Reflective Journal 1
Student Name
Professor Julie Doar-Sinkfield
Society and the Media
Date
Disclaimer: This is a sample. Use this as an example and create your own reflective journal.
When I was a teenager I was greatly affected by the women I saw in movies and
magazines in a negative way. I remember watching beautiful actresses on the big screen and
thought this was the way women should look and it became the way I wanted to look as well.
The majority of actresses I watched in movies were tall and physically fit. I watched the
beautiful girl always ended up with the cute guy and lived happily ever after. I was particularly
affected by movies during my teenage years when I was developing a sense of self and learning
about my body. I also read a lot of fashion magazines when I was a teenager and enjoyed
looking at the models who wore new fashionable clothes. The advertisements in the fashion
magazines showed tall and thin women in beautiful locations. “Studies examined exposure to
media forms and body image to show that there may be a link between viewing images of thin
bodies and personal body dissatisfaction” (Makwana, 1). I found this to be true with my own
experience. My self-esteem lowered and I was extremely dissatisfied with my body as I realized
that I would never grow to be six feet tall and develop a perfect body. I did not realize that the
women I saw in movies and in magazines had a team of people working hard to make them look
perfect for the few moments they were on camera. The images in magazines were photo
shopped and their natural imperfections were erased and replaced with flawless images. “Social
media not only exposes young girls to certain beauty standards and cultural ideals of
womanhood, but emerging research shows it may contribute to the development of eating
disorders and body dysmorphia.” (Tackett, 2). Luckily I did not develop an eating disorder but
unfortunately a few of my classmates did. Sadly, as a teenager I didn’t realize that I was trying
to obtain a body that was not possible and not real. It is sad to think that the media has this much
impact on the public and the way we feel about ourselves, and a lot of people do not feel good
about themselves unless they conform to the images that mainstream culture promotes.
Sources
1. Bindal Makwana. 2018. Selfie-Esteem: The Relationship Between Body Dissatisfaction
and Social Media in Adolescent and Young Women. https://www.in-
mind.org/article/selfie-esteem-the-relationship-between-body-dissatisfaction-and-social-
media-in-adolescent
2. Brittany Tackett. .2019. Social Media and Body Image.
https://www.projectknow.com/eating-disorders/and-social-media/
