminating societal expectations through representing more demographics than the typical ones you see already.
Standards
One of the most common misconceptions of society, is that we are not shallow. People claim that “Oh it is the 21st Century! Who would ever care about appearance?”, when in actuality beauty standards regulate how and what people desire. However, everything that the mass majority has an eye for is not exactly what the media sometimes displays as desired. In advertisements, attractive qualities in men are portrayed with perfectly crafted bodies, tall heights, and overall no imperfections.
As we can see in the pictures displayed above, almost all of the men have a continuity of the so called “true beauty” that is taught through the media. This expectation of men is extremely unrealistic and appreciates one demographic of men. There are multiple body types, heights, skin tones, etc. thanks to genetics, it doesn’t make any sense why we as people only decide to facilitate such discrimination among anyone because they don’t look a certain way. A majority of people do not feel like they fit in with the standards; feeling alienated and not acceptable by societal standards. To solve this issue, we need to stop believing that what is desirable is not based on what is wanted by others, but is instead dictated by our own wishes. We should not devalue each other because we are not a certain way, we are all desirable in our own ways and just because it is not in the fashion that is “accepted” does not make anyone less of a person.
"Where am I?"
Growing up, watching TV shows and cartoons, there wasn’t any character that I could really relate with at all. Whether it’d be Disney Channel or Nickelodeon, there never really existed a character that I could find myself in. I had thought to myself, “am I not normal? Am i not a normal person in society, meaning that my representation means nothing?!” When people do not see themselves in a representation of society, it imposes the question of “If this is a normal setting, then why am I not there? Where am I?”. For example, children with prosthetic limbs are not seen at all in toys, TV shows, or movies. It seems as if they’re completely missing from the scene, when in actuality they are present in everyday life. By not representing them in the masses, it makes those affected envision themselves as an abnormal minority that shows no significance in the perceived “normal” society. Resulting in individuals feeling as if they are alien and do not fit in among other humans.
Self Identity
Individuals who do not feel well represented or do not see “themselves” in society and the media have two options if they would like to change their situation--fit into societal standards or express their individuality. Surprisingly, a mass of people including myself have become a victim to losing part of who they are and their interests to what the media portrays as “normal” or desirable. When we cannot see ourselves fitting in normally, some people decide to take it within their own hands and change themselves to blend in with everybody else. People will change the way they dress, see oneself, just so that they have that small satisfaction of feeling normal. For example in the gay community, young, skinny, and Caucasian males labeled “twinks” seem to rule the gay community and constantly get the attention of men everywhere. I’ve seen it first hand, my gay friends would constantly cry over the fact that they cannot seem to feel loved because society has made it so that they are not the type of people to be loved. As if only primadonna twinks are the only ones worth the attention, completely disregarding the fact that everyone deserves to be loved. It’s as if gay men have to fit a certain image in order to feel attractive and accepted by the gay community.
Many people have resorted to bulimia and anorexia, just so that they feel normal because they are thicker than those desired by the media. People become less of themselves to become more of what everybody else wants and that is not justified at all. As a society, we need to approach everybody with the equal amount of love and care that we do to those with the “desired” traits. No matter how big of an influence society has on body image. All together, we are humans, more than just the labels and requirements we set each other to have.
Overall, the media has a ridiculous amount of control over what the masses advocate--however that doesn’t necessarily mean we as a society must stick to their beliefs and virtues in order to be truly happy with ourselves. If we do not fit in with a certain standards, that is not our fault but society’s for implying that we have to be a certain way to be accepted. If we do not see ourselves as normal because we are not represented and portrayed, then that is the media’s fault for completely disregarding the corresponding demographic, because no human holds less value or more praise for what they are or have. However, it is our fault if we try to fit ourselves within what society has expected from us. It is our duty as individuals to not lose grasp of who we are at the cost of feeling like we fit in with societal standards. Day by day, I come across all kinds of people, and I would hate to see that one day they are no longer there. Not because of physical death--but one of the mind where their spirit dies to accommodate for what is expected from media’s standards instead of their individual aspirations and beliefs.
Do you think as an individual you are more based on media's standards or your own? Be honest. And most importantly, what are ways you do to improve the situation?
Sources:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/susancheng/asian-representation-in-hollywood-in-2015
http://www.wakemag.org/sections/voices/why-does-media-representation-matter
http://www.theguardian.com/women-in-leadership/2013/nov/12/media-representation-matters
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