Have you ever shopped for clothes online and seen only thin models sampling the clothes? Or maybe you were watching the match on TV and you saw a Fair and Lovely ad that tells you that no matter how talented you are, it doesn’t matter if you aren’t light skinned.
We live in an age where every ad campaign has an airbrushed, thin celebrity with perfect skin. Every piece of media that we as teenagers see around us, has an unrealistic beauty standard, whether it is movies, magazines, ads and social media. Naturally, the effects of this “perfect” standard are felt by all of us.
Let us begin by defining what negative body image actually is.
Your body image is made up of your thoughts and emotions about your body. Negative body image would mean you having a version of what you think your body should look like in your head. This however may not match the way it does look like.
Negative body image can be influenced by many things including but not limited to: family, social media, cultural background, as well as ability or disability.
The consequences are a sense of weak self worth.
Many have a terrible relationship with their bodies and switching to “loving their bodies unconditionally” as many body-positivity pages claim you should do, is never easy. In this situation, body-neutrality offers a middle ground. This does give much importance to appearance in relation to self worth. In fact, it creates the acceptance of your body not for just the way it looks, but also all that it does. This is important as it tells us that beauty standards are not a measure of anyone’s worth. In fact, those at the face of this standard don’t fit into it themselves. Models and actors are made to diet, caked in makeup, then airbrushed, then extensively photo-shopped to be acceptable by these standards. So if no one fits into these standards, don’t they become more irrelevant?
It is extremely difficult to remind ourselves of this, especially when the media we consume may tell us something different. But remember, that your body is meant to do so much more than fit into the current popular trend. It grows, it thinks, it contains all your organs and keeps you alive every day, even to the point of surviving a global pandemic.
One way you can distance yourself from unrealistic standards is to change the media you consume to the extent that is possible. Unfollow those who make you feel insecure about the way you look. Distance yourself from friends that may mock the way you look. Start following people that promote having a good relationship with your body.
Negative body image has serious consequences on your mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, encourage them to talk to an adult or a counselor who can help them deal with the struggle. As a friend or family member, try to be patient and understanding. Try to educate yourself about the issue so that you can understand their problem.
Something we should think about is the fact that as people, we are worth so much more than the size and shape of our body. Think about all of the factors that make up your personality: they include your intelligence, your hobbies, your sense of humor, your talents and so much more. The way you look makes up a significantly smaller part of who you are.
I would like to end with a post by fitness influencer Blogilates that sums up the issue perfectly.
“How to stop hating your body.
I get asked this a lot.
And here’s the simple answer: take the focus you have on how your body LOOKS and transfer all of that time, attention, and obsessiveness over to what your body can DO.
Very simple example:
So, you wanna lose those last 5-10 lbs and just wanna get rid of that cute squishy layer of fat covering your abs? But nothing is working!??
Old mentality:
You’re stressed by how many calories you’re burning during your workout and by how many calories you’re eating throughout the day…and nothing seems to be budging but you’re tired, hungry, and don’t even like your food or your workouts.
New mentality:
Pick a skill you want to master. Like, getting the handstand! Learning a dance routine you saw on Tiktok! Rollerblading like it’s no big deal. Getting into some funky yoga poses. Decreasing your mile time by 5 seconds. Increasing how heavy you can squat! Once you pour your energy into the journey instead of the outcome, the results will come much easier, and much quicker. Plus it is WAY MORE SATISFYING.
Those last 5-10 lbs? Either they’ll melt off anyway because you’re challenging your body to something new, OR you literally won’t care because you can do a ridiculous handstand trick now and that’s way more important.
So, how do you stop hating your body? By allowing it to be a true partner in your journey.”
Author: Samaa Burte Nadkarni, 17 years old