LETTER: Media images cause insecurity

To the editor:

Let me get this straight, supposedly eating disorders arise in patients who desire perfection, and has no connection to advertisement. Did I read this letter right? The media advertises images of blonde bombshells participating in a variety of activities from rollerskating, applying makeup, to chewing gum. Details of media advertisement are not important – the underlying message projecting perfection and the so-called definition of a desired figure is.

Approximately five percent of the world population have a so-called “supermodel” figure. Perfection? Idealism? Dictation of image starts at a young age, typically females in their teens. Adolesence is a confusing time, the media thrives off of this! Yes, it is understandable to consider eating disorders as a psychological problem to which the finger cannot only be pointed towards advertisment. However it disgusts me to believe there are individuals among us who feel the idealistic images in magazines or television claim this is what we as humans should work towards. Connections to domestic violence and sexual assault ripen in images of women appearing weak, or like objects. Sounds like something to work for, all right!

In closing I simply state if eating disorders are not correlated to the media, then why is a celebrity brought up in a “Full House” battling with anorexia?

Ben Christens