Media's Representation of Diversity in Women

The media’s portrayal of women in magazines makes a big impact on how average women see themselves. There is little to no diversity in mainstream media, even though there is a large diversity in the American population. What image is typically displayed as acceptable is the standard “thin ideal” body type. “Thin ideal” body type can be described as a woman with a small frame, small waist, little body fat, thin/slim figure, tall, and toned abs (Sparhawk, 2003). This is important because perceptions of this information could have an impact on self-image, inclusivity, and representation of diverse populations of women. The purpose of this study is to examine the implications of mainstream media’s inclusion of diversity and woman’s perceptions of ideal body types. In 2019, a survey conducted by Hoff asked Americans to identify their “ideal” body type. The outcome revealed that the “ideal” female body type is 5’5”, about 128 pounds, and has a 26-inch waist (Hoff, 2019). These results do not represent an average woman’s body type. Although most women see this unrealistic body type as the only acceptable image, the average woman in America has an average weight of 170.6 pounds, an average height of 5’3 inches, an average waist size of 38.7 inches, and pants size is large to extra-large (Holland, 2019). This incongruence implied a need for further investigation into the implications of representation and perception of diversity. The hypothesis is that Women’s Health Magazine covers are more likely to depict the “thin ideal” body type than any other body type. Results from the content analysis showed that out of 48 magazine covers, only 2 covers portrayed a non “thin ideal” body image. This evidence supports the hypothesis. Accurate representation of diversity is important, especially in popular media. Future research can focus on how misrepresentation affects women’s health.

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https://youtu.be/LTaGCv2yswY