Marilyn Monroe Body Image Essay

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Marilyn Monroe once stated, “To all the girls that think you’re fat because you’re not a size zero, you’re the beautiful one, its society who’s ugly”. This is a valid concept in today’s society considering, “a woman with a ‘perfect body’ in 1930 would barely get a second look from Hollywood producers or model casting agents today” (Bahadur). Through television programs, cosmetic plastic surgery, social media, and photo manipulation society’s perception of beauty has grown increasingly threatened by the entertainment industry. During the 1930’s and 40’s, “the celebrity image was almost within reach of the average woman” (Women’s Body Image and BMI) in which, beauty was a more rational idea. The perception that the fuller figure is beautiful, remained intact during the 1950’s. Marilyn Monroe was seen as an advocate of positive body image, however, today she would be viewed as overweight. “A busty, voluptuous, hour-glass look was praised” (Women’s Body Image and BMI) in the 1950’s; today, that same look is criminalized. However, the 60’s reversed the 50’s, idealized image. Twiggy Lawson, a major supermodel of the 1960’s, played a role in the switch to thin women becoming prominent figures in society and “(T)his was the first time…show more content…
90210, has influenced the overall growing interest in cosmetic plastic surgery” (Wimalawansa, n.d.). The promotion of cosmetic plastic surgery through TV shows that cater “fake beauty” advertises fat and imperfections, promoting the desire to fix our mistakes. Unattainable beauty and our culture’s obsession with being beautiful has deeply scarred our society, creating new TV series, such as, Botched! This show caters to the effects of plastic surgery gone wrong, by fixing the surgical mishaps with more plastic surgery. Since the 1950’s, “the amount of reconstructive surgeries has risen along with cosmetic plastic surgery” (Hub
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