TTMS - Lesson 10 - Media & Body Image by health-connected

Welcome to Teen Talk

Lesson 10: Media and Body Image

Welcome Question

What is your favorite series?

(TV show, anime, podcast, book, YouTube channel, etc.)

Group Norms

Calming

Strategies

breathe in breathe out

Content Warning

This lesson may be activating. Be gentle with yourself and each other...

breathe in breathe out

Agenda

✓ Opening Routine

❑ Intro to Media

❑ Fantasy of Media Romance

❑ Media Literacy

❑ Body Image Inventory

❑ Closing Routine

9/27/2023 1

1.Respect 2.Communication 3.Curiosity 4.Privacy 5.Well-being

1 2 3 4 5 6 ReviewOnly

Intro to Media

Where do people commonly go for information, news, or entertainment?

Mainstream vs. Social Media

“Mainstream” media: produced by media companies for the public to consume (major news outlets, Hollywood movies, and music on the radio)

“Social” media: digital networks of communication and content created by individuals (social media apps and websites)

What is Media?

A system of communicating information with others

Social Media

“Social” media: digital networks of communication and content created by individuals (social media apps and websites)

Mainstream vs. Social Media

“

Mainstream” media: produced by media companies for the public to consume (major news outlets, Hollywood movies, and music on the radio)

“

Social” media: digital networks of communication and content created by individuals (social media apps and websites)

Social Media

How does social media affect young people today?

9/27/2023 2

7 8 9 10 11 12 ReviewOnly

Social Media

It connects people – it helps to build community and share information

A Critical Lens

It can also create pressure to look or act certain ways – it can affect our confidence, self-esteem, and decision-making

Impacts of Media

Most media content is carefully manipulated, which can lead to unrealistic expectations

The way we engage with media can have real impacts on our relationships, mental health, and body image

Love is Learned

This is an opportunity to think critically and practice analyzing the messages portrayed in:

• Mainstream media (movies & ads)

• Social media (influencers & editing apps)

• Sexually explicit media (pornography)

How do people learn what they want in a romantic relationship?

Love is Learned

We may learn from:

• Personal experience (past relationships)

• Observing family relationships (parents, siblings)

• Observing peers’ relationships (couples at school)

• Learning about healthy relationships in Teen Talk

• Watching couples interact in popular media (including social media)

The Fantasy of Media Romance

9/27/2023 3

13 14 15 16 17 18 ReviewOnly

Fantasy of Media Romance

1. Watch the movie clip

2. Be on the lookout for media techniques, unrealistic elements, and ‘red flag’ behavior

3. Discuss the messages about relationships portrayed in the clip

Fantasy of Media Romance

Common Tropes of Modern Romance:

• The “Meet Cute”

• The “Big Ask”

• The First Kiss

• The Grand Romantic Gesture

• The Betrayal

• The Breakup

• The “Catfish”

The “Meet Cute”

1. Does this chance encounter seem realistic? Why or why not?

2. What visual cues or film techniques (e.g., lighting, music, camera angles) are used to emphasize the romance?

3. How do we see gender stereotypes reinforced in this scene?

4. If an ET watched this clip, what would they learn about how to meet a potential romantic partner?

The First Kiss

1. How can you tell that the characters wanted (or did not want) to kiss? Was it consensual?

2. What strategies did the characters use to get what they wanted? Was their communication healthy or unhealthy?

3. How did it convey to the viewer that the kiss improved their relationship?

4. If an ET watched this clip, what would they learn about initiating a first kiss?

pick one to analyze!

• The Pretend Relationship Turns Real

The “Big Ask”

1. What behaviors did you notice? Are they more healthy or unhealthy?

2. What strategies did the characters use to get what they wanted? Did they show respect for each other’s wishes?

3. What is this scene communicating about consent?

4. If an ET watched this clip, what would they learn about asking someone out?

The Grand Romantic Gesture

1. What behaviors did you notice? Are they more healthy or unhealthy?

2. What is the grand romantic gesture supposed to mean? Why is the character using this strategy?

3. What visual cues or film techniques are used to illustrate romance?

4. If an ET watched this clip, what would they learn about using grand romantic gestures?

9/27/2023 4

19 20 22 24 26 28 ReviewOnly

The Betrayal

1. What behaviors did you notice? Are they more healthy or unhealthy?

2. How do the characters deal with betrayal? How could they have responded in healthier ways?

3. If an ET watched this clip, what would they learn about dealing with betrayal or a breech of trust?

The Breakup

1. What behaviors did you notice? Are they more healthy or unhealthy?

2. How do the characters break up? How could they have handled the situation in healthier ways?

3. What is the scene communicating about jealousy in relationships?

4. If an ET watched this clip, what would they learn about breaking up with someone?

The “Catfish”

1. What strategies did the characters use to get what they wanted? Are they more healthy or unhealthy?

2. How can pretending to be someone else affect affirmative consent?

3. What visual cues or film techniques are used to emphasize romance?

4. If an ET watched this clip, what would they learn about catfishing a potential partner?

Pretend Relationship Turns Real

1. What did you notice about their communication? How do they negotiate their boundaries?

2. What choices are they making? Are they more healthy or unhealthy?

3. What clues are used to foreshadow that they will fall for them in the end?

4. If an ET watched this clip, what would they learn about agreeing to be in a pretend relationship?

Fantasy of Media Romance

Overall, what did you notice about how these clips portrayed romance and relationships?

Were these examples mostly healthy or unhealthy?

Fantasy of Media Romance

What do you think are some of the most challenging aspects of navigating romantic relationships? (e.g., compromise, building trust, dealing with conflict)

How are these moments typically presented in mainstream media?

9/27/2023 5

30 32 34 36 37 38 ReviewOnly

Fantasy of Media Romance

How many examples of consent did we see in these clips?

Why do you think consent conversations are not commonly depicted in romantic scenes?

Fantasy of Media Romance

What else is missing from these clips?

• Racial diversity – Black, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous lead actors

• Gender & sexual diversity – LGBTQIA+ actors & characters

• Neurodiversity of actors & characters

• Diversity of body types

Fantasy of Media Romance

People tend to get unrealistic expectations from popular media because it commonly…

• Romanticizes unhealthy and even abusive relationships

• Portrays characters who prioritize love or a partner over other parts of their life (school, friends, family, etc.)

• Skips over the build-up of trust and discussions of boundaries

• Fails to provide models of affirmative consent – even depicting nonconsensual behaviors as funny or cute

Fantasy of Media Romance

So far, we have been analyzing media messages about romance and dating

…but there are also lots of messages about sex and sexuality in the media.

Remember to BREATHE

breathe in

Sexually Explicit Media

Any type of media that depicts people in sexual situations, created with the intent to arouse

breathe out

Also known as “pornography” or porn

9/27/2023 6

39 40 45 46 47 48 ReviewOnly

Sexually Explicit Media

Based on several different research studies, young people of all genders said they watched porn because of…

entertainment curiosity

arousal

accident

Analyzing Pornography

Who is the assumed viewer?

Porn is an adult interpretation of sexuality made for entertainment – not education!

boredom

loneliness

peer pressure

Analyzing Pornography

Who is the assumed viewer?

Male gaze

the way media represents the world and women from a masculine point of view, often depicting women as objects of male pleasure

Analyzing Media

We have the power to decide how to act and what we want in a relationship…

...and if we want to ‘buy’ what the media is selling.

It’s designed for people with adult bodies, adult brains, and adult perspectives

Analyzing Pornography

People tend to get unrealistic expectations from pornography because it commonly…

• Communicates ideas about how partners should act in sexual situations

• Normalizes disrespect and even violence

• Misrepresents how people know what their partner wants or likes

• Depicts consent as assumed or unimportant

Analyzing Media

Much of what we see in the media is intended to get viewers to buy –or buy into – what they are selling

It’s important to be able to recognize the tactics being used to draw in consumers…

9/27/2023 7

–

49 50 51 56 57 58 ReviewOnly

Media Analysis Questions

What are they selling?

All media is created by an author with a particular goal or agenda…

Things to consider:

• Purpose of the message (is it informational? persuasive? entertainment?)

• Motive of the author (for education? power? profit?)

• How this product or idea aligns with your personal values and priorities

Media Analysis Questions

What emotions do they want you to feel?

Manipulating a viewer’s emotions can be a very effective tool…

Things to consider: How certain emotions – like guilt, hope, envy –can motivate people to buy what they are selling

Media Analysis Questions

How are they selling it?

Companies have a lot of data about what appeals to consumers…

Things to consider:

• The intended audience

• How they are trying to connect with consumers (using humor? creating shock value? featuring celebrities?)

• How effective their strategies are

Media Analysis Questions

1) What are they selling?

2) How are they selling it?

3) What emotions do they want you to feel so you’ll buy the product or idea?

9/27/2023 8

Analyzing Media Ads: Analyzing Social Media: 59 60 61 62 63 64 ReviewOnly

Media Literacy

is the ability to analyze, evaluate, and create media using a critical lens

Media Literacy

The ability to analyze, evaluate, and create media using a critical lens

Why is it important to develop media literacy?

Media Literacy

The ability to analyze, evaluate, and create media using a critical lens

It empowers us with the skills to:

• Think critically

• Become smarter consumers of products and information

• Recognize points of view

• Understand author goals

• Identify the role of media in our culture

• Create media responsibly

Remember…to THINK!

Communicating digitally rather than in-person does not make bullying or hate speech OK.

Our online presence forms a “digital tattoo” that can be difficult to remove or change...

Before posting, sharing, or communicating online, try to stop and THINK:

Is it True?

Is it Helpful?

Is it Inspiring?

Is it Necessary?

Is it Kind?

9/27/2023 9

Take a Moment to… breathe in breathe out Think

Agree

Let’s

About It

Disagree

65 66 67 68 69 70 ReviewOnly

Most people have a similar idea of what is ‘sexy,’ ‘attractive,’ or ‘beautiful.’

Think About It

It’s easy to spot images where a person’s body or face has been edited.

Manipulating Images

Do you think photo filters and editing apps have a positive, neutral, or negative impact on self-image?

What is Body Image?

How we think and feel about our body and the way we look which can be affected by how we believe others see us

Media Literacy

9/27/2023 10

Agree Disagree

Find the Differences: Source: Zendaya in Modeliste magazine (2015) Find the Differences: Source: Justin Bieber in Calvin Klein ad (2015)

Before and After Example Source: Mariah Carey

71 72 73 74 77 78

ReviewOnly

Body Image Inventory

We’re going to reflect on some statements related to body image:

• Read through the list of statements and mark

‘Yes’ or ‘No’ based on whether it’s true for you

• Do not write your name on this worksheet

• Only use blue or black pen or pencil

• When you’re done, flip the page face-down

Self-Image

Tips for Healthy Self-Image

Instead of focusing on how you look… Do what makes you feel good in your body!

like exercise, dancing, sleeping, taking bubble baths, or eating your favorite foods

It’s not always easy to have positive feelings about our body or appearance. but it’s important for our mental health & well-being to develop resiliency!