“Size 6: The Harem of Western Women” by Fatema Mernissi describes the difficulties of a woman in her efforts to purchase a skirt in an American department store. While the protagonist is told that her hips are too big to fit into a size 6 and that there are no items of clothing in the store that fit her, the author delves into the essence of a prevailing standard imposed on women. The author expresses an understandable concern about critical and intransigent preconceptions about women's size in America. In our country today there is an extremely harsh stereotype associated with women's weight. Discrimination against heavier women is well documented and steadily increasing at a rapid rate. Studies have confirmed that women who try to achieve cultural ideals of beauty in America are more susceptible to developing eating disorders. We live in a world of stereotypes, judgments and assumptions. While we may not have been part of creating the prevailing social attitude toward women's bodies in America, we are still influenced by it. Consciously recognizing harmful stereotypes such as judgments based on appearance, beauty and size is key to changing attitudes and actions. There is no denying that influential beauty stereotypes exist; whether they come from a Western specification or a more deeply rooted cultural expectation, they fill the pages of magazines, television programs, and retail stores. More importantly, sociocultural standards of female beauty fill the hearts and minds of women, both young and old, across our country. The media bombards women with images of what is considered the "ideal body". These beauty standards are virtually unattainable for most women. B… middle of paper… we either squeeze ourselves into molds that don’t fit, hating ourselves all the time, or we give up altogether. (42) In conclusion, the pressure that many women in the United States feel to conform to a certain social and cultural ideal of beauty can lead not only to the development of a poor body image, but also to the need to resist the merciless stereotypes associated with their burden, discrimination, and the impact of conforming to these social standards, leading to eating disorders. Many foundations, however, are working to change the way both girls and women think and talk about beauty and body image. We can be optimistic that the extensive research studies focused in this area will ultimately be able to help women overcome destructive stereotypes and truly embrace healthy, genuine, and realistic ways of being beautiful..