Dove's PSA "Beauty Pressure"

     In Dove's Real Beauty Campaign, they have a PSA called "Beauty Pressure" which demonstrates how young girls are shown on a daily basis, unhealthy images of women. These images include commercials about needing to be thinner, with bigger breasts and smaller thighs. However, commercials are not the only outlet for these negative images. This PSA demonstrates that print media are yet another source of these images. From billboards, to magazine covers found in local grocery stores, women are seen in seductive poses while wearing lingerie or sometimes, naked. When I spoke at the 2010 Healthy Media Images for Youth Summit at the Capitol, one of the concerns voiced was the way young models are posed in popular teen magazines. One person argued that these young models stand hunched over, or in ways that mimic the older models of adult magazines.
    What are the psychological implications linked to seeing these images at a young age? First and foremost, there is the reinforcement of the gender stereotype of women as a sex object. Then of course, there is the misconception about the optimum weight for females. Young girls do not yet understand the powers of photoshop and other digital enhancing programs. These women presented in the media look flawless, perfect skin, perfect teeth, perfect hair (when in fact this is not the case). Why are we not showcasing more REAL women, with curves, modestly clothed and being successful in the world?