Tumblr Women
Negative Gender Representation on the Internet
Expectations
In order to be considered beautiful, women are expected to fit into a certain body type with many distinct characteristics. Girls are supposed to have a perfect smile, long flowing hair, a big chest, a tiny waist, a thigh gap, a large booty, small thighs, and long legs. This description alone is impossible to achieve. But, none the less these are the expectations women are supposed to fill. Tumblr searches reveal the expectations women face by the internet. Pictures below include models who fit the image of what women are supposed to look like. They all share many of the characteristics listed above.
Fat Shaming
Accounts dedicated to making "overweight" or "obese" people feel inadequate.
Self-Esteem Promo
Movement to boost self-esteem and body image.
Eating Disorders
Many eating disorders stem from body-image/self-esteem issues. This picture comes from a blog dealing with images. These women see images of girls on Tumblr and are prone to self-destruction due to feelings of inadequacy. This specific image shows goals an individual is trying to achieve, more prominent collar and hip bones and the infamous thigh gap.
Media Smarts Article Quote:
"As with virtual worlds, there is a strong pressure to make those photos (particularly profile photos, which are visible to all the other users one interacts with and are fully public on the Web) look as attractive as possible – in this case, through the use of flattering camera angles and image-manipulation software such as Photoshop."