It's that time of year again. The seasonal memes about "summer bodies" that aim to laugh away the paranoia that often consumes this topic are flooding Facebook. While I can appreciate the internet's attempts to poke fun at the systemic need for and obsession with ideal beach bodies, it still unintentionally feeds into the narrative. We may all collectively chuckle at our bodies not being "ready" or that the beach will "take whatever body it gets," but I feel like it's the fakest laugh we can offer. It's the laugh we give to hide the stinging reality of admitting that we're somehow not good enough.
Rest assured just one post over, though, we'll be quickly inundated with an overwhelming variety of "quick fixes" to rid ourselves of these body image woes. If you've ever found yourself wandering any social media platform, you know what I'm talking about. The latest fads and crazes that promise rapid weight loss, next-to hand-sculpted muscles, and three granted wishes. I'm joking about the wishes, but you'd need them for these glorified scams to work.
Extreme diet trends and superior summer figures aren't the whole picture, they're just the beginning. I think one of the most common repercussions stemming from this toxic body image culture is the nightmare that's swimsuit shopping. I think it's a safe assumption that the majority of women, and probably men, have an outright phobia of swimsuit shopping. The initial browsing isn't so bad considering there's usually an option for everyone's tastes. The actual trying on of the choices is where it all goes south. While some of us may be optimistic at the onset of our arrival to the fitting rooms, I think many trips end in bruised confidence and extreme doubt about our purchases. Even when they fit nicely and give us the desired amount of coverage, it's still a vulnerable article of clothing. Especially, when we have all the summer body memes wildly mocking us from the ghost of social media past.
Swimsuit shopping is far from the only battlefront of toxic body image culture. Editing apps have become my latest pet peeve. I've never found simple filtering or editing to the lighting and such to be problematic, but that's not what I'm talking about. Apps like Facetune and such, while probably initially developed to help boost confidence, seem more detrimental than helpful. These apps allow users to virtually recreate themselves into something that doesn't align with reality. It allows the user to digitally conform themselves to society's obsessive need for picture perfectness.
Although it may give the user a short-lived confidence boost across social media, it leaves a long-term void of an unattainable image. These apps essentially promote striving for an idealized self to be created as a reflection of this toxic culture's standards. I find this problematic because it's inauthentic, but I don't find the people who use these apps problematic. I don't mean to shame anyone by any means. I just have serious issues with the prevalence of these apps, and the havoc they're wreaking on already shaky self-images.
As the summer arrives, vacations will be planned, suitcases will be packed, and pictures will snapped for memories. The swimsuit conundrum and photoshop mania aside, this is exactly how my summer last year was mapped out. I had the privilege of venturing across Europe for two weeks with my aunts. The history, architecture, and nature of the age-old cities in France, Italy, and Spain combined for the perfect backdrop. I don't think there was a single landmark or coastline that we left un-photographed. I bring all this up to say that maybe five out of the hundred pictures we took made it to social media.
Before our trip, I had every intention to update our friends and family with all our experiences. When the time came, I just couldn't bring myself to upload them. I never told anyone why, but I just felt so crumby about the way I looked in most of them that I didn't care to put them out into the world. When asked about our pictures, I'd just brush it off and say I'd get around to it soon, knowing very well I wasn't going to. Sure, I had the time of my life gallivanting across Europe. The actual experiences are ultimately what I cherished most, anyway. At the same time, I just wished I didn't feel the need to hide these experiences from my family and friends because of my lacking self-image. I felt like it was trivial, but I also couldn't get myself past it.
I don't share this for a sympathy grab; rather, I think a lot of people have probably been in similar situations. Even if not identical, I'm sure many of you can relate to the cringing at the sight of your own pictures. While I wish I could say that I eventually posted them or did something inspiring, I can't give you that much. I can, however, say that for all of us who share these struggles, let's stick together. Let's continue this conversation. I'm sure we can all identify toxic standards in society that we'd like to change. First, I think it's important for us to be honest about what we feel and why. Then, let's push the conversation forward to regain the narrative surrounding our bodies as they exist.
