In today's world, we are repeatedly told how to look, think, act, and feel. Our lives are influenced by what society and the media present us with, and it is seemingly rare that we are left to ourselves, without outside influence. One can't turn on the tv or go online without consuming media that can easily influence our lives. A commercial for the ASPCA makes us extremely sad the moment we hear the opening line to Sarah McLachlan's "In the Arms of an Angel". The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has us scrutinizing our own bodies, trying to decide if we are worthy of whatever the perception of perfection is.
In February 2009, Kismet Baun, Senior Communications Advisor at the Canadian Mental Health Association in Ontario, wrote a piece for Ottawa Life Magazine titled "Stigma Matters: The Media’s Impact on Public Perceptions of Mental Illness". The opening line itself puts our relationship with media into perspective: "The mass media’s power to impact public perception and the degree to which people are exposed to media representations makes the mass media one of the most significant influences in developed societies". When we are constantly exposed to content and media, we are extremely susceptible to these outside influences.
Today’s beauty standards mostly stem from outside influences, specifically rooted in social media- whether its tumblr’s thigh gap aesthetic or Twitter and Instagram's obsession with the Kardashian/Jenner butt and lips. Whatever the current trend is, its all over the Internet; and that is exactly what todays standard of beauty has become: a product of the media. Despite the fact that beauty trends have come and gone over the years, one “holy grail” beauty standard still remains: The standard that women must have the “perfect look”, no matter what that may entail. This ideal is a hot topic, as it has resulted in an epidemic of low self-esteem, particularly in teens, and reaches young children as young as 5 years old. The pressure to have “a skinny waist”, “a big butt”, “sleek, soft hair”, “tan, glowing skin”, and other coveted features are emphasized in the media, and has often resulted in depression, anorexia, and other diseases in teens and young adults. Young girls discuss the struggle with beauty standards in an article/video posted by the Huffington Post.
To say that media does not perpetuate the expectations of our society simply isn't true. For years, publications have set standards for how we should look and act. Even entities that claim to promote the empowerment of women, to feel good about themselves and their bodies, have had instances of body shaming. In 2015, Oprah's "O Magazine" released an article that offered fashion advice to women. As documented by Today.com, when asked the question "Can I pull off a crop top?", creative director Adam Glassman responded with "If (and only if!) you have a flat stomach, feel free to try one."
It is responses like these that generate insecurity and unhappiness in women across the media-consuming world. When we don't meet the presumed expectations of our society, it is crushing. No one wants to feel that they are not pretty enough, skinny enough, smart enough, talented enough. After a period of time, this media consumption begins to take its toll. Unfortunately, this cannot be escaped. We are surrounded by advertising and media constantly. One cannot use the internet, watch TV, or even go outside without seeing adverts for new weight loss strategies, products that will "fix" your insecurities, things that will make you into the "perfect person".
Society and media control standards of beauty that seem to dictate our every move, while we have stood by and let it happen. The problem with America’s standard of beauty today is that there is constant conflict between the messages that are sent out into the world. One minute the tv is telling you that you should love the skin you’re in, and then the next commercial is for a diet pill to get a summer-ready body. The problems I see are not necessarily what our beauty standards are, but the emphasis we put on these beauty standards, and how we use them to evaluate our self worth.
However, there have been efforts to move away from, or change how we view beauty. A great example of this is a continuation of the "O Magazine" debacle. As a result of the body-shaming article, women online launched the hashtag #RockTheCrop to promote body positivity and eliminate the stigma that only women of a certain body type can wear certain items of clothing. Other campaigns to promote love and acceptance include Dove's #MyBeautyMySay campaign, that shares the stories of women who step up for their own standards and style of beauty.
Movements like these are so important in combatting the hold that the media has on our perceptions of perfection. Only when we challenge the institution of what beauty and perfection are, will this hold release. Now, more than ever, it is so important to embrace and broadcast the love and acceptance of yourself and others. We are the constituents behind whether these standards stick or not. We have already shown signs of progress and change, and that is what I find truly beautiful.
