Older Women and Body Image

Older Women and Body Image

Introduction

As human beings, we can often be very haste in forming and expressing opinions concerning others. Despite this fact, self-image shouldn't take precedence over the views others hold about us. Self-image can be defined as one's opinion of yourself. While self-image includes a combination of women's personality, character, and self- esteem, this paper will show that media, society, and chronic conditions are driving forces that encourages women to focus on their self-image daily. Research and statistics have proven that the media influences older women's thoughts about their body-image.The history of research varies on older women's body images and is often compared to younger women and men body images. It is clear that the importance of body image plays a major role in the life of older women and encourages them to incorporate positive things that relate to diet, exercise, and style. The most dangerous thing in the media is that, in most of the advertising they make use of the ideal female body. The way media presents the women in the advertising for the promotion of various products and services is quite embarrassing. It is natural to believe that our body image becomes poor and poor as we get old by every passing year we are likely to lose our youthfulness and beauty (Bedford, 2006).

The purpose of this research paper is to explore how influences from the media and society can impact older women's views of themselves. Research has proven that the media causes older women to focus on their body due to all the emphasis on hair color, skin, exercise, short dresses, tight pants, high heel shoes, beautiful shapes, and all the things that relate to being young. Regardless of how the media views the older women, she continues to be competitive in an effort to improve her body image (Bedford, 2006).

Discussion

'Gerontophobia' vs. Ageism

The criterions on which the women are judged are different. Women are judged according to their physical appearance and the status of their relationship (Holmes & Young, 1994). On the contrary, the men are judged by their accomplishments and the wealth they possess. These appearance messages have deep impact on the ageing women. Due to these factors their self perception is also affected. As the women continue to get old, they become much worried about their body shape and always tend to compare themselves with the thin body type, which is their ideal(Holmes & Young, 1994) (Younger and Older Women, 2013).

When women get old, they have to face both the personal and societal pressures. They develop their own internal fears of the ageing bodies (Gerontophobia). Similarly, they encounter the external pressure of growing old (Ageism). Gerontophobia is the fear of the old people that they are becoming old (Bemben, Massey, Boileau,& Misner, 1998).. Due to this fear the ageing women do the critical analysis of their ageing bodies. Whenever they compare their old and fatty bodies with the young ones, their self confidence and self image is ...