Love Your Body: Body Image Survey Results

Here's what you had to say about images of women in the media. These results are based on the responses we received from our body image survey from May through August 2004. We will periodically update these results, so please come back!

Take the Survey!

We want to know what you think about the portrayal of women and girls in popular culture.

1. What advertisement, TV show, movie, trend or product most annoys you in its treatment of women's and/or girls' bodies?

The top three responses were the FOX television program "The Swan," competition dating shows like ABC's "The Bachelor," and Victoria's Secret advertisements. Other responses include:

  Botox ads
  Make-over shows, such as ABC's "Extreme Makeover"
  UPN's show "America's Top Model"
  Ads for diet plans
  The Coors Light twins, and beer ads in general
  Low-rise jeans
  Comedy Central's "The Man Show"
  Music videos on MTV
  Radio host Howard Stern
  NBC's "Friends"
  Hollywood stars denying they starve themselves
  "The sexualization of girls' bodies at a very young age"
  Reality star Anna Nicole Smith
  Micro-mini skirts

2. What positive images of women's and/or girls' appearances have you seen in the media recently?

By far the most popular response was "none." The second and third most common responses were the movie "Real Women Have Curves" and Nike advertisements. Also mentioned:

  BUST magazine
  Actor Camryn Manheim
  The movie "Whale Rider"
  "John Edwards' wife - she looks like most of my friends."
  Redbook magazine
  The WB's "Charmed"
  "Girls Play Here" signs at local parks
  Presidential candidate Carol Moseley Braun
  Artists/activists Guerrilla Girls
  Actor Kirstie Alley
  Off Our Backs magazine
  Comedian/actor Margaret Cho
  "The march of a million women. That was awesome!"
  U.S. armed forces ads featuring women
  Comedian/talk show host Ellen DeGeneres

3. Do you think that images of women/girls in the media have a direct result on how women/girls feel about and take care of themselves?

A) Absolutely 91.4%
B) Somewhat 8.6%
C) No 0%

4. What misconception of how women/girls are "supposed" to look would you most like to see disappear forever?

The most common response was the misconception that only skinny bodies are beautiful. Other related responses included: the "supermodel" look (also referred to as boyish bodies with unnaturally large breasts) and the pressure to get plastic surgery. Additional misconceptions mentioned:

  All bodies have to be alike to be beautiful and worthy of respect
  A size 8 model is plus-size
  The skeletal look
  You can't be smart and savvy unless you are knockout beautiful
  Women/girls only look good with long hair"
  The ridiculous concept of "one-size fits all"
  The religious idea of subservient women
  If a women isn't thin she can't be happy
  The notion that women embody goodness and purity

5. What can NOW and feminists in general do to help promote healthier attitudes about women's and girls' bodies?

Respondents had many useful and creative suggestions. The most common response was that negative images should be countered with positive ones, such as advertisements that feature women of all sizes and media content that increases public awareness on body image issues and anti-ads.

Another typical proposal was for people to petition and/or boycott companies with offensive views of women's bodies and media products that are negative.

Other ideas include:

  Create a list of "good" brands that should be purchased instead of brands that promote unhealthy body images
  Educate children about media images
  Support a "turn off the tube" movement
  Create a photo shoot with women before and after make-up and airbrushing
  Involve young girls in the process of inventing new advertisements
  Stop purchasing offensive magazines
  Raise public awareness the dangers of diet pills, fad diets, Botox and other invasive procedures
  Promote publications which depict average sized models
  Stop denigrating ourselves and participating in "catty" talk about other women's bodies
  Encourage models to embrace their natural weight
  Start more community groups (for those with eating disorders or victims of violence)
  Get the word out that it's ok to be "flawed" or "imperfect" — "Those are qualities that make a person true and wonderful."

Your most memorable quotes:

"Eat right, but still spoil yourself now and then. Get some exercise, but make it fun/enjoyable, don't torture yourself. But to get to the point, promote women who live their own healthy lifestyle and feel good about themselves."

"I would like to see the concept of what is acceptable sizing in mainstream editorial and runway fashion sink off the face of the earth. I'm sorry, but when was a 5'10", size 8 woman a plus-size woman? . . . This is a drastic misconception and we as women should take charge and make them change it."

"I don't see too many overtly positive images of women. I think seeing women like Hillary Rodham Clinton and Carol Moseley Braun, as well as local leaders, is the closest we come to positive images of women in the media."

"I hate how if women are a bit larger on a TV show or movie that it becomes the thing that defines them. The character is never able to get past her weight and be a 'normal' character. On the opposite end, if a man is larger in a TV show or movie it is perfectly acceptable for that character. It can even be a funny quality."

"The clothing available for boys and girls varies significantly in the amount of naked skin exposed. Short shorts and midriff baring tops are common in the toddler sections of most clothing stores. Why can't there be more functional, fun clothing for girls that does not put their bodies on display before they can even talk?"

"I would definitely have to choose "The Man Show" and "The Howard Stern Show" as the most annoying and degrading TV shows. If I ever want to feel horrible about myself and the portrayal of women in society I can do so by watching either of these shows."

"Dress well and beautifully in splendid fabrics, lovely colors and knock-out artistic clothing. Drape the body as if it were a statue in Italian marble. Let women love food and love preparing it, eating it and sharing the communal meal."