In this world of selfies, Snapchat, and Instagram, our image seems to be a key representation of who we are. In fact, this image seems to have taken over and set some unwritten guidelines of what men and women are expected to look like throughout society. Social media plays a huge role in the lack of body positivity that people across the globe face. When you follow media moguls, like Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner, and Cara Delevingne, body standards seem impossibly high. It's important to maintain a positive attitude about your body, because if you can't love yourself, who will?
As human beings, we fail to realize we are not the number that appears on the scale, nor are we represented by our "bad side" in a photo. We choose to define ourselves by the less significant physical traits. Why should we feel ashamed of the size on the tag of our jeans, when one size up would offer us more comfort?
So many ridiculous beauty standards have been created by trends seen on social media, such as the idea of a thigh gap falsely representing one's health or fitness, or even the concept of the "thighbrow." One of the more unrealistic standards that the world tested out this year was achieving an overly-plumped lip. Girls all over the world attempted the "Kylie Jenner Challenge," leaving them with bruised and damaged lips and skin.
The institution of waist training created false expectations of what the human body should look like, attempting to achieve what would hardly be considered a "natural" body shape. The designation of letters (which has become known as alphabetization) as a representation of one's figure creates negative stigmas, as well as, once again, sets ridiculous standards women feel they are expected to meet.
The most significant problem society faces is the concept of "fat" and "skinny" shaming. Every body type is beautiful. The human body is unique, and no two people are the same. Everyone is structured differently, and it is not someone's size; be it their weight or height, that makes them beautiful. So many absurd photos and quotes circulate on the internet these days, claiming that men only want a woman with curves, or throwing around different eating disorders to describe one's size, for instance, calling someone anorexic because they are thin.
Everyone has a different perception of physical beauty, but the truth is, beauty is not what is seen on the outside. "Adore your body, because it houses the dreams and desires of your wonderful mind."
