Beauty Is The Beast
HAZEL JOSEPH | MAR. 23, 2021 | OPINIONS
There are over seven billion people in our world, and every one is unique in their own way, whether it be their appearance, physique, thoughts, or talents. Because of this, there is no need for a strict beauty ideal that forces individuals to alter themselves in order to be welcomed.
Beauty expectations exist in society, particularly for women, regulating how they must appear and act. The idea of beauty is always shifting; beauty has required a slim form for centuries, but now beauty ideals are currently shifting from slim being ideal to thick being ideal. The fashion was to get as slim as possible but girls in the current generation like to be "thick." Contemporary beauty standards suggest that girls are supposed to wear cosmetics in their everyday routines, work out in the gym, remain slim with curves in the correct spots, and be youthful.
These standards may affect how people perceive their bodies, as everyone has a desire to obtain societal approval and avoid rejection from others. By making contrasts, women are continually measuring themselves by the expectations of appearance that the community has shown them. Due to this foolish concept of appearance, many teenage girls feel anxious and suffer from low self-esteem, improper diet, and body dysmorphia.
Present beauty standards are critically unrealistic, particularly in aspects of body shape. People contend with physical appearance; many feel their figure is far too tall, curvy, or slim. This concern begins at an early age and can affect the person all their life. Bradley University conducted a study showing that more than half of teenage girls miss meals, vomit, and consume laxatives to regulate their weight. Such patterns become routines and can adapt to these emotional environments.
The community is highly shaped by what we are seeing in the mainstream because social media depicts these societal expectations. It increasingly creates standards of attractiveness and affects people’s awareness and anxiety because of their dissatisfaction with their bodies. In tendency to anxiety because of their dissatisfaction with their body's appearance. In today's world, excessive beauty standards are a problem.
Why is the American body ideal for women so thin today? Why is a broad and muscular body suitable for men? Does this tell us anything about the roles we expect men and women to fulfill? Can you think of some "plus-size" celebrities? How are they viewed? It wasn't till the 1980s that the term "plus-size" was issued a clear description of being fourteen and over in size. Around the same point, the critique of big fashion magazines has started. Society had begun to note the absence of participation of full-figured women in their popular modeling publications. As the plus-size industry has grown and adapted to where it is now we should switch to many other inspirational and influential people who are preaching the concept of body positivity.
However, social media and other outlets further aim to reduce the evolution of healthy appearance and develop new and daunting expectations of what females need to represent: behavioral and presentation-wise. Such perception, combined with photoshopped pictures encourages slim standards, can cause us to believe that we can feel more dignified and comfortable about ourselves by having the 'suitable' body picture.
As Audrey Hepburn, a British actress and humanitarian, once said, “The beauty in a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes because that is the doorway to her heart; the place where love resides...”
Social values like such are portrayed in society as moral beliefs and principles that are accepted by the majority to ensure continuity. This perpetuates an image of perfection that is correlated with physical attractiveness and social status.
These perceptions of beauty will persist until some measures are taken. We need to actively spread positivity and self-confidence. The best possibility of this improvement is if society starts to broaden its imagination to all kinds of beauty. Everyone should be accepted socially. It is important to move beyond our present unrealistic beauty expectations. Doing this would give everyone the freedom they desire to be themselves. The outlook is promising, but in hopes to see the changes required we need to reach out and embrace everyone.