Throughout the century, the ideal image of women has changed dramatically, which can be directly attributed to the powerful persuasion of the media. This ideal image has gone from a voluptuous size 14 Marilyn Monroe of the 1950s to a 5'9, 100 pound Kate Moss of the 1990s. The most shocking aspect is precisely what young girls now do to achieve this image of “Kate Moss”. Through the use of advertisements and big screen stars, this female representation directly targets the physical and mental well-being of women in cultures around the world. Throughout history, the typical characteristics of the ideal woman have fluctuated between a muscular and curvy physique. a small physique and narrow waist. During the colonial era, women played a crucial role in the survival of the family. In this era, women generally presented themselves as physically strong, capable, and fertile; However, after the turn of the century, it was more desirable for a woman to be small, fragile, and with a tiny waist. Social status has become a major factor in this movement. Upper-class men would seek to marry women with these characteristics, because the more frail and incapable of work the women were, the more justified these plantation owners were in owning slaves (Derenne 258). This period in history showed some of the most drastic measures taken to achieve this ideal image, where women appeared sickly and were exceptionally prone to headaches. Graduating schools across the country taught young women of social status how to pass out properly. Some women even went so far as to have ribs removed, knowing that it was a time of poor medical technology. Corsets were also at their peak, which constricted women so much that they became breathless and - middle of paper ...... previous statistic of island having only one eating disorder recorded increased from 0% to 69% (259). Magazines also share this negative influence in more subtle ways. Women tend to place their models on a pedestal, seeing them as the definition of feminine beauty; however, these women also tend to lack insider knowledge, something actress Jamie Lee Curtis had publicly discussed. Works CitedDerenne, Jennifer L. and Eugene V. Beresin. “Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders.” Academic Psychiatry 30.3 (2006): 257-61. ProQuest. Internet. March 18, 2014. Durham, Meenakshi Gigi. The Lolita effect: the media sexualization of young girls and what we can do about it. Woodstock, NY: Overlook, 2008. Print. Sams, Leroy B. and Janet A. Keels, eds. Body image handbook: Gender differences, sociocultural influences, and health implications. Sl: Nova Science, 2013. Print.