The F Word

The F Word: Body Image and the Media

April 8, 2013 Jessica Watt Leave a comment

The next F Word is for the females.

A week ago I read Radio 1 presenter, Jameela Jamil’s Tumblr blog where she discussed the issue of body image within young girls.

Going to a girls school for 6 years I regularly heard size 10 girls pull at their none existence ‘fat’ then spent the rest of lunch time nursing an apple, something that I didn’t really understand.

So what is to blame for our attitude to body image today?

I went on to discover different articles discussing the link between the media and body image, particularly in females which has proven to be a considerable factor when it comes to body image.

Last year Vogue put Adele on its front cover which was amazing. Chanel supremo, Karl Lagerfeld disagreed saying ‘she was a little too fat’. His comments reached the headlines and was met with much criticism, rightly so.

So why do we still attain to look stick thin when even they don’t? Air bushing is a well known tool used by magazines to make models and celebrities that appear in the magazines, more attractive.

However, for the issue of body image there is some hope. Celebrity figures such as Beyonce and Kim Kardashian are good role models when it comes to image. Two curvy and beautiful women, both successful in their own ways, proudly display their curves, only good can come out of having women with figures like theirs on the front of fashion magazines.

Vogue is indisputably the world’s fashion bible, therefore much can be taken from the fact they have chose to stick Adele on their cover. One can only hope that the fashion industry will be more accepting to whatever size you are your beautiful.

Super skinny Victoria Beckham and curvy Kim Kardashian.

The F Word

March 13, 2013 Jessica Watt Leave a comment

Every woman has been there you’re in a club with your friends and turn around thinking your friend has given you a cheeky squeeze when you realize, your friend, is in fact some creepy drunk guy. Not so recently this happened to me. Instead of ignoring it I gave said guy a piece of my mind, we won’t go into the details what was said exactly but, my point is that at one point did men believe it’s acceptable to randomly grope a woman ?

Over the years I have been appalled to hear males of my age believe that if a woman dresses a certain way she’s inviting herself as ‘fair game’. This is absolutely ridiculous and makes me question how they come to believe this. It goes back to the old quote. “A woman brought you into this world, so you have no right to disrespect one.”I love fashion and I’ve always said that my favorite part of going out is the ‘getting ready’ phase, being with your friends listening to music, doing your hair and make up and putting on a dress and heels.

Many guys will say that when they’re groping a woman in a club then it’s just ‘banter’. No it’s not, it’s actually assault.

Do we have ourselves to blame for men believing they can get away with this? If guys knew it was un-acceptable would resist clawing at a woman for attention?

I spoke to 21 year old, civil engineering Brunel University student Elise Nolan who said: “Men think if a woman is dressing and acting provocatively then she’s ‘fair game’. for a fact their excuse will be that if a woman doesn’t want that kind of a attention then she shouldn’t be putting it out there in that way.

“Of course I completely disagree, it’s a woman’s prerogative to dress and act how she wants, we don’t have to be suppressed by male expectations and ideals. I agree with men as far as if a woman obviously all over a man and he gets the wrong idea, but when it comes to unexpected groping there is no excuse.

Men, whether they like it or not, like to still believe its a man’s world, and as such think they can act how they like towards a woman and not expect consequences. Most men in a club, groping random women having had a few too many drinks will probably think nothing of it ,they won’t consider that it’s technically assault and would never think that a woman would go as far as to have them removed from a club or arrested.

I think girls have to be wary, purely because whilst some girls may love this attention, its not fair for others to be subjected to the same behavior when it is unwanted.”

Ultimately, awareness of the issue will ensure that men know what is appropriate and what isn’t and us girls need to stick together and take a stance.

SPEAK UP.