Body shaming is humiliating, mocking and judging another human being based on their shape or size.

In today's society, body shaming is seen to be a cultural norm that people use in order to make other's feel less about themselves. The tactic is so common today, especially with the rise of social media, which forces us to play the game of being "perfect."

We live in a time now when we allow others to constantly judge us. Why do you think there are so many programs like Photoshop that can alter one's body shape and make us look how people want us to look? Instagram and Facebook are now just a platform to display our "perfect" lives for all to see. Every day, people scroll through pictures of people and constantly judge them for the way that they look. When we shame others for not looking a certain way, we are sending a message to people everywhere that they are not good enough. No one deserves to feel worthless based upon their appearance. No one.

All of a sudden, there are all of these "rules" that come with each body type and how to dress. If you weigh more than a certain weight, you shouldn't be wearing certain types of clothes. I remember entering my first year of high school and being told by everyone that if I didn't start wearing makeup or certain clothes to school that I wouldn't be considered beautiful and that boys wouldn't like me. Even though I was an unsure 14-year-old girl, I still knew that was the dumbest concept ever explained to me. Just because I didn't look a certain way meant that I would not be liked by anyone? No one should ever be allowed to tell someone what they can and cannot wear. If someone feels beautiful or confident in their own skin, who are we to tear that apart? Who is so important that they can judge everyone else for looking a certain way? Here's a newsflash for people who constantly judge others based on their appearances: they aren't asking for your incorrect, unnecessary judgment.

Everyone was born to look different for a reason. If we all looked exactly the same, then life would be a boring place. Someone can have what society considers to be the "perfect body" and still have an awful personality or be a terrible person. It shouldn't matter what people look like on the outside. If people focused more on getting to know the person on the inside, then the world would be such a happier place to live in.

I hope one day to live in a world where people can support one another and build each other up, and not tear each other down. Everyone has their insecurities, but who are we to exploit another based on something that is different or not seen to be "beautiful" in our society. Instead of rejecting these differences, we should be celebrating the fact that we all are different. Every person is built and shaped differently, but that doesn't make one person less beautiful or important than the next. How are we supposed to know what it is like to walk in that person's shoes every single day or what their life is truly like being their shape or size?

The overweight guy that gets made fun of at the gym? Little do you know that he's already lost 100 lbs. and has changed his entire life around.

The really skinny girl you think "really needs to eat"? She's actually super self-conscious about her thin figure and is trying to gain weight, but her metabolism is super high.

There's so much more to people than just what you see. Instead of jumping to conclusions or making insensitive judgments, take a moment to consider someone else's perspective. We all have our struggles and insecurities that we carry with us every day. Don't judge a book by its cover.

We all look different and that's more than OK. Lastly, to the person reading who is tired of getting judged for his or her appearance, feels worthless or just wants things to get better; you are truly beautiful inside and out.

Surround yourself with people who think the same and keep being strong. It's the people like you who make the world beautiful and a place worth living.