Body Image

Body image describes what people think of their body size and whether or not they are happy with it. Individual problems with body image can arise when one compares themselves to others, neglects the media influence, or other external factors. Some negative body image is caused by a lack of satisfaction and a strong sense of unhappiness.

The female form is idealized since the beginning of human existence. It’s an ongoing fight that women have to go through on a daily basis, as society shifts with different values of beauty at different times, and it’s hard to anticipate something that has changed drastically over time in accordance with what society deems “beauty” is.

In the 1700s and 1800s, the “ideal” woman was depicted as big-bodied and curvy. In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the corset came along; waist cinchers, helped to accentuate the body to an hourglass with a waist cincher that held up a woman’s breasts. However, women should not feel obligated to have reconstructive surgery or give themselves a new identity just to look like somebody else. 

Body Image Issues

There are different types of women and beauty is not in the eye of every beholder. In terms of media, there are some interesting facts worth highlighting about how it has been proven to be influential. From ‘influencers’ like Kim Kardashian and Khloe Kardashian, there is a large amount of interest in how another woman might look because it might help them get what they want from society. With the introduction of smartphones and tablets, social media has elevated in popularity. 

The internet continues to grow as countless people join and create their own professional accounts for companies or situations. These platforms can have a significant impact on your self-esteem or body image. But with the availability of social media shaping and forming features, it’s hard to know who to trust. How do you decide which platform is for you? 

Women’s average body types are rarely seen in the media. When that does happen, it’s for a positive message reminding people of how amazing and perfect they look, but quickly goes back to judgmental shaming when those models are painfully underweight. 

Just by flipping through any popular women’s magazines, you’ll see photoshopped images that may as well be what would actually be considered “normal” or “average” among men. 

Media is increasingly making people feel uncomfortable with their bodies but is also the cause of a lot of negative body image. It leads to low self-confidence and can cause many negative effects including self-harm, depression, anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and bulimia nervosa. Many might even lead to unhealthy habits like smoking or alcohol too. 

Many people struggle with eating disorders, which are serious illnesses that cause severe interruption to thousands of individuals. Social media has made it so common – more than ever before – since its inception. People will go as far as having extremely low-calorie diets, over-exercising excessively, abusing diet pills, and self-induced vomiting after food in order to rid themselves of toxins they just ate while bingeing and purging. There’s no such thing as a perfect body.

A multitude of false assumptions and standards perpetuate this idea while simultaneously perpetuating the ugly cycles of discrimination. Although today’s society is still prejudiced based on how we’re perceived, we can change our mindsets about what constitutes beauty.

No matter what your goals are, having a positive outlook will help you achieve them. Your body is yours and has the ability to do amazing things. You should love your body for all its abilities. And, making the most of your time will help you explore what you enjoy doing with it.