I went to Target the other day to buy new pants for work.
After searching for awhile, I found some I liked and went to the dressing room. After struggling to pull 2 pairs over my hips, I sat on the bench in the tiny room, looked at myself in the mirror and cried. I eventually found a comfortable pair but by then, my self-esteem was at zero (ironically the number I wish was my jean size).
So many people, especially girls, struggle with body image. I know I personally spend a good amount of time on Instagram looking at profiles of models and fitness gurus, wishing my waist would shrink as much as my confidence.
America is one of the most obese countries in the world, but also has some of the biggest issues with eating disorders and body image issues.
At least 30 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder, according to the National Association of Anorexia and Related Disorders.
The average American woman is 5'4" and 166 pounds. The average American model is 5'10" and 107 pounds.
About 10% of college women suffer from a clinical or nearly clinical eating disorder.
We often wonder why so many women see themselves as fat or have disordered eating patterns. It's no secret that it probably stems from our media and its portrayal of the "ideal" woman. Every girl wants to be rail thin, tan, have long legs, etc. because it's what we see in the media.
Back in the 1950's, fashion icons and models were praised for their hourglass-shaped bodies. Now, we call girls with that body shape "thick" or "curvy."
Models are now considered "plus sized" if they are sizes 6-14. 14 is the size the average American woman wears. When did being average make you "plus size"?
Every body is different. Everyone has a unique shape and size. As long as you're healthy, your jean size shouldn't affect your daily life. We so often worry about what we look like that we forget about the important things.
Take it from someone who struggles with body image herself. When I walk around campus, I never focus on people's bodies. I focus on their face, their smile, their expressions. While not everyone is like that, we also have to remember that not everyone expects all women to be a size 0 runway model.
It might sound cliché, but the things that truly matter are on the inside and once we realize this, size will just be a number, not a definition of our worth.
