Correlation between Self-Image and Pornography

A few months ago, I, as well as about 200 other college women, attended a womanhood seminar discussing self image, self esteem, and true beauty. Many talks were given, but one talk really got me thinking. It was given by a fellow student who talked for a few minutes about true beauty and modesty. She brought to light a point that I had never thought about before now; that is, the cycle and correlation between pornography/masturbation and self-image.

As humans, we want to be able to feel, express and be loved. Its a natural feeling. But for women, sometimes we aren't as sure how to receive that love, especially when we have been hurt in the past by someone who said they "loved" us. Sometimes these people were fathers, brothers, boyfriends or a husband. Women who have been hurt in this way need love and attention they desire. A lot of times, women won't know where to look to find this true love and will turn to the wrong sources to find it, not knowing that it will not bring them the feeling of feeling beautiful and loved, but will leave them hurting even more inside. Like I said, they aren't feeling loved or beautiful so they look at what society says is beautiful and true love and happiness. Victoria's Secret models or women on the covers of Glamour, Cosmo, or Seventeen are seen everywhere. These ways of learning how to love and be beautiful by "50 ways to fall in love" or "Dressing to Impress during Winter of 2008" are so easily and readily accessible. Anyone could pick up those magazines at the local grocery store or gas station. Women are portrayed so terribly in these magazines, yet they are smiling, beautiful and seem to be happy. I, myself, at one time would purchase the latest copy of Glamour as soon as it was put on the shelves. It's so easy for women to be sucked into thinking that this is true beauty and men will love them if they look, dress and act like the women on the covers of these magazines.
The truth is, if women around America have low self-esteem and try to boost it by wearing tight revealing clothes and trying to act 'sexy' as the media defines it, all they end up doing is lowering standards for men, in which men will begin to lust over women. It turns into women being hurt, abused, and broken. Men will look at a woman dressed super slutty, and begin to lust and turn to pornography. Its a vicious cycle. Men turn to pornography and lose respect for women, they treat women without respect and women lose self-worth. A woman then turns to the false sense of love by which she ends up lowering or even giving up on standards only to get hurt even more. Women need to step up and demand more respect from our men. If we demand more respect then we will truly be able to see which men will be the ones that are worth it. By raising our standards, we can show men all around us what true beauty and womanhood is and through that be able to receive the respect we deserve and one day make a difference in the lives of many.

Lauren