Workshop examines effects of media

The average person reads or sees hundreds of advertisements a day. This overabundance of advertising has become so commonplace that many people tune it out, but how much do these ads affect media consumers?\nThis question led a discussion Wednesday in Collins Center's Coffeehouse where the Women's Student Association sponsored a workshop on body image and media portrayal of the female body.\nThis event a part of National Eating Disorders Awareness week, said association co-president, senior Angela Bole.\nThe night began with a viewing of the National Organization for Women's video "Redefining Liberation," which discussed negative images of women and women's bodies in advertising in magazines and other media. The video also talked about the effect advertising has on women's self images.\n"Advertising is trivial, but its consequences are not," feminist writer Jean Kilbourne said in the video.\nAfter the video, masters student Jennifer Jackson shared poetry she wrote about weight control conflicts and body image expectations, expressed through the experiences of the character "Fat Girl." This poetry reading led to discussion on the video and the issues facing women with negative self-esteem and body image.\n"We are here not because we are all so liberated," Bole said. "We are here because we are all still working through our issues."\nDuring the discussion, many participants said the images shown on the video and discussed by the group concerned them. One of the solutions listed in the video included contacting advertising firms and media companies who release these images.\n"It seems like any solution we can offer is too big or unattainable," Jackson said.\nAlthough no solutions came about through the discussion, the students at the meeting expressed concern for increased awareness and the need for better self-worth and self-esteem on an individual basis.\n"People are biologically determined to have a weight," sophomore Jana Friederick said. "Once you can deal with that knowing that you cannot change biology, then you can start being ok with things." \nFor more information, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~wsa or e-mail wsa@indiana.edu.