Week 2 Analysis

            I have recently read an article entitled, “Measuring up: Obesity in Young Boys Is on the Rise, and So Are Eating Disorder. Whose Fault Is That? Try G.I. Joe” by Amy Dickinson.  This article was about young boys wanting to have the same body as G.I. Joe and other iconic action figures that most little boys play with or watch on television.  G.I. Joe is for boys what Barbie is for girls, both are toys but both have perfect, unrealistic bodies. 

            As stated by Dickinson, “women my age know whom to blame or our own self-loathing, eating disorders, and distorted body image: Barbie” (Dickinson, 2005, 70).  This is very true women often associate their problems with self-esteem to Barbie because as a little girl, we idolized Barbie.  That is why I decided to discuss this article I found it very fascinating.  Most of the time we hear through the news that Barbie has to change her image because so many little girls want to be just like her but the measurements of Barbie is unrealistic. I have never heard or read about any of the super heroes, which most little boys idolize, having to change their image due to the lower self-esteem of boys or boys feeling the need to look just like G.I. Joe or Superman.

            I believe that is a great article that everyone with little boys needs to read.  To know that sometimes boys need the same love and comfort to help their self-esteem as little girls is very amazing.  We look at boys as little men, we expect them to grow up and be strong just like G.I. Joe. Even though we only want them to have the same integrity as these “Super Heroes”, some boys tend to look at the whole package, wanting the same physique as well.

References

Dickinson, A. (2005). Measuring Up: Obseity in young boys is on the rise, and so are eating disorders. Whose fault is that? Try G.I. Joe. In R. Browne, Profiles of Popular Culture (pp. 70-71). Madison: The Univesity of Wisconsin Press.