The Metro: The impact of unrealistic beauty standards on women’s mental health
Lauren Myers, Tia Graham, Cary Junior II, The Metro April 10, 2025Two guests joined The Metro on Thursday to help us better understand the pressure of America’s beauty standards and their effect on women.

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They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that beauty is more than skin deep. Your presentation, build, attire and demeanor shapes how others perceive who you are and what you care about.
The people we surround ourselves with influence our taste which forms our opinion on what we deem as cool or beautiful. The media we consume is powerful too; the mind is a really powerful thing. It encourages us to change the way we look to fit the latest fashion and beauty trends.
Two guests joined The Metro on Thursday to help us better understand the pressure of America’s beauty standards and their effect on women.
Rokeshia Ashley is a professor of health communication at Florida International University and a researcher focusing on body image, body modification and maternal health.
Dr. Alexandra Sowa is an obesity and internal medicine physician and the author of the book, “The Ozempic Revolution.”
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
More stories from The Metro on Thursday, April 10:
- Celebrate Earth Day with events, activities at Detroit parks
- Navigating an uncertain stock market
- Ryan Patrick Hooper talks Record Store Day, WDET member drawing
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Tia Graham is a reporter and Weekend Edition Host for 101.9 WDET. She graduated from Michigan State University where she had the unique privilege of covering former President Barack Obama and his trip to Lansing in 2014.
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Cary Junior II is an audio journalist and producer for The Metro on 101.9 WDET. Cary has worked as a producer or host on a number of projects. His work includes short and longform audio, documentary series and daily radio. In his five year career in journalism he has worked for Crooked Media, the Detroit Free Press, and now WDET - Detroit's NPR station.
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