You wake up, shower, eat breakfast while surfing Instagram then see a picture of a friend in the perfect outfit. You look at their picture and kind of envy them for being able to pull it off. You try to find something to wear that would also be picture worthy. You try on outfit after outfit getting more and more frustrated with yourself because you aren't fitting into your favorite jeans anymore. Then you finally decide on the outfit that you look great in, and after a few selfie practices you post one that includes your whole outfit. You look great and you're feeling great, ready to conquer the day. Until someone notices that you're thighs look larger in those pants. Then the friend with the perfect picture starts critiquing yours, listing off your imperfections within that one picture. We see models with their beautiful bodies, walking so confidently and often we find ourselves wanting after that, because we aren't comfortable in our own skin.
When did becoming "just right" be the only definition of a beautiful body? When did we let the world tell us how we should look? I will always be the one who is too small. I will forever shop in the juniors section because I won't be able to fit into anything else. My "just right" is totally different from my sisters "just right" and that's okay.
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The Dove soap company, has really been embracing the body shaming movement and showing that inner beauty is what really matters. In an article that they posted, they say, "The effects of this preoccupation with thinness can vary from occasional dieting, to serious eating disorders, from extreme depression to dangerous weight loss surgery. Ninety to ninety-five percent of people with eating disorders are women. Moreover, almost 90 percent of women in Canada have some degree of body image dissatisfaction. Over 80 percent have dieted by age 18, and 40 percent of nine-year-old girls have already dieted. Little girls as young as three, four and five are expressing a wish to diet.
What to Do About Body Shame: Think about how you treat yourself and your body. Think of ways you can be gentle with yourself: massages, hot baths, wearing favorite colors. Fabrics and styles are all ways of pampering your body. Enjoy being in your body. Do activities you like: dancing, yoga, meditation, karate, swimming, biking. Start trying to appreciate different achievements in yourself and in others. Work towards the point where weight is no longer something you rate your success by."
In a recent article, I read that because of the body-shaming responses that Selena Gomez was receiving, she had to go to therapy. It's interesting to me, that even celebrities have to deal with the hate as well, but because their images are everywhere they have a bigger target on their back for criticism. When we open our eyes to realize that celebrities are just as human as we are, the body-shaming hits more to home.
By coming to see our potential and our own uniqueness, we will be able to appreciate and love ourselves more. The end to body shaming starts with ourselves. By beginning to love ourselves, we can start helping others love themselves too.
