Body Image in TV and Film

Representation of Body Image

TV and film has a huge impact on body image, especially if the younger generation (girls in particular) find that they can relate to a character either positively or negatively. Representation is vital in this day and age, and if there is character or an actress who is slightly curvier then people with similar body shapes can look up to her and learn to accept themselves. This whole idea of representation only works if the person being looked up to is positive about their body image.

Ugly Betty

We all encounter beauty standards in today's society through magazines, films and TV but not many of us work in an industry where beauty is considered to be everything, but Betty Suarez did exactly that. The whole show is based around the fact that she doesn't meet these standards and struggles to fit in. Betty constantly defies stereotypes and proves that you don't have to look a certain way to be successful in your career and life in general. 

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

This film follows four girls in High School who stay in touch by sharing a pair of jeans over the summer that miraculously fit each of their bodies perfectly, despite them all being completely different in shape and size and all coming from various cultural backgrounds. This film is targeted to girls who are about to become teenagers and are beginning to struggle with their body image, so it's great that it shows the four characters' individual struggles so that girls can relate to them.