2008 Woodie Awards
How do you feel about YOUR body?
WGS schedules "Love Your Body" week in hopes of improving that image
Chloe Johnson
Issue date: 10/3/06 Section: Campus News
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The national "Love Your Body Day" is Oct. 18, encouraging people to fight the negative images and thoughts on their body and focus on the positive ones. However, during the week starting Monday, Oct. 16 and running through Friday, Oct. 20, UNCG's Department of Women and Gender Studies (WGS) has decided to create a whole week around the "Love Your Body" concept.
The week has been designed with the goal that students will become aware about body issues while promoting healthy alternatives that encourage positive body images. Body issues on all levels will be covered, including sexuality and nutrition, not just the image. Each day will have a 'theme' that is concentrated on through performances, presentations, and activities.
"Around ten campus and community organizations have contributed to the week helping to promote awareness to love your body," says Alicia Sowisdral, of WGS.
As one example, a workshop will be presented on Tuesday by UNCG's registered dietician and nutritional educator, Jill Shaw, about how the mass media influences the way people feel about their bodies. She will be showing a video called "Dying to Look Good: How the Media Promotes Negative Body Image and Unhealthy Behaviours."
The premise of the film is that every day, people are bombarded with pictures of the ideal man and woman. The media work hard in telling people that their images are not acceptable, and they should appear more like those on TV and in magazines. The dominate type for women seems to be thin, big breasted, tall with flawless skin; for males it is muscley, tanned and tall.
When not being surrounded by the 'ideal' image, reseachers suggest viewers are watching programmes such as The Biggest Loser, which features contestants competing to look the thinnest. These ideal images are what people in society are trying to look like by dieting, working out excessively and even taking drugs, but our society needs to accept that in reality this is not who everyday people are-they are not airbrushed nor are they edited on the computer.
To compare, the average American woman is 5'4" tall and weighs 140 pounds; the average American model is 5'11" tall and weighs 117 pounds. Most fashion models are thinner than 98 percent of American women.
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