by Ann Kerr, B.Sc. O.T., 1996
"Slim Hopes…" is a thirty minute educational video that takes on the onerous task of trying to heighten awareness of the role advertising has taken in creating today's obsession with thinness. The video is written and presented by Jean Kilbourne, an outstanding lecturer from Harvard University. She is an impassioned commentator on the role of media in the objectification of women. "Slim Hopes" is a focussed presentation on media's influence on the thin beauty ideal and subsequent eating problems. Like her previous videos, "Killing Us Softly" and "Still Killing Us Softly", Kilbourne speaks from a lecturer's podium and uses slides to illustrate her comments. "Slim Hopes" is edited into seven sections which can be used as separate teaching units. The seven sections are: Impossible Beauty, The Waif Look, Constructed Bodies, Food and Sex, Food and Control, The Weight-Loss Industry and Freeing Imaginations.
In the section "Impossible Beauty", Kilbourne illustrates the current North American female beauty ideal. She comments on the shame and guilt women experience for failing to attain this ideal. She then corrects the distortion that "perfect" beauty is attainable, and speaks of the tricks of the cosmetic industry and computer generated models that represent the ultimate in dehumanization. The "Waif Look" links issues of self-esteem to efforts in attaining physical perfection through weight-loss. Again, the reality of the experience of such thinness is exposed when Kilbourne talks about the incidence of anorexia and bulimia in women who are fashion models. In the '90's it is not enough to be thin; women are required to be both thin and look voluptuous. This can only be attained by plastic surgery, and this process results in further objectification of women. The link between emotions and eating is made with the viewing of a series of Haagen-Daz ads which actually encourage binge-eating. Today food is sold as a substitute for sex, and like a drug to deal with feelings. The girl who doesn't eat is the "good girl", the contemporary "virgin". In this way, food and sex are linked. "Bad girls" aren't girls who have sex, they are girls who break the diet. This section links shame with women's appetite for food and exposes the double standard our society holds for men and women regarding "appetites", both sexual and for food. The weight-loss industry is described as a multi-billion dollar industry that has successfully convinced North American women that they are fat no matter what their weight actually is. Kilbourne also ties the smoking industry in with the diet industry as they work hand-in-hand to promote their products. Finally, "Freeing Imaginations" challenges women to speak out and protest against the way in which they are portrayed and preoccupied. In the absence of dieting, women can hope to be energized and empowered. This will, however, require women to protest loudly, against something they believe to be true - that there is only one thin beauty ideal, attainable by all.
The merit of dividing "Slim Hopes" into sections for teaching purposes is unfortunately counter-balanced by the subsequent choppiness of the overall presentation. As well, the narrow focus on thinness is at the cost of commenting on larger societal issues relating to objectification and violence toward women and children, which are subjects Kilbourne tackles in the longer view "Still Killing Us Softly".
Any exposure to Jean Kilbourne's thoughtful comments about media is enlightening and galvanizing. "Slim Hopes" is a good catalyst to begin discussing individual views on the influence of advertising on women and their efforts to attain a thin beauty ideal.
(30 minutes)