Jennifer Aniston on the Media
Posted on: July 19th, 2016
As a psychoanalyst with a focus on eating disorders, one of my primary responsibilities is to follow the latest, cutting-edge research and adjust the methods of my practice accordingly. This usually means reading medical and science journals, but I also follow the mainstream media because it has an enormous impact on people’s lives – shaping the collective psyche and influencing everyday choices.
This week an open letter by actor Jennifer Aniston caught my attention. She’s been a superstar for decades during a time when media coverage and scrutiny of people in the public eye has never been greater. With this unique perspective she shared some deep insights about how the media is shaping false ideals regarding beauty, body image and self worth. Many studies have shown that when people try to meet these distorted ideals, and inevitably fail, the resulting disappointment and shame can leave them highly vulnerable to developing eating disorders.
Here are excerpts from her letter and a link should you want to read it in its entirety:
“I’m fed up with the sport-like scrutiny and body shaming that occurs daily under the guise of “journalism,” the “First Amendment” and “celebrity news.”
“If I am some kind of symbol to some people out there, then clearly I am an example of the lens through which we, as a society, view our mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, female friends and colleagues. The objectification and scrutiny we put women through is absurd and disturbing. The way I am portrayed by the media is simply a reflection of how we see and portray women in general, measured against some warped standard of beauty. Sometimes cultural standards just need a different perspective so we can see them for what they really are — a collective acceptance… a subconscious agreement. We are in charge of our agreement. Little girls everywhere are absorbing our agreement, passive or otherwise. And it begins early. The message that girls are not pretty unless they’re incredibly thin, that they’re not worthy of our attention unless they look like a supermodel or an actress on the cover of a magazine is something we’re all willingly buying into. This conditioning is something girls then carry into womanhood. We use celebrity “news” to perpetuate this dehumanizing view of females, focused solely on one’s physical appearance, which tabloids turn into a sporting event of speculation.”
“We get to decide for ourselves what is beautiful when it comes to our bodies. That decision is ours and ours alone. Let’s make that decision for ourselves and for the young women in this world who look to us as examples. Let’s make that decision consciously, outside of the tabloid noise.”
“I resent being made to feel “less than” because my body is changing and/or I had a burger for lunch and was photographed from a weird angle and therefore deemed one of two things: “pregnant” or “fat.””
“From years of experience, I’ve learned tabloid practices, however dangerous, will not change, at least not any time soon. What can change is our awareness and reaction to the toxic messages buried within these seemingly harmless stories served up as truth and shaping our ideas of who we are. We get to decide how much we buy into what’s being served up, and maybe some day the tabloids will be forced to see the world through a different, more humanized lens because consumers have just stopped buying the bullshit.”
I applaud Jennifer Aniston for sharing her personal experience and thoughtful insights with the public. Hopefully the letter goes viral and reaches the many people that need to hear the truth about these important issues. If you or a loved one are suffering with an eating disorder, take it seriously and seek professional help immediately. Contact Maureen Kritzer-Lange Psychotherapy at 973-313-1691 or info@maureenkritzerlange.com.
The complete Jennifer Aniston open letter: http://huff.to/29zOVyF
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