It brings immense despair to say, how few things other people say about us can make us feel lesser than who we are. People have no right to detest other’s looks and bodies until and unless it causes them any harm. Despite knowing this fact, body shaming is a growing culture both in social media and real life. Moreover, those who suffer the most in this culture always remain demotivated, insecure, and feeble.
It is said that more than 90% of women are not happy with how they look. This could be the result of not fitting in the shoes of stereotypical beauty standards the world and media have set.
What is body shaming?
Body shaming is an act of humiliating or making inappropriate negative comments about another person’s weight or size. This is something that overweight people are more subjected to. But there’s an increasing trend in criticizing those who look too skinny or anyone who doesn’t meet standard body stereotypes. Although it might look like an attack on someone’s physical appearance. Consequently, it can affect victim’s mental health as well.
How body-shaming occurs?
Body shaming could be both intentional or unintentional. However, nobody has the right to make judgemental comments on someone’s weight or appearance. Sadly, body shaming is literally everywhere whether subtly or explicitly. Social media, magazines, movies, the internet, and TV shows have rooted the culture in our head without us realizing.
Sometimes, we could be our own victims too. Looking up to various supermodels and consuming the idea of conventional beauty standards can provoke us to change ourselves. When we see celebrities getting admired for their body on social media, we begin to criticize and compare ourselves to them. Consequently, we tend to change ourselves forgetting the fact that each individual is unique.
Consequence
Body shaming doesn’t exactly cause eating disorders but it can induce it. Furthermore, it invites problems like self-contemplation, anxiety, trauma, borderline personality disorder, self-harm, and low self-esteem. It is a form of bullying that harms the victim’s mental health resulting in self-isolation and fear of the public.
This is an issue that gets talked about a lot but rarely gets a proper discussion. If not your friends at least you can try not to join in and respect people’s appearance.
As Louise Hay says, “You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” All we need is to accept the way we are. Because what matters the most is our character than our appearance. Negativity for sure is not helping thus why not try positivity? It all starts by loving yourself first. And you are worth all the love.
Also Read: Gender Stereotypes: Why Aren’t Boys Allowed to Play With Dolls
