The perception of body image we have today was not developed overnight nor caused by our longer exposure to the digital word. Instead, it involved a long history of culture shifts, advertising approaches, and fashion trends to get us where we are now.
Girl’s dissatisfaction with their bodies didn’t start with Instagram and social media; the real culprit was bathroom mirrors and home scales.
Just like social media doesn’t start friendship drama but only amplifies it, the use of Instagram and other social media didn’t create girl’s body dissatisfaction but has escalated it.
The history of fat in our country: beginning in the 1800s, Dr. Jordan discusses the evolution in our thinking about women’s weight and body ideals.
Body dissatisfaction began long ago, long before TV & smart phones & social media: bathroom mirrors and scales, store bought clothes, HS, advertising, the fashion industry & changing styles, increased investment in products, medical data about the harmful effects of being overweight, the proliferation of dieting & dieting products, the fitness craze, acceptance of women’s sexuality and the subsequent need to be sexually attractive, the shifting cultural standards for how women were supposed to look, how they should judge themselves and others, and how they should eat; these have all created a moving target of standards, ideals, and expectations. Girls also have to maneuver through current challenges of exhibitionism, perfectionism, lookism, and consumerism.
Throughout history, girls have had to grapple with the influence of new information coming from movies, TV, magazines, music videos, YouTube, and social media.
Parents need to be sensitive about what they say about their bodies and other’s bodies, especially moms, as girls are constantly listening and watching. Research shows that parents who model body-positive behaviors, including a relaxed attitude about healthy eating and enjoyment of physical activity, are more likely to raise body-positive kids.
It is also protective to watch media like TV shows, movies, and social media content with your daughters and then have discussions to help educate girls to be more media and image savvy.
Contact Dr. Jordan: www.drtimjordan.com and [email protected]
For more information about raising daughters to who are healthy, image savvy and happy, read Dr. Jordan’s book, Sleeping Beauties, Awakened Women: Guiding the Transformation of Adolescent Girl.

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