The Internet has recently introduced the idea of the A4 Waist Challenge where women holdup pieces of paper to emphasize the small size of their waist in comparison. The #A4WaistChallenge originated on popular Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo, Weixin, and WeChat. This horrific challenge that perpetuates body-shaming and unrealistic expectations has caused emotional outbursts among Instagram and Twitter communities.
A similar, and equally alarming, viral challenge circulated on Chinese media about a year ago called the belly button challenge, where women were tested to wrap their arms entirely around their waist, which was considered the ultimate “proof” of being skinny.
While some women are playing into the spectacle that is the A4 Challenge, other women are retaliating by posting more empowering messages and images by holding up pizza boxes, their diplomas, or poster boards in front of their waists instead:
It is important to remember that beautiful and healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes AND cannot be measured by fitting your arms around your waist or holding up a piece of paper.
Only a few weeks after National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, where thousands of positive quotes and body images flooded social media, it is upsetting to see society revert back to these unrealistic beauty and weight standards for women. We can only hope that those participating in this challenge realize how degrading and dangerous it truly is and take on a more body positive mindset in the future.