A magazine is not a mirror. Have you ever seen anyone in a magazine that looked even vaguely like you looking back? Most magazines are made to sell a fantasy of what we're supposed to be. They reflect what society deems to be a standard, however unattainable that standard is. That doesn't mean you should cancel your subscription. Women need to remember that it's just ink on the paper. Whatever standards you set for yourself: how much you weigh, how hard you work out, or how many times you make it to the gym should be your standards, not someone else's. Magazines portray unrealistic images and women need to learn to accept themselves.
             Women are now risking their health for the sake of beauty. Modern society puts powerful pressure on women to control body weight. We "penalize" obesity and "reward" thinness in ways. You can flip to any page in a magazine and it will portray pictures of beautiful women with toned, thin bodies. You can flip to articles and they deal with how to lose weight or give yourself a makeover. I came across an article in Seventeen magazine entitled "Ditch the Weight and Get the Date," which discussed how to lose the pounds fast, keep it off and find "Mr. Right". Why not do an article on self-acceptance? That would be more beneficial than losing weight. Many women today are turning to anorexia to make a change for themselves. The age range for subscribers to such teen magazines is about ages 14 to 20. "Recent studies show, too, that the younger a woman is, the more vulnerable she is to developing anorexia." (DG Medical News) By reading these magazines, women can always find something they'd like to change about themselves. much . Clothing displayed on the pages of these magazines is typically size five with no exception for weight gain or anyone chubby. "The average American woman is between 5 feet 4 and 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 147 pounds and wears a size 14. In fact, according to...