Every person has probably once wished they could change something about themselves physically; it’s normal. What isn’t so normal is when people are judged or mistreated based on how they look. Despite this, society tells people every day that they need to look a certain way, wear certain clothes, or have certain physical traits in order to be attractive or successful. This is done to sell products and lifestyles. It’s called “body shaming,” and it causes people to try to achieve the impossible: physical perfection.

Fat vs Skinny

The biggest example of body shaming is the fat vs skinny concept. For the longest time if a person was fat they were not pretty. Ads were directed mostly towards women about weight loss and how to attain the “ideal size”.

As time went on people went as far as to come up with surgeries designed to help with weight loss, like gastric bypass surgery. This kind of pressure resulted in negative effects on people, especially young women. As a result, anxiety and anorexia have increased among women, to the point where these issues are even being addressed in schools.  Thankfully, a new trend is emerging as a backlash.

Being too skinny is becoming the new target of criticism. The media is redefining the rules for what beauty is. Fuller lips, chest, and hips are the new must-haves for a girl’s body. Unfortuntely, this has caused the same kind of negative response. Now, instead of getting liposuction, girls are getting things added to them, like breasts and butts. It should be no surprise that sales of things like waist trainers and pushup bras have increased in response to this new trend.

Even celebrities are buying into the hysteria, with people such as Kylie Jenner getting lip injections and Blacc Chyna getting butt injections. It’s obvious that trying to conform to any single idea of beauty is dangerous.

The goal shouldn’t be to look a certain way, big or small, but to be healthy. That’s not to say you shouldn’t lose those pounds or put on that weight, as long as that is what you want for yourself. After all, it’s more important to be healthy than to look healthy.

Lightskin vs Darkskin

The concept of beauty is a hard one to understand. But what’s not hard to understand is that it comes in various shapes, sizes, and shades. If more people believed this there would be no need for the controversy over what beauty really is.

People argue over whether light or dark skin is better, prettier. The answer is both, because neither is better nor worse than the other, they just are.

Throughout every race, every culture, every country darker skin people are at the bottom of the social food chain. Darker people deal with hateful comments and exclusion on a daily basis. Models are turned away for being too dark, makeup companies don’t carry dark shades, and people make jokes about why they wouldn’t date a person with darker skin. This can be seen everywhere, especially on social media. The counterargument is that light skin people of color have recently started to experience similar hate. People stereotype lighter people as being obnoxious, high maintenance, and mean.  Body shaming is not only about fat and skinny, but anything that has to do with putting someone down because of their appearance. Society shouldn’t be trying to dictate which is prettier but should encourage being comfortable and confident in your skin, no matter the shade.

Fake vs Natural

Another huge issue connected to body shaming is how a person looks au naturel vs done up. The make-up industry has been making quite a bit of money by selling the impression that it’s better to hide your imperfections. They advertise cover ups and promote the idea that it isn’t normal to have scars, acne, or discoloration. Lately though, the trend has changed from completely covered up to completely natural. This wouldn’t be such a bad thing if those who choose to maintain their made-up face weren’t being ridiculed for it. Even make-up companies have been releasing lines of make-up that imitate the natural look. The choice should be left to each individual, and not open to judgement based on the media’s advertising campaigns.

Hair also falls into the category of things social media tries to regulate using hatred. Wearing extensions, braids, or wigs has always been seen as something to be ashamed of when in fact it is just a form of expression. Nevertheless as an effort to appreciate their own hair, black women have been going natural all over the country. The movement was a success at first, until people started to criticize girls whose hair wasn’t what they expected. The hateful comments erupted about their hair being too short, too curly, too thick or thin. It seems as if no matter what is done, make-up or bare faced, real or fake hair, there is going to be something positive and negative said. So why try to gain the approval of someone else? What needs to be understood is that not every person wears make-up or fake hair because they don’t like the way they look. If they do wear those things for that reason then their self-esteem needs some uplifting, not shaming. At the end of the day being happy with yourself means far more than others being happy with you.

Female vs Male

Girls have it pretty rough when it comes to body shaming no matter what the topic, but they aren’t alone in this self-love struggle. Boys might not go through the same amount of body shaming, but they definitely deal with it. Luis Merced, Junior, says, “[Body Shaming] effects females more than males.” For boys it’s a unique experience because not only are they given a set of ridiculous physical ideals, but they are also silenced about how they feel it. The media conditions men and boys to want that chiseled figure, tall stature, and super fit lifestyle. Graham Granger, Junior, says, “It makes guys feel the need to look better for girls, but its not realistic.”  Kierien Simpson, Senior, says “[Body Shaming] makes guys not want to take their shirts off when it’s normal.”

At the same time the media shames the boys and men who don’t fit that mold and would rather speak out about it. Graham explained, “I’m more proud of being fit than I am of looking fit.” To counter this, society should be validating boys bodies not matter the shape or size. Vincent Roselli, Senior, says, “You don’t have to glorify your body, but you don’t have to shame it either.” Society needs to stop undermining boys’ opinions on their own body and stop treating them as if they don’t have feelings.  Terence Burks, Junior, simply said, “Love yourself.”  Although the media has had some negative things to say about the male body, these young men haven’t let it get them down.Kayla Poller
Male students from Lafayette model for before being interviewed

Body shaming, like people’s bodies, comes in many forms. The growth of social media has only heightened the issue. With magazines, celebrities, clothing/make-up companies, and peers trying to create a standard of beauty it becomes hard to determine beauty for your self. If you are unhappy with your appearance change it, but do it to please yourself and not others. If you are satisfied with your appearance good, don’t let others opinions sway your confidence. Just remember, there is no right or wrong way to look and there is no standard of beauty because everyone’s beauty is different.