Addressing Self-Image in African American Teens and Women In the current American culture, a lot has been said and addressed about the problems Caucasian-American females face in regard to their body image. The media has been particularly influential in raising awareness about eating disorders and unhealthy stigmas attached to being a female. Companies like Secret, Dove and Always have made worldwide campaigns geared toward addressing these issues online and in broadcast media. While this has been influential for many people, the focus has been primarily on Caucasian-American standards of beauty and the problems that come with it. Studies are finding that African American teens and women are struggling with their body image as well, but hide …show more content…
This shift has created an ironic situation. This deviant portrayal of womanhood in African American culture, has created the very circumstances which oppress these women, holding them hostage in their own over-worked, underappreciated state. Portraying the African American woman as large, tough, self-reliant, and in charge, has created an expectation that the African American woman is an emotional pillar who never shows weakness, overworks herself, and provides for her family without a male counterpart. In so many ways, it is almost expected that African American women will be discarded and disregarded. The media reflects this isolation, which only further creates a problem of expectation. Women do not want to be left to parent on their own, regardless of culture. But often African American families are portrayed through media as a one-parent household, complete with ignored children, overworked mother and absent father. This somehow culturally translates into the African American woman’s strength. In reality, this creates a stigma for African American women to keep problems to themselves, stuff feelings inward and never address emotional problems. Her weaknesses contradict her supposed character so she will ignore or avoid these weaknesses rather than addressing them