Why do you think so many women have low self esteem?

Question

i agree with some of the answers

but i dont think it has to do with judging and what we see on tv

there will always be someone skinny you see on tv and if not walking beside you but that doesn't make me think any different of myself

and everyday there are going to be ppl giving you nasty looks and judging you by your apperance but that shouldnt make you think any different of yourself

Answer 1

Well I guess a theory is that the bar is set to high now a days. Women are bombarded with images showing super thin and super pretty models. Although the models might have an eating disorder and her beauty comes mostly from photoshop, other females try to live up to that anyways. They fail and then feel bad about it.

Answer 2

why do people think that women are the only victims of  low self esteem?

alot of men experience low self steem mainly is high school,if they are nerdy they get picked on.

Answer 3

I believe it is because magazines and television present an idea that there is an expectation for them to look a certain way... a way that few people can ever achieve, and when they do, they only achieve it in their youth.

Answer 4

I think it's a combination of criticism from others and the fact that we're more or less told to anticipate problems with self-esteem.  You know that line in Savage Garden's 'Affirmation'... "I believe that beauty magazines promote low self-esteem'...?  It's not just about how we get jealous of models, it's also because of all of the articles and information the media throws at us that really normalizes low self-esteem in women.  I think women often consider self-esteem problems more or less a given in life, or else maybe they are too arrogant to be 'normal'.

Which is sad, really.  People's priorities are messed up, and I think we women can be especially hard on other women.  And when I was talking about beauty magazines, I hope I didn't seem to imply that physical appearance is the only issue.  I just really hate it when I see articles and stuff that imply that it's somehow 'normal' to have self-esteem problems when the healthier thing is to actually have confidence.

Answer 5

It's probably because of so much peer pressure. We women tend to be very rough with one another when we should be kinder. We need each other. ♥ ∞

Answer 6

Apparently, having s*x gives women low self-esteem. This is either implied or expressly stated in many conversations that I hear between women. I guess it's because women get hounded for s*x so much that they feel bad about themselves when they give it up too easily, as if they are not worth making guys work harder for it. This is the 100% opposite of the male experience: men get high self-esteem from having s*x because men have a powerful desire to have s*x, yet women are constantly rejecting them. So when a man gets s*x, he has accomplished a feat. (which is why men look up to other men who manage to have s*x with a lot of women)  

Answer 7

Honestly, it's because there are fundamental differences between genders and although the underlying physiology hasn't been elucidated, all we have to rely upon are extremely "soft" pseudoscience to answer these sorts of things.

I'm of the opinion that there is something inherent to women which makes them more prone to "self esteem" issues and it's not a social influence, but more on the basis of neuroendocrine factors.

Additionally, more (normal) women tend to seek professional attention for underlying psychologic/psychiatric factors than do men.

Answer 8

All of the pressure in the world. Girls in particular are VERY pressured to look a certain way.

Answer 9

there's many reasons- the media, their families/friends/significant others.  but as they get older hopefully they pay less attention to the superficial things and learn more about themselves internally!  

Answer 10

Because we have a set image of 's**y', thanks to magazine models, and 'gorgeous' TV actresses whom are always under strict diet and exercise with a personal trainer and program.

How can you expect any normal girl to compete to that?

Girls have a lot that are expected from them when it comes to their appearance, which includes a well proportioned body, with a slim waist line, moderate bust line, toned flat stomach, and butt.

Its like we have an image of perfection that we must copy.

Its a known fact that uglier men are usually more accepted than an ugly woman. You are much more likely to see a gorgeous girl with an ugly guy, rather than vise versa...

So our image is important to most girls.

And of course, obtaining that PERFECT image is hard to do, and even if you are a gorgeous girl, many girls will think something is still lacking...resulting in low self esteem.

Hope you understand what im saying.=o

Answer 11

Look a little closer they have plenty of other phenomenal talents, and if they're not that grown up yet so what they will be someday soon---andya will have missed out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 12

listen to marilyn manson's song beautiful people. This country is indirectly teaching n**i principles; the perfect lived, the others died.

http://www.lyricinterpretations.com/look...

listen to the song and read the interpretation.

Oh and check out my blog http://www.maplesyrupandrew23.wordpress....

Answer 13

Because we have been systematically made to feel as if we have to fit an ideal in order to be good enough. We must be skinny, but also big breasted, thin but have curves. We must be tanned, but not too ethnic. We must have long flowing hair, big eyes and perfect legs. We must be made up, but still look natural - look like adults, but still be youthful. Since so few women actually fall into this mould, it's inevitable that we will all suffer low self esteem.

Answer 14

Personally, I think I've had low self-esteem due to the people I know (mainly guys are so full of sh*t its unreal) and the media.

Answer 15

Society, peers and human nature! We always have been our worst critics and never will stop. Key is to change that towards striving for self improvement and not focussing so much on shallow critisims.

Answer 16

Woman are very emotional and sometimes they can read a situation wrong and the emotions can take them down a path of thinking that is not always the truth. Sometimes it's better to make judgements on things when you are calm and in a state of rational thought.  

Answer 17

The world judges women based on their appearence- I saw a question on here earlier 'Are there ANY female politcians you would sleep with?'

So if we don't appear to match the ever increasing standards of beauty we are usually outcasted.

If Angelina Jolie says it's wrong to wear red shoes, we'd all listen and consider it, but if a 'less attractive' women suggested it- we'd ridicule her.

Answer 18

It's ingrained in them from day one. Girls compare themselves to others, whether it's friends, siblings, or celebrities. That's why their self esteem stays low... they don't grasp the fact that it's a vicious cycle...there will always be someone uglier and prettier than you.  

Answer 19

Todays standard of beauty is tall, thin, caucasian features with big b***s. It is a very tiny percentage of the population that looks this way. Add digital manipulation of the images of these women and you have a standard of beauty which is impossible to attain for most people. Which is exactly what makes for great marketing. It's easier to sell a product (or idea) to someone who doesn't have it, than to sell it to someone who already does.

Answer 20

because of what the media portray as beautiful, such as size zero. the amount of airbrushing used also make women feel inferior as the aren't  'perfect' like the airbrushed models. i feel i am too fat and not flawless enough although i'm a UK size 12/ US 8

Answer 21

My self-esteem was completely shaken after coming out of a 5 year relationship, hadn't realised how bad my ex-boyfriend used to make me feel until I left him - he used to say terrible things to me when we used to fight and they suddenly hit me after the break up. Then I became close to this friend of mine in college and he just likes me for who I am and this made me feel great again. I never feel bad about myself when I see more beautiful women and if men don't fancy me it's not because I think they think I'm ugly. It was my ex that certainly did it for me but thankfully I got over it :)

Answer 22

I think most women have low self esteem because of OTHER women make them feel that way. We are so hard on each other. Why can't we as women clompliment each other and not tear each other down. Stop being jealous of others and be kind with your compliments. It can lift someone's spirits for the entire day and it will also make you feel better. Just try it.......

Answer 23

-verbally abusive boyfriends/husbands/family members/friends

-not believing/saddened that they'll never be as pretty as another female they know.

-always having a feeling of failure in everything they do.

-not sticking up for themselves at times needed, and getting walked on.

Answer 24

There is (and was) a lot more pressure for the woman to be beautiful than there was for the man.  

Answer 25

it is simple..who wouldn't be with a low self esteem inside a society that treats you like trash and makes you feelless then a human... womyn are being oppress since they are small, always made to hate themselves..and it is not just the media, but the whole society...

Answer 26

Perhaps because women are bombarded with images of beautiful women on all advertising mediums everyday.  There are almost infinite products to help you look "better" and keep you feeling like you're just not good enough as you are.  If others don't help you and support you as you are, they are enabling a false perception of "self" and keeping you from feeling good about who you are.

Answer 27

Society and in particular male society has beaten them down until they no longer believe they can ever be accepted or loved.

Answer 28

i think TV, movies and especially advertising tells us we have to be perfect - beautiful in every way, or we are nothing.

Like the little girl singer in the Olympics.

She is a magnificent singer and should be proud of that, but , no, she isn't perfect in somebody's eyes, so she is hidden, rejected, her own talent is not enough.

Answer 29

I'm sure it is different to everybody but one option is :

we don't do any 'positve talk' to ourselves; its seems normal to us to be endlessly critical and anything positive we can tell ourselves is either not taken seriously or then we start to think we'r vain

Answer 30

Because of the huge emphasis by the media on looks, especially for women, that if a woman isn’t physically perfect she’s considered ugly.

It’s really sad to see a lot of good looking and decent looking girls thinking their ugly by comparing themselves to something gorgeous but is not real.

Answer 31

I think women have low self esteem because of the way the society is. They have this idea in their head that they have to look a certain way, and even act a certain way. Most of these images are very unrealistic. Most women cannot look like that and therefore they feel like no one will like or love them. Also, some men have a certain look for women, blonde hair big b***s, skinny. and that is also not realistic.

Another reason would be a situation that happened in their life.