Western Medias Negative Influence on Perceptions of Beauty

3. Changing perspectives4. China Then5. China Now

6. “Renzao Meinu”7. China Isn’t Alone…

8. Here at Home9. Conclusion10. Sources

• With the influence of Western Culture and With the influence of Western Culture and Media, beauty ideals are shifting all over Media, beauty ideals are shifting all over the worldthe world

• Women in other countries are becoming Women in other countries are becoming increasingly concerned with their increasingly concerned with their appearance and self-image is often an appearance and self-image is often an issueissue

• During the Tang Dynasty in China, the preference was for plump women with round faces, fair skin, black hair and a small pouting mouth

• With influence of western culture this ideal has With influence of western culture this ideal has shifted to shifted to slim tall womenslim tall women with with high narrow high narrow noses, round eyes, white skinnoses, round eyes, white skin and and wide lipswide lips

• The cosmetic surgery industry has grown The cosmetic surgery industry has grown exponentially. This new industry is unregulated exponentially. This new industry is unregulated and an estimated 200 000 surgeries go wrong and an estimated 200 000 surgeries go wrong every year resulting in serious injury, infection or every year resulting in serious injury, infection or deathdeath

• “Renzao Meinu” is a new Chinese term meaning “Man-Made Beauty”

• A new beauty pageant has emerged in China, “Miss Artificial Beauty”. Contestants must bring medical papers proving they have had cosmetic procedures.

• Feng Qian is the most recent winner.

Her procedures include rhinoplasty,

liposuction of the waist and cheeks,

a widened mouth, eye re-sculpting,

and Botox.

• Pre-Colonial Africa held no preference for skin color. Post-colonization, a preference for lighter skin colors emerged in Africa resulting in discrimination between Africans

• Naturally curvy beauty queens from Africa must undergo extensive weight loss before entering Miss Universe and Miss World competitions

• Southeast Asia and Japan are experiencing the explosion in cosmetic surgery procedures and the shifts to Western beauty ideals

• Canadian women are faced with over 2000 beauty advertisements a week

• From 2002 to 2003 alone, cosmetic procedures in Canada rose 24.6%

• Women make up 85.5% of Canada’s cosmetic surgery patients

• A study of over 3000 women worldwide A study of over 3000 women worldwide conducted in 2004 revealed:conducted in 2004 revealed:

– Only 2% of women describe themselves as Only 2% of women describe themselves as beautifulbeautiful

– 50% of women believe they are too heavy50% of women believe they are too heavy– 75% of women see themselves as only 75% of women see themselves as only

averageaverage

africaresource.com

campaignforrealbeauty.ca

library.thinkquest.org

mondediplo.com

news.bbc.co.uk

plasticsurgerystatistics.com