WHY KESHA’S BATTLE ISN’T JUST ABOUT HER

Social media was dominated by the #freekesha movement last weekend and all through the following week. This sparked after Kesha was denied an injunction that would have allowed her to work on music without Sony or Dr. Luke. The battle for freedom began in 2014, after Kesha checked herself into rehab for an eating disorder. Instantly speculation began, leading many to believe that Luke was responsible for her bulimia. One account claims that while on the set of her music video, Luke compared her body to a “f*cking refrigerator” and in turn put her on a 2-week juice cleanse. After Kesha completed treatment, she swiftly sued Dr. Luke claiming rape and abuse. Luke then counter-sued saying Kesha was only doing this in an attempt to get out of her contract with him. After that, the issue stayed dormant. No one spoke up for Kesha, no one even really talked about it. Kesha screamed “RAPE” and no one cared. But following Friday, after a judge denied her injunction, stating she had to “do the commercially right thing”, a social media frenzy sparked. Support for Kesha began pouring out like never before. Top artists like Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Lorde and Iggy Azalea all took to social media to show their support for Kesha (just a few artists of the many). Later artists like Demi Lovato and Adele voiced their own support. In a generous effort, Taylor Swift donated $250,000 to Kesha to help her “in this trying time”. While the support is undeniably great, the problem still remains – a 28 year old woman is forced to work with her alleged abuser in an effort to do the commercially right thing. A woman claims she was raped, and a judge basically says that money is more important than her own safety. This case is a horrific one. Whether or not Kesha’s claims are valid (I am prone to think they are), what this says about rape in our culture is disgusting. People are all too quick to doubt that the rape happened, blame the woman for what she was wearing or what she was drinking, or even worse, they just don’t care. That seems to be the case here. Kesha says she was raped and the judge just doesn’t care. They will not let her get away from her abuser, or her contract, simply for the reason of profit. People are angry about this, and rightfully so. Kesha should not be forced to work with her abuser, or anyone who did nothing to stop it (Ahem – Sony Records). But while Kesha is the individual victim in this battle, her battle is bigger than she is. Her battle is one for all people who have been raped or abused, her battle is for those who weren’t believed, who were branded liars and those who were made slaves to their abusers so that the money could still be made. Kesha herself even stated this in a personal message she posted to her Facebook. If you haven’t heard about Kesha’s battle, look it up, be informed. And most of all, realize that we still live in a culture where money is more important than a person’s basic human rights. Money is more important than Kesha. Money is more important than rape.

THIN IS IN

I know this doesn’t relate to music critiquing but this is the research paper I wrote for English 101, I am really proud of it and think this topic is really important so I decided to upload it. I have included my works cited page so that authors have their credits, all other words are my own thoughts.

Zach Runge

 

Thin Is In: Media and Its Correlation to Body Image

What makes a woman? Is her outer image the defining characteristic of who she is? Does she have to be thin to be loved? The media has long promoted and shown an idea that women should be thin. The concepts conveyed in the media are hard to ignore; basically everyone within the western culture has a tie to the media. It is a multi-faceted medium. And with the ways in which media reaches people is increasing, one must ask, how does this impact us as a culture? In correlation to women within the media, there is an underlying message throughout. Women are to be thin. So heavily is this promoted that it begins to affect viewers. Constantly being shown images of beautiful, thin, tall women, creates a self-conscious attitude towards their own bodies. But viewers are not the only ones affected. Female celebrities, who define the very concepts promoted, are also affected by the messages presented. They begin to view themselves in a way that can only prompt insecurities about their exterior selves. American media is very dangerous because it supports an idea that women should fit an unrealistic type of body. They have predetermined what normal is and showcase only those that fall under the category. And these images create problems for media’s viewers and its own celebrities. Those within the United States are not the only ones affected by the images promoted within the country. Women from around the world are tapped into western culture, causing them to be subject to the thin ideal.  In essence, America’s portrayal of women in the media causes negative effects for both viewers and female celebrities around the world.

The promotion of a thin ideal for women is not a new concept. In fact, it may very well have been around since the 1950’s, when television and movies were quickly rising. An article published in 1978 by Susie Orbach, a well-known social critic and feminist, shows the media’s portrayal of women back then was as much an issue as it is now. “…[W]omen are caught in an attempt to conform to a standard that is externally defined and constantly changing…these models of femininity are experienced by women as unreal, frightening and unattainable…the one constant in these images is that woman must be thin” (“Fat is a Feminist Issue” 452). This shows that even in the 1970’s, women were being taught by the media to fit the idea of being thin, as if their external image defines who they are. Orbach looks more in-depth at the issue stating the major problem this causes: “[t]his emphasis on presentation as the central aspect of a woman’s existence makes her extremely self-conscious. It demands that she occupy herself with a self-image that others will find pleasing and attractive…she attempts to make herself in the image of womanhood presented by [media]” (“Fat is a Feminist Issue 450). The media’s presentation of a woman’s body is so unrealistic and unattainable, yet females who view it begin to become self-conscious. They begin to conform to the idea that they must be thin, or at least attempt to be like the women shown to them every day. “Women are continually manipulated by images of proper womanhood, which are extremely powerful because they are presented as the only reality” (Orbach, “Fat is a Feminist Issue” 451). Women back in the 70’s dealt with the same exact unrealistic and one-sided imagery of a woman that many deal with today. However, with the progression of media and the shift towards the Internet, the ideas conveyed can only reach more people and be more harmful. The type of women the media affects is not one specific group either. It covers a wide array of age groups. From young girls to middle-aged women, they are being taught that they should be thin.

One may initially think that younger girls, such as those in their teens and early 20’s are the targets of this message from the media. And while they are a major category, they are not the only ones. A study conducted by a university in Australia surveyed girls and boys aged 9-13 asking them whether the media was suggesting they be slimmer, more muscular or to gain weight. Almost all of the girls agreed the media was suggesting a thin ideal; the boys, on the other hand, stated they were not quite sure what media was suggesting to them (Lawrie et al. 360). The researchers themselves explain this by stating, “[A]cross all forms of the media there appears to be a greater variety of male body sizes and shapes portrayed, as well as less promotion of messages about weight and shape directed at boys…” (Lawrie et al. 360). However media heavily promotes the idea for girls to be thin. Lawrie et al. further explain, “[t]hinness is promoted as a standard for female beauty and the images presented by the media of the so-called ideal shape have become progressively thinner…Children are particularly vulnerable to the messages the media portray and during youth become accustomed to images conveyed” (356). This is a dangerous idea to consider. The media has such a heavy influence on young minds, and the younger generation, particularly girls, are being taught by the media that they should be thin. In her work, “Losing Bodies”, Susie Orbach also states this dangerous concept for the younger generation: “[it is] more accurate to say that what is at stake today, especially for the young- young women and young men- is the acquisition of a body ‘normalized’ by visual dictate” (390). The media is dictating to young girls that they should be thin, and they are setting up an idea of a normal body. They leave out the concepts of different shapes and sizes, and solely present thin girls, which in turn convinces young women that they are to fit this criteria to be accepted. While perhaps the most targeted group, the younger generation of girls are not the only group being influenced.

When it comes to older women, the lines become more blurred for body shape, because as people get older their bodies change. However, this does not stop the media from presenting older women in a certain way. Every girl to every woman is being presented and targeted in a manner of thinness. A study and article published in Psychology of Women Quarterly examined the growing popularity of cosmetic surgery among women. They stated that “[a]ging female celebrities have established new and unrealistic age-related norms of appearance which are likely to reap negative psychological consequences for the average middle-aged woman” (Slevec and Tiggerman 66). In a desperate attempt to look like the aging celebrities, older women turn to cosmetic surgeries to fit the normal that is presented by media. Surveying 108 middle-aged women, the study found that the majority would undergo various cosmetic surgeries if presented with the choice. Seven of the women surveyed had already undergone some type of surgery (Slevec and Tiggerman 68). The effects of the media were heavily stated as a reason for the women to opt for cosmetic surgery. The researchers offer an explanation for this by stating “according to cultivation theory, heavy media exposure to certain…values and people gradually shapes the individual’s perception of social reality… Hence, continued exposure to cosmetic surgery in the media…may modify attitudes, such that it becomes viewed as acceptable…” (Slevec and Tiggerman 71). While young girls are being influenced by the media to look a certain way, so are older women. An easy method for the older women to turn to is cosmetic surgery and as it rises it will most likely become even more accepted. However, while every day women are being affected, those within the media themselves are also having their bodies be molded by media, causing negative effects.

Perhaps the most surprising group targeted by the American media are the female celebrities themselves. Many have opened up about eating disorders or plastic surgeries they underwent to stay looking the way the media wanted them to. One such account of this is pop music singer Kesha, who after dealing with an intense eating disorder, checked herself into rehab to deal with the issue. In an article, she opened up about what pushed her to the brink of her disease. She went as far as to openly blame the media and point out their flawed system. “’The music industry has set unrealistic expectations for what a body is supposed to look like, and I started becoming overly critical of my own body because of that…’” (qtd in Grow 3). She goes on to state that she began to convince herself that being thin was a major part of her job, and as such abused her body to fit the criteria the media was saying she should abide by (Grow 2). Kesha’s story is one of great importance because it shows just how much pressure these famous women have on themselves to present a thin ideal to the public. Kesha went as far as starving herself to fit that mold. Dealing with a disorder brought on by the media, she was able to point out the problem many stars face today. Over all types of media, whether it be music, television, movies or modeling, these women are broadcast for the world to see. The media then tries to present each of them in a way to promote an image of thinness to their viewers. Kesha’s personal account may hopefully promote other celebrities to band together and stop this ludicrous and one-sided body image. The influence the media has on its viewers is huge, so they need to be presenting positive messages. However, they are presenting messages that push even the celebrities to disorders or self-conscious thinking about their bodies. American celebrities and viewers alike are being manipulated by the media regarding thinness; however, they are not the only ones suffering from body dissatisfaction.

In the late 90’s, when the show Friends and those like it were broadcast in countries like Fiji, the percentage of young girls with eating disorders increased. In other countries, women are trying to look more like the images presented by western media. American media presents women as tall, thin and beautiful. When these images are broadcast into other countries, those women begin to question their own body image. They partake in plastic surgery, eating disorders and other means to be like the American woman (Orbach, “Losing Bodies” 388-89). The western culture is having an immense impact on other countries, but the impact is one of negativity. American media shows women as thin, and when those women in other countries see that, they begin to become self-conscious about themselves. “Indeed, one of the West’s hidden exports to the developing world is body reshaping and its concomitant rejection of the local body” (Orbach, “Losing Bodies” 393). America’s major impact on other countries is perhaps suggesting a universal body of thinness for women. As American culture reaches more countries, it will be interesting to see the impact it has on body image. So far the impact has been negative on those female viewers already exposed to it.

While the media’s portrayal of women is a major issue, it does have solutions. Indeed, the most useful tool in stopping body dissatisfaction in ties to the media, is for people to be informed of the unrealistic bodies showcased. A study conducted at a university’s School of Nursing suggests that media literacy programs are best at stopping media’s influence.

The aim of such media literacy programs is to decrease media internalization and build skills and confidence for adolescents to resist social pressures…Specifically, media literacy programs use an approach designed to empower adolescents to adopt a critical evaluation of media content so that adolescents can analyze, challenge, and propose alternatives to the artificial images presented in the media… (Spurr, Berry and Walker 20).

The information stated in the article suggests media literacy has direct correlation to both nurses and schools. The two areas can use the programs to ensure that adolescents are able to discount the images within the media. And as these students grow, they will be less likely to be influenced (Spurr, Berry and Walker 33). With people being more informed about the media and its negative approach towards body image, there is a major possibility that the media’s influence can start to be ignored. The idea of media literacy programs incorporated into the medical and school fields presents a solution to the major problem of media’s heavy promotion of a thin ideal.

Though never stated, the media within America blatantly promotes an idea for women around the world that they should be thin. The idea has immense amounts of negative effects for viewers, as they begin to become self-conscious and may even resort to eating disorders and plastic surgery to look like the women presented in the media. However, the women presented are also affected. Female celebrities put a lot of pressure on themselves to stay looking thin and beautiful. American media has also shown a negative impact on countries around the world, as those women try more and more to look like the women in western culture. However, the more people begin to realize the way media presents women, the more change may happen. While thin is in for the media, as people become more informed about its unrealistic presentation, it may begin to be phased out. As society continues to grow in a century where every day people are having an impact on media, it may be able to shy away from the one-sided way that women are presented. Instead, perhaps, media can showcase all sizes of women and learn to embrace bodies the way they are.

 

 

 

Works Cited

Grow, Kory. “Kesha Opens Up About Her Eating Disorder and Experience in Rehab.”  Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, 11 July 2014. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.

Lawrie, Z., et al. “Media Influence on the Body Image of Children and Adolescents.” Eating Disorders 14.5 (2006): 355-64. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Nov. 2015.

Orbach, Susie. “Fat is a Feminist Issue.” They say/I say: With Readings. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2012. 448-452. Print.

Orbach, Susie. “Losing Bodies.” Social Research 78.2 (2011): 387-94. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.

Slevec, Julie, and Marika Tiggerman. “Attitudes Towards Cosmetic Surgery in Middle Aged Women: Body Image, Aging, Anxiety and the Media.” Psychology of Women Quarterly 34.1 (2010): 65-74. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.

Spurr, Shelley, Lois Berry, and Keith Walker. “Exploring Adolescent Views Of Body Image: The Influence Of Media.” Issues In Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing 36.1/2 (2013): 17-36. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.