Looking through a magazine, filled with beautiful men and women makes it a little more difficult for anyone to say “Wow! I look amazing today!” when they look into a mirror. Though I believe everyone should always tell him or herself, “Wow! I look amazing today!” whenever possible, the truth is, most of us aren’t that nice to ourselves. It is no secret that living today's society is no walk in the park for the Average Joe (or Josephine). Having the easiest access to media the world has ever had changes how we view not only ourselves, but also others. Skimming through a magazine, scrolling through Instagram, or watching big blockbuster movies, it’s easy to think about what we dislike about our bodies, and what we would change, but the truth is, the model in the magazine doesn’t even look like the model in the magazine.
We are living in the day and age where looks are inescapable. One of the most viewed television events is the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The guys watch it for the girls, and the girls watch it for...well, I'm not exactly sure why girls watch it. The hour time slot is filled with the tallest and most gracious models you’ll probably ever see, musical performances, and angel wings so heavy I’m convinced the models must have super powers in order to manage walking in heels and wear those things on their backs. But, just because one might look like an angel, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re living in heaven.
In a recent interview with The London Times, Cara Delevingne opened up about her troubles as a model and the pressure she felt in the industry. The current actress described her reason to quit as her work making her feel “a bit hollow.” Delevingne went on to say, "I was, like, fight and flight for months. Just constantly on edge. It is a mental thing as well because if you hate yourself and your body and the way you look, it just gets worse and worse.”
Another star that’s no stranger to the limelight, Miley Cyrus, also spoke out about not having the best of both worlds. The Marie Claire cover girl shared how growing up on "Hannah Montana" gave her unrealistic beauty standards. “"From the time I was 11, it was, 'You're a pop star! That means you have to be blonde, and you have to have long hair, and you have to put on some glittery tight thing.' Meanwhile, I'm this fragile little girl playing a 16-year-old in a wig and a ton of makeup.” Cyrus then explained how those standards “probably caused some body dysmorphia.” “I had been made pretty every day for so long, and then when I wasn't on that show, it was like, who the f*ck am I?"
One of the many reasons why fans of Miley love her is because she is never afraid to speak her mind. She believes these harsh ideas of perfection has the power to seriously hurt women. "When you look at retouched, perfect photos, you feel like s***. They lighten black girls' skin. They smooth out wrinkles. Even when I get stuck on Instagram wondering, Why don't I look like that? It's a total bummer. It's crazy what people have decided we're all supposed to be.
These examples are only two of the many beautiful women whom you would never expect to have any issues with their appearance, yet because of unrealistic standards set by todays society, they feel pressure to achieve something impossible. Perfection is not real. Photoshop, filters, good lighting, and all those extras don’t exist in every day life. It’s easy to say but tough to remember. No one is going to feel confident 24/7, but it’s about time both girls and boys realize every body is beautiful and remember to show their selves a little more love whenever they glance in the mirror.
