If you’re as involved in media as much as the next millennial then you’d definitely agree that this time period is the “Age of Body Positivity.” Now more than ever people including celebrities and those with large followings are speaking up on the topics of body positivity and body shaming. Though with any new development there are always stragglers whose actions may not always coincide with the message.
There’s always nasty trolls lurking in the comments section just waiting to judge your next post for no good reason. There’s always those who personally don’t agree with your personal look and because it’s something they don’t like they’ll feel the need to judge or even shame you for daring to go beyond their comfort zone. But worst of all there’s Hollywood itself and the dangerous message it sends out regarding the way it obsesses over young women’s bodies.
We all know that for ages Hollywood has placed one’s value and worth on the way they look. It’s all about the glitz and glam of a person that will draw your attention to them. The more attention they have the more famous they become. If you do not fit the “mold”of the moment then you’ll face judgment. This type of toxic atmosphere is already difficult for a newly famous adult to get used to but for those who grew up in the limelight the harsh judgments have unfortunately become a voice that they’ve become accustomed to.
The idea body shaming in Hollywood is not a new concept to young celebrities like Ariel Winter. Ariel has dealt with critical “fans” and judgemental headlines in the media for as she can remember.
The 19-year-old literally grew up on the show Modern Family as she first started her role as Alex Dunphy around 11 years old. She has constantly been in a toxic environment that bases one’s value on the way that they look to others. Ariel naturally has a curvy body type, one that tends to always gets criticized and shamed on social media.
P.C. to Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Back in 2015 Ariel made her own personal decision to go through with her breast reduction surgery. Though she did it for her own personal reasons there was also an aspect the media’s body shaming and obsession that came to the forefront of this decision. In a 2015 Glamour magazine article the actress revealed her feelings on media outlets focusing their attention on her cleavage.
“That’s pretty much all I was known for and that upset me. It made me feel really uncomfortable because as women in the industry, we are totally over sexualized and treated like objects. Every article that has to do with me on a red carpet always had to do with ‘Ariel Winter’s Crazy Cleavage!’ ‘Or Ariel Winter Shows Huge Boobs at an Event!’ That’s all people would recognize me by, not, “Oh, she does great work on Modern Family.”
Over the last two years Ariel has flourished into a strong and confident young woman. She makes her own independent decisions and stays true to who she is. However she still faces so much criticism for the clothing choices she makes. If you’re a Snapchat addict then you’ll notice that media outlets such as Daily Mail always feature her on the cover of their Snapnews with headlines such as “Ariel Winter Flashes Underboob and Midriff While on Set” and “Ariel Winter Barres Derrier In Denim Shorts in Los Angeles”. The media’s obsession with her physical body is disturbing. Part of the attention comes from the fact that Ariel is a curvier woman. Unfortunately having such a curvy body has not fully become a norm in Hollywood as women with such body types like Ariel’s are still body shamed on a different level.
One striking example that shows this is regarding Ariel’s dress that she wore for her graduation. After posting her picture to Instagram Ariel clapped back and showed those body-shamers that their unnecessarily rude comments no longer affected her. This isn’t the first time she’s stood up for herself against body-shamers as she always takes the time to remind us that she couldn’t care less what people have to say about her body.
She truly embodies what body positivity means in a place like Hollywood. She doesn’t allow the unrealistic body standards to keep her from enjoying her own life. Ariel has become an inspiration who never backs down when facing harsh and undeserved judgments and we’re honored to be attending UCLA with her!