Today's world is obsessed with body image. People care about what they look like way too much. People want to be thin because they think people will believe they are prettier. People want to be thin because they believe they have to be in order to fit into today's culture.
People should not want to be thin; people should want to be fit. Not only is being fit more attractive, but it is also much healthier for your body. There is no single company, brand, or magazine to blame for this craving to be thin; however, with the new change that Miss Teen USA made maybe people will start to realize that being thin isn't the best thing.
Within the past month, Miss Teen USA has decided to eliminate their swimsuit competition, and substitute it with athletic wear. At first, this may come to a shock for many because the swimsuit competition has been a staple for all major pageants, but this should be a good shock. In the past, the swimsuit competition has shown off how "skinny" the contestant is, or how many bones one can see. This is not something one should aspire to look like. Nobody should want to be so skinny that you can see your ribs popping out of your stomach and chest.
The change to athletic wear will show off the contestant's athleticism, and show the viewers why being fit is more attractive and healthier than being skinny. Miss Universe president, Paula Shugart, stated, "Miss Teen USA's shift is meant to celebrate women's strength, confidence, and beauty in different, more constructive ways."
Hopefully, eliminating the swimsuit portion of the competition will not lower the viewings but, rather, raise them because it is important and crucial that people realize that being fit is more important than being thin.
Thank you, Miss Teen USA, for initiating the first step in the right direction of creating a being fit craze instead of a being thin craze.
