Body Image
In a world in which celebrity is divine, information technology rules, new ways of working dominate and people increasingly judge each other on outward impressions, cosmetic enhancements of the body are becoming more commonplace. From botox and liposuction to collagen fillers and mini-facelifts, the number of cosmetic surgery operations undertaken globally has recently soared. This year Australians will spend in excess of $350 million on cosmetic surgery. Today there is more pressure than ever before on people who are exposed to highly stylised and unrealistic images in the media every day. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and dangerous comparisons which can result in low self esteem, negative body image, eating disorders, self-harm, anxiety and/or depression.
But what drives our current cultural obsession with artificially enhanced beauty? There are two standard responses to this question. One is the cult of celebrity. The other is consumerism: the notion that buying beauty - personal makeover and body enhancements - is now a central part of Western life, primarily undertaken by women, but also increasingly by men.
Working together WA Health Education Services will design dynamic and interactive sessions to meet the needs of your audience whether they parents, teachers and other educators, primary or secondary students.
For young people these sessions help young people reflect on issues of body image, self esteem and critical media literacy skills. For adults these workshops provide opportunities to gain new insights into how media works to promote and perpetuate stereotypes of what is ‘beautiful’ and what steps you can take to provide another, more realistic and healthy view of body image.