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Show OPINIONS A10 You can't airbrush the real thing: how the media affects women i Barbies don't live in the real ): world and girls lessej^ their ••' self-esteem when th ompare themselves with dolls. Later as women, they pare themselves to the wo on magazine covers. Dr. ole Hawkins is raising awa ess about this negative cy By Briaiuia Bailey Opinions Writer P hotoshop allows the media to piece together women to fill the pages of magazines, which sets a standard of beauty that is impossible to achieve. Dr. Nicole Hawkins' studies show that after only three minutes of looking at a fashion magazine, 70 percent of girls feel depressed, guilty and shameful of themselves. "I didn't realize there were that many girls with that many problems," said freshman Business major Nathan Northcott. "As guys, we should all be more sensitive to their thoughts. Media has conditioned men and women to think this way and it should be addressed more." Magazines,' modeling recruits and television have created this "perfect" image. These women are airbrushed, digitally altered or suffering from eating disorders. These women have unreal or unhealthy bodies and they make women feel obligated to lose weight. Although it's evident that the media is altering people's perceptions of what beauty should be, it's beginning to affect people at younger ages. Girls from ages five to seven were reported to have less esteem for their body and a greater desire to be thinner after exposure to Barbies versus girls who were shown images of dolls with a healthy size, such asthe"EmmeDoll." Adding to the negative effect, Mattel Inc., which manufactures Barbie, has decided their current model of Barbie is too fat and needs to become thinner. Such a change will only drastically increase the negative tilt of these statistics, further highlighting the fact that by age five, 14 percent of girls are dieting, and by age 10, 80 percent will be dieting. "I feel this is definitely a very prominent, needed topic," said Amy Grubbs from Student Health Services. "Body image is a huge issue .. ., Photo Illustration by Randy Neltsan/UVU Review The media's image of how a real woman should look hurts women who don't mirror that perverted image. on campus and across all campuses throughout the country. This is why we have Dr. Nicole Hawkins speak once a semester." As much as we'd all like to believe it's not, body image distortion and eating disorders are a common issue on this campus. "Guys and girls come in struggling with just their body image, seeking help before it can translate into a disorder," Grubbs said. While media's influence on beauty still remains a prominent issue, there is progress being made. The Australian edition of Marie Claire recently featured former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins on it's cover with no airbrushing. A few months later, Jessica Simpson posed for a cover that wasn't airbrushed either. "The media should show a variety of images, not images of perfection," said Dr. Hawkins. "Some are moving toward that and being received positively by all audiences." Aside from this, just promoting awareness of the is- Why do they return? Alumni working on campus By Mike Sanborn Opinions Writer W hile the approach of graduation is daunting, with resumes and job hunting on the horizon, many students eagerly look forward to leaving academia and entering the "real world." For them, stepping out of these doors means they are finished with school and moving on. A smaller group of students reenter these doors, walking down familiar halls on the way to their new offices, ready to put in a full day of work. Most of these alumni come back, whether because of luck or design, to use their education at the same. university that provided it. Some alumni never want to leave their alma mater. These alumni have differing paths and circumstances that led them back, but all share a love for the university and the environment it provides. "The atmosphere gets in your blood," says Dr. Bob Rasmussen, dean of students. For Rasmussen, the university has a dynamic atmosphere. "There is an idea of renewal as a new crop of students comes to the university every year." Ashley Robertson, program coordinator for student judicial affairs, worked on campus as a student before moving into a full-time position after graduation. "I had such a good experience that I just wanted to stay," she said. Like Robertson, Director of Student Leadership and Activities Phil Clegg found a job with the school immediately after graduation. As a first-generation college graduate, Clegg feels a, particular attachment to university life. "I have what I consider to be one of the best jobs," he says. Working with the student government, clubs and other groups on campus, Clegg enjoys the "intangible rewards" of staying involved in improving students. April Crawford, manager of accommodative services, actually found a job on campus three weeks before she walked at graduation. "1 love working for the school," she says, "I wouldn't want to work anyplace else." A chance to work with the media side of student athletics drew Assistant Athletic Director Clint Burgi away from a local TV station. "The allure of being a part of a team and a school that I already had some investment in made it a really easy decision," he says. Administrative assistant Sherry Harward has left and returned several times since she earned her associate and bachelor's degrees. She explained, "I love the environment, I love the growth and the changes. There are difficulties like anywhere else, but if s a great place to be." No two alumni are the same, but the common theme with those that join the school's faculty and staff is a love of the atmosphere that is only fofcnd in an.academic setting. Many of the alumni quoted above were actively involved in student government and groups. Already steeped in the university's culture and vision, it is no wonder that they would return in their professional careers. Working in academia is not a career path for everyone. More than one of the alumni interviewed expressed the feeling that the lower salary found in higher education is offset by the reward found in teaching or working with students. For those that do not work simply for a paycheck, the benefits add up. For example, tuition and fees are waived for full-time university employees, allowing many of them to take classes and work toward advanced degrees. So when it comes time to don graduation robes and watch as classmates break for the door to go out into "the world," slow down for a second. The same building that housed the worst class you suffered through might also contain the career of your dreams. sue can make all the difference for even one girl. Even though the media has defined what "perfect" should be, that doesn't mean it's too late to change that definition. For girls of all ages, self-esteem and body image can be improved through small steps as the media industry continues its progress. Letter to the Editor * Requirements uvu.review.opinions@gmail.com WW • Letters must be turned in on Wednesday by noon in order to be printed in the next issue. • We make no guarantee that letters will be printed. • Letters 300 words or less have a greater chance of being published - anything longer will be edited for content. letters become the property of UVU Review as soon as they are submitted. ; • Anonymous letters are only publishable when the safety or professional status of the author is in jeopardy. |