I'm Not Fat, I'm Photoshopped

There was a time in American history when a woman who had more meat on her bones was considered to be sexy and the most wanted body type. For instance, Marilyn Monroe wore jeans that were a size fourteen; she is considered to be one of the most iconic, sexiest women in our pop culture to date. My own mother was skinny all of her life and was constantly teased with the nickname "Olive Oyl", the skinny woman protagonist in Popeye. 

When did the "fat" girl start getting teased and the skinny girl start getting the positive attention? If Marilyn Monroe were living in this time period with the same star quality as when she was alive, she would be lovingly referred to as "the bubbly fat girl". Notice that none of the famous women who pose for Playboy, Cosmo, or even Home Magazine have any imperfections. Their skin is always glowing with a healthy tan, their hair is always thick and healthy, and their bodies are almost always trim and lean. 

The truth is, all of these women celebrities are photoshopped when they pose for any magazine cover or spread. There are numerous websites on the Internet that have before and after pictures of celebrities before they are photoshopped and the finished product of their magazine cover or spread. Kim Kardashian, Cameron Diaz, Halle Berry, Tyra Banks, Madonna, and numerous other women celebrities are constantly brushed up to look perfect on every magazine shoot that they do. Any cellulite on their legs are brushed away, any sign of aging is erased, and any imperfection is corrected, all by a computer software program. Perfection is merely a fantasy that is made possible by a computer, a screen, and a software program that can fix any flaw.

Why does this happen? Why is it that the media wants to portray these women as perfect creatures? Well, it is probably because these celebrities our Greek gods and goddesses. We are influenced by these people; we buy the products that they endorse, we go to the restaurants where they are spotted, and we want to look like them. 

So what do we do? Do we follow our hearts and live our lives the way that we want to? Do we eat that brownie or that slice of pizza without feeling guilty? Or do we look at the magazine with Megan Fox on the cover and instantly feel disgusted with our love handles? It is ultimately up to us...or is it?