Ethical Dilemma, no right or wrong answer!

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACCESS. In the media profession that I want to be in, which as corny as it sounds, is a combination of Giuliana Rancic, Billy Bush, Meredith Viera, Ryan Seacrest, Perez Hilton, and a writer for People Magazine, I know I will face a lot of ethical issues. My life has always been about Hollywood. I have always been attracted to the limelight and the flashes of paparazzi cameras. I want to be the next "it" girl, and believe me, with the time and dedication I put into everything, I know it's going to happen.

In the media, a lot of the focus right now is on teenage girls (and boys!) who deal with the struggle that is body harm or body issues. This is especially true with airbrushing, as well as young girls dealing with the affects of body distortion, just to be like their favorite actress. This is a worldwide issue. The way the media portrays girls in commercials or television that are this version of skinny, shows them having fun, finding boys, going to the coolest parties, finding themselves their dream jobs, so in turn, young girls (and boys!) think that if they become that skinny or find their way to an eating disorder or finding out a new diet, that they can become those girls who get everything that they have ever wanted out of life. 

Let's discuss one of my favorite movies, Mean Girls, (which I'm sure everyone my age can recite word for word), in Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan's two friends in the film are trying to crack the bitch in the school to show her that she isn't perfect. In the middle of the film, the girls or "The Plastics" go to the mall so Regina can show them the dress she has picked out for the Spring Fling. She goes to a store called 1, 3, 5. Naturally, since Lindsay Lohan's character has been feeding her Caltene bars, which help a person gain weight. Regina is under the impression that these bars help lose weight. Regina's friend Karen asks the sales woman if they have it in the next size up, to which she responds, "Sorry, we only carry sizes 1, 3 and 5."

What you should know about me, is granted, I am a Paula Abdul FREAK. I love everything that she does and everything she stands for. I've been lucky enough to meet her tons of different times, and it's all because I wanted to personally thank her for everything she has taught me. She has taught me to love myself and nobody else can take away my happiness, but most importantly, to always always always think positively. The thing about it though? She suffered through the media too. Yes, she has suffered with drinking and drug allegations, sleeping with contestants from American Idol, and also being accused of not singing on her records, but the hardest thing?  She is a victim of Bulimia. Bulimia is an ever popular growing eating disorder but it isn't just physical harm, it's psychological as well. In all honesty, any eating disorder is emotionally and physically draining. I would know, because I am personally a survivor of an eating disorder.

So, what has the media done to shed light on the issue of body image? Well in 2004, Dove launched the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. This campaign was introduced to show girls that being a little bigger or a little smaller is OKAY. You can still get everything you want out of life, because you are YOU and that is what ultimately matters. Dove did a study in 2011 with 1200 girls ages 10-17 where 72% said they felt tremendous pressure to be beautiful, but only 11% of girls around the world feel comfortable using the word "beautiful" to describe their looks (from A Bold New Vision: The Dove Movement for Self-Esteem).

This is one of the most popular photos from the Dove Campaign.

These women were put on billboards across the world in hopes that young girls

would find themselves beautiful. 

Has the media gone to far when the topic of body image comes up? Of course it has. The media effects so many people, both young and old. Am I going to face this? Absolutely. The pressure to be that perfect size 0 is clearly evident in California. Personal story time!! I went to California this summer and went to Dash (Yes, I love the Kardashians!) and I fell in love with a shirt that I found, naturally I look for my size, and I can't find it. My first thought was, "Okay, it must be out of stock", so I asked the cashier if they had it on order or if it was scheduled to come in. I was told they don't make their clothes in a size large because it sends the wrong message. Of course, I am offended, but I left the store. 

Since this is my first crack at Media Ethics, I don't really think I have any tools to solve ethical dilemmas, except my personal experience. I know that it hurts to be called fat or ugly or to go clothes shopping and have to buy in the double digits. I'm wired the way I am and I'm one person who hates making fun of others. I have never stood for it and have been a victim of it for most of my life. I'm hoping that in this ethics class, I will learn about the different ways to handle ethical issues and how to deal with media attention while doing it.