How do you think ANTM affects females self esteem and body image. Tyra always says how she loves how this girl is plus sized, but at the same time if Tocarra (who is beautiful and photgenic) wins how is she going to be looked at? There is a preview for the next episode in which this woman is almost yelling at her saying something like Do you think I'll be able to find this in your size. I mean it is highly unlikely that she will win anyways- simply for the fact that she is competing in the 'skinny girls' side of the competition. I would guess if she won that she would be given in jobs in the appropriate field though.

I personally get sick of people saying the media and thin models are 95% responsible for a negative self-image. But that is just me.

I'm not American so I can't say I have noticed that show having much of an effect, but as a teacher of teenagers I have noticed the effect the "Celebrity Diets" have on them, especially the girls.
I was horrified to notice that cosmo girl which is supposed to be for teens was giving dieting advice to teenage girls, at that age your body is in mutate setting and bears no resemblance one month to what it might look like next month.
I try not to let stick thin women make me feel bad in magazines, what Pees me off is when the nice clothes they wear are only made for stick insects. Don't get me wrong the whole reason I joined this site was with the hope of improving my body image but I don't think we can blame everything on thin people, although it would make life easier!! :o

Tocarra is gone and I think from the beginning they had no real stand on keeping either of the PLUS SIZE girls. Your right Tocarra was very beuatiful and photogenic BUT they broke her down. It was really sad. They put her in a "valet" costume for the self image picture and then the RUDE lady was fitting her was not so nice and pinched her. They always MADE her feel fat!! They should have been more prepared and had BIG girl clothes as well as the other clothes. Its to bad and I sure hope she gets something out of this. GO TOCARRA!!!!!