If we had to think about the way we viewed our bodies, what would we say? Do we feel neutral, negative, or positive?

“Negative. I don’t like the way my body looks right now. I haven’t for a very long time…Some examples of things I don’t like about my body are body hair, too much fat, short height, and large feet.”

“I have a neutral feeling about my body. I recently lost about 55 pounds and before the weight came off, I still had a neutral feeling about my body.”

“Positive in the fact that I work day in and day out to build my muscular capacity but negative in the facet that I’d like to look like a Greek god.”

Two genders, three different people, three different ages, three different responses.

I have yet to meet someone who has been in extreme awe of his or her body image. I have yet to meet someone who is absolutely positive about the way they view themselves, but why is that?

“Comparing myself to others has caused me to feel that my body is not ideal. More people pay attention to someone when they look a certain way.”

Did you catch that?

“I recently lost 55 lbs. I can personally say that I have been treated much differently by society since I have become “skinny” (for lack of better word). I feel like I am more approachable, I get looked at a lot more by guys, and I just feel I’m treated a little bit better overall.”

In a world where image is everything, it is common to realize that although we say we do not judge – our interactions with others say exactly what our minds think. Why is it okay for people to get treated differently according to their body type? Have we become so shallow as to look at the exterior first and foremost? You don’t have to admit it, but we have all done it.

The problem with our society is that people are constantly telling us what we should look like. We are constantly being commented on as if we are piece of artwork waiting for commentary, but we are not. We don’t ask for commentary and yet when interviewing people the responses I got to the following question, “Have you ever experienced someone giving their opinion on your body?” were:

“People have given their opinions about my body without asking for it.”

“All the f***ing time. I feel that if you are unable to put in a fraction of what I can do day in and day out in the gym and compete to the level that I do then your mouth should stay shut.”

“I have had plenty of guys make comments on my body and to say it’s annoying is an understatement.”

What I failed to tell you is that these people all live different lives. One a college student, one a power lifter, and one a teacher. Three lives – all with similar commentary.

So here’s the big taboo question – do women or men get more affected by body image? Well of course you think women. But, is that really the case?

“I would normally say women, but my fiancé is greatly affected by body image. He cares just as much about his body image as I do mine so I would say it’s the same.”

“It is definitely equal…it is more acceptable for women to talk about or complain about their bodies, but I think men are shamed even more if they try to talk about it.”

“It depends on personal upbringing, both men and woman face negative connotations on what their bodies should look and feel like through the media, but how they perceive that is their own personal challenge…”

How people perceive their body is their own challenge.

So is this our issue? How should we be perceive ourselves is the question I ponder…or should I say what does society tell us to perceive ourselves as?

For men: “If I don’t have a 6 pack, I must not be strong, I must not lift, I must be wasting my time in the gym. If I don’t eat clean I must be a fat slob who is undisciplined… I think this is all forms of BS help up by our immensely idiotic society who think that a minor physical image trumps proper muscular development…”

For women: “The ideal body type is a healthy weight or just under with a little bit of muscle tone, lightly tanned skin with clear complexion, no body hair other than eyebrows and eyelashes, big breasts and bum, dainty and small feet and hands, and everything well maintained.”

If these are society’s ideas of “ideal” then what does that make us all?

Is our image everything? It most definitely is not. So stand up for yourself, decide what you want to believe and hold yourself true to it. Forget what people or society tell you, and walk with confidence. A teacher once told me that no one can make you feel inferior unless you let them…so don’t let them.

Interview taken from:

Jessica Robinson, 21, Female

Munib Hosny, 22, Male

Nicole Herrera, 24, Female