Is The Swan a damaging portrayal of women in mainstream media?

  • Thread starter RageSk8
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In summary, the conversation discussed the controversial reality show "The Swan" where ordinary women undergo plastic surgery and compete in a beauty pageant. The group also questioned the morality and impact of mainstream entertainment, specifically regarding the show's content and the FCC's indecency standards. Some members expressed interest in participating in the show for the opportunity to receive free plastic surgery. However, others criticized the show for promoting shallow and stereotypical views on beauty and success. The conversation also touched on the topic of plastic surgery in general and its effects on self-confidence.
  • #1
RageSk8
If you haven't heard of FOX's new reality program The Swan it is a reality show where "ordinary" women are given thousands of dollars in plastic and then compete in beauty pageant. How has mainstream entertainment become so morally depraved? Why is it that FEC indecency standards care more about Janet Jackson's tit and Howard Stern than this filth? I really don't understand.
 
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  • #2
Umm, it sounds sort of interesting, actually. You say I could get free plastic surgery? Maybe that rump-lift I've been hoping for?
 
  • #3
RageSk8 said:
If you haven't heard of FOX's new reality program The Swan it is a reality show where "ordinary" women are given thousands of dollars in plastic and then compete in beauty pageant. How has mainstream entertainment become so morally depraved? Why is it that FEC indecency standards care more about Janet Jackson's tit and Howard Stern than this filth? I really don't understand.

I don't think I would call it "morally depraved". What these people are doing isn't really wrong. It's better described as "tasteless" or "totally without self-respect".

Why anyone would be shocked by this, I don't know. It isn't like FOX has a reputation for producing classy tv shows. Being shocked by seeing trashy shows on FOX is like being shocked by seeing people having sex in a porno film.
 
  • #4
I heard it's being canceled. I've never seen it, don't care to.

I think it's awful when women let themselves be degraded to nothing more than show animals. But unfortunantely that is where all the beauty "hype" drives a lot of women.
 
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  • #5
I didn't mean to downplay RageS8's concerns about the program. I find it horrifying, because of the danger involved. We have a woman out at the nursing home, a new resident, and she's there because something went wrong wrong wrong during her facelift and now she is functioning at a very low level and boy is she hard to handle. Her life down the drain...
 
  • #6
OK there was this really sick reality tv programme recently which i refused to watch, called "There's something about Miriam". Basically they got this bunch of guys to date this girl Miriam, and get really close with her like kissing and stuff, and they were real infatuated and stuff. And for the show's finale, she showed them that she was a transexual.
 
  • #7
holly said:
I didn't mean to downplay RageS8's concerns about the program.
Don't worry, I am sure no one thought you were.
 
  • #8
jimmy p said:
OK there was this really sick reality tv programme recently which i refused to watch, called "There's something about Miriam". Basically they got this bunch of guys to date this girl Miriam, and get really close with her like kissing and stuff, and they were real infatuated and stuff. And for the show's finale, she showed them that she was a transexual.
"Reality tv has gone too far. What is the reality in make believe, staged situations created only to ridicule people?
 
  • #9
Dont shows like these just push people toward a narrowminded stereotypical viewpoint that beautiful people get everything and don't have to work for a living?
 
  • #10
Evo, along the lines of this thread, what in the world are you doing with "Older than dirt" posted by your name? You're a good age. You look good, you can think, you earn beaucoups money, you raise your kids with love...what is this little slam against yourself? I'm 40, right on your heels age-wise. I am not young, not old...and that's okay. The folks at the nursing home, now, some are old. Don't let anyone push you into declaring yourself old just because you aren't 20. Every thing in its time.

Motai, I've found that it *IS* an advantage to be good looking, for males and females. Not to brag, but I was very pretty, and it helped me very, very much in life.
 
  • #11
Holly, I have a birthday coming up next week. So I am just poking fun at myself. :tongue: I remember a certain handsome young man from Belgium here on PF, upon seeing my age in a post declared "you're older than my father!" :frown: :biggrin: I think the average age on PF is 22.

Believe it or not, I am a very funny person and very emotionally secure.

Motai said:
Dont shows like these just push people toward a narrowminded stereotypical viewpoint that beautiful people get everything and don't have to work for a living?
Are you saying it's not true? :wink:

Holly, if you're only 40, you're still a spring chicken, and obviously still very, very pretty, looks don't fade that quickly. :smile:
 
  • #12
LOL Evo, I look like something the cat dragged in. My mouth doesn't do right because of the dumb stroke, looks stupid when I smile or talk. I do this metastasis thing when I speak, too, poor brains are scrambled. But as I would say, "I cried because I had no fhoes, till I saw the man who had no seet."

Happy Pre-Birthday!
 
  • #13
shame

I am close to a few people who have gone under the knife. I am of the belief that there is nothing wrong with plastic surgery. The confidence that these procedures have given my friends is amazing. If you haven’t watched “The Swan”, please reserve judgment until you see the faces of these women/men after they see themselves in the mirror for the first time in three months. Every woman/man has fallen to their knees in tears of happiness.

We live in a society where looks and self confidence do matter. You are naïve if you think otherwise. If someone can derive self confidence or a better self worth by changing their appearance, who are you to judge. Plastic surgery is an easy thing to label as shallow or vain, but take a moment and put you in that person’s shoes. Do you think they would go through that much pain if it wasn’t for a good reason?

Having plastic surgery in front of a TV audience may not be the way to go, but many of these people wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise.

Pan
 
  • #14
Pan, I am all for people getting plastic surgery to correct facial defects. I'm not against people getting "fixed up" just for improving their self image, I think it's wonderful. I am against the way shows like the swan does it that is degrading. I looked on the swan website and yikes, the before and after picture I saw was downright scary! They took a normal looking woman and changed her into a sleeze. You think that's an improvement??

Extreme makeovers is on another channel and the people selected for plastic surgery on that show are treated with respect & dignity. Big difference.
 
  • #15
They took a normal looking woman and changed her into a sleeze. You think that's an improvement??

It doesn't matter what I think. If they are happy, great!
 
  • #16
they are probably more happy with the big fat cheques that FOX gave them. Enough to reverse the surgery AND live on for a while...
 
  • #17
Peter Pan said:
It doesn't matter what I think. If they are happy, great!

You mentioned above that "We live in a society where looks and self confidence do matter. You are naïve if you think otherwise." Well, we live in a society where what other people think of you matters also.

You can't dismiss people who say "looks don't matter" as naïve and then go on to say that "what we think doesn't matter, as long as they're happy". If other people don't think very much of them, they won't stay happy.
 
  • #18
"There's something about Miriam" show sounds pretty frikken halarious, mainly because its not happening to me. I've watched The Swan before. It bugs me. I mean, who are they to say who's beautiful and who's not? I think those people are fugly. jokes. I actually believe that everyone is beautiful...in their own way.
 
  • #19
Lol, in a way it is funny but the guy's lives are ruined for life because people will recognise them and laugh. She didnt even LOOK that feminine...





Read above... "the guy's lives are ruined for life"... yeah nice one. Someone should post that in the "one-liners" thread. :biggrin:
 
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1. What is "The Swan" and why is it controversial?

"The Swan" was a reality TV show that aired in the early 2000s, where women competed to undergo extreme makeovers and plastic surgeries in order to be crowned the most physically attractive. It was controversial because it promoted and glorified unrealistic beauty standards and perpetuated the idea that a woman's worth is solely based on her physical appearance.

2. How does "The Swan" portray women negatively?

"The Swan" portrays women as objects to be judged and transformed solely for the pleasure and approval of others. It also reinforces the harmful idea that women must conform to narrow and often unattainable beauty standards in order to be considered valuable or successful.

3. Does "The Swan" have any potential consequences on viewers?

Studies have shown that exposure to media that promotes unrealistic beauty standards can lead to body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, and disordered eating behaviors among viewers. "The Swan" is no exception, as it presents an extreme and unrealistic standard of beauty that can be damaging to the self-image of viewers, particularly young women.

4. Has there been any backlash against "The Swan"?

Yes, there has been significant backlash against "The Swan" from various feminist groups, media critics, and mental health professionals. Many have criticized the show for its harmful impact on women's self-esteem and its reinforcement of patriarchal beauty standards.

5. Is "The Swan" still relevant in today's media landscape?

While "The Swan" is no longer on air, its influence can still be seen in the current media landscape. Reality TV shows that focus on physical transformations, such as "The Bachelor" and "Extreme Makeover," continue to perpetuate damaging beauty standards and objectify women. It is important for viewers to be critical of these portrayals and demand more diverse and empowering representations of women in mainstream media.

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