We live in a society where there is constant pressure to be perfect. Perceptions of beauty and expectations of women are not only being constantly modified, but also ridiculed. One of the biggest issues that women (and men) face in this day and age is body image and it’s a constant struggle to fit the mold of what everyone sees as “beautiful.”
We all claim that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Yet, it’s pretty ironic that many of the people who claim to be promoting positive body image among women and girls are doing just the opposite. Yes, the idea that you don’t have to be super skinny or look like a Victoria’s Secret model in order to be considered beautiful is a great notion to be promoting. However, what about the people who are considered skinny?
Something that people don’t seem to recognize is that skinny shaming is still body shaming. Telling someone skinny to go eat a hamburger is the exact same thing as telling someone bigger to go to the gym, posting on social media that “real men don’t want to cuddle a bag of bones” isn’t making you more admirable or wanted, and mocking people who are a size zero or an extra-small doesn’t make you more confident in your body image. You’re rudely pointing something out that they already know and are probably embarrassing them over something that they’re already self-conscious about.
It goes beyond just individuals making these kinds of comments. Companies and campaigns are promoting the thought that every size is beautiful, unless you’re a tiny model. In that case, you’re just fake and unrealistic. Lane Bryant, a company whose mission is to celebrate women of all shapes and sizes, had a campaign called “I Am No Angel,” which included plus size models ripping off angel wings, a direct dig at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. I love that we’re promoting models of all shapes and sizes, and I think it’s so important to show different sized models other than just those who are skinny on the runways. However, in order for us to be a society that truly encourages the idea that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, we have to be accepting to those different shapes and sizes, including the smaller ones.
It’s astonishing how rare it is for an individual to be completely confident in their body. If you were to ask anyone, I guarantee there is something about their image that they wish they could change. I'm a curvy girl, I'm often insecure about my body, and at times, I'm envious of girls who are naturally skinny. However, making fun of models won't make me thinner, joking that a skinny girl is "anorexic" won't make me happier, and telling a girl, who can't help being a size zero, that she has no right to complain about her body won't make me feel more confident in mine. We can’t model shame or skinny shame and at the same time, consider ourselves to be a society that’s for a positive and healthy body image. In order to set the standard that "all sizes are beautiful," we have to first believe in it.
