Body Shaming is a constant, and at times deadly, presence in our society. Body shaming can be subtle, but it is everywhere from billboards, magazines, conversations and more. It ranges from magazines photoshopping bodies to be near perfect, to conversations between friends bashing on other people’s weight and appearance, as well as being critical of your own appearance. Body shaming takes place mostly for women, as they tend to be more critical of their own and others’ weight and appearance than men. But men are also subjected to unattainable body image.
Overall, body shaming does no good. It leads to self doubt, insecurity, weight issues, and eating disorders. Body shaming is an important topic because eating disorders are a current issue. 92% of college-aged females are reported to have attempted to control their weight through some form of dieting. Meaning that 92% of college-aged female students are unhappy with their current weight and appearance. While some students may be dieting to obtain a healthier lifestyle, 92% of college-aged females are not overweight or obese. 25% of college-aged females have reported they used the binge and purge technique to control their weight. Only 10% of those with an eating disorder ever receive treatment.
Body shaming is not a cause for all eating disorders. Removing body shaming from our society will not eradicate eating disorders. But teaching young men and women to love their bodies and be comfortable in their own skin has the potential to reduce the percentage of young adults and teenagers affected by eating disorders. Reducing the amount of body shaming in our everyday society will create a more positive environment for women and girls to feel comfortable with who they are and promote ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
One way to do this is body positivity campaigns. This can be done in a number of ways. Dove has announced their Dove Real Beauty campaign, where they attempt to increase the number of women who identify themselves as beautiful, and feature natural body shapes in their campaigns. Aerie has announced that they will no longer photoshop or retouch models in their magazines and campaigns, which promotes the natural image of women, flaws and all. Campaigns like these are only the beginning for the body positivity movement. Featuring powerful women like Adele and Kelly Clarkson, and focusing not on their weight gain or loss and on their talent is another step in the right direction. Body positive messages can be presented in songs, ad campaigns, classrooms, homes, magazine articles and more. Learning to love your body is the message that needs to be promoted.
Photo Credits:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/26/article-0-20CB3C5700000578-795_634x633.jpg
