I believe that weight has never been a more prevalent issue in our society and in each of our individual communities than it is right now. We can’t even go to the grocery store without seeing a plethora of magazines promising us a new “healthy” body by enticing us with flashy language such as “melting,” “watching,” and “shedding” the weight off. We can’t stand with our delicious food moving up the line without seeing at least one “hard hitting” photograph of a healthy celebrity with some kind of caption stating how they are gaining weight, or are too “fat”.
Occasionally, however, there’s the reverse: a healthy slim celebrity deemed “anorexic” or possibly “bulimic” all because of their body type. Unfortunately, there are even some cases where the media and participants shame an individual for losing weight. Such as the case for “plus-size” model Ashley Graham.
Graham made a name for herself as a model for Lane Bryant as a size 18 model and eventually catapulting herself into super stardom shortly thereafter. Garnering millions of followers across the globe for being what society considers, “plus-size”, Graham effortlessly embraced her sexuality on covers such as Sports Illustrated, showing the world that terms such as “sexy” and “hot” didn’t have to exclusively correlate to the thinner looking women that we usually see or think of.
Through social media, she was praised for her weight due to the confidence she exuded on and off the runway, inspiring many young females that they were beautiful just as they were.
Recently, Graham has been wrongly shamed for seemingly losing weight, after posting recent pictures on her Instagram depicting her as having a more svelte figure.
Since her pictures, she has received numerous accusations of “betraying fans”, “conforming to society’s standards”, and “not being comfortable in her own skin”. She has been badgered and harassed on online magazines, papers, blogs, etc., all because she looked seemingly slimmer in a few pictures that she was proud of.
These stories are written in the name of “real” photojournalism. As we sit there waiting in the checkout line for our food, we subconsciously move our hands across our waistline as we read those bright yellow captions. We see the opinions people have in those bright yellow headlines and with each selling issue we see those opinions more and more solidified into fact. We see those unflattering pictures broadcast to the entire public and the more we stare at those pictures of what we thought were healthy celebrities the more they begin to morph into something disgusting and too vile for anyone to like.
All while the food that doesn’t even look that good anyway is being totaled up, we flip through these magazines because we are interested in what else is deemed “terrible” due to those yellow captions being ingrained into our minds and projected through our eyes...becoming the only things we see. The other article next to your favorite actress who you thought was not only talented but beautiful is talking about how she really should count her calories the correct way and have portion control. That article a few pages ahead shows how the new thing is having surgery to morph your natural body type into something more appealing and desired. In today’s generation, it’s the “hourglass”. Women by the masses are paying thousands of dollars for enlarged breasts and buttocks now. All because of a currently temporary trend. Temporary is more than the correct word to use to describe what is going on, just check out the body trends through history:
The next one is how men can get bigger muscles, displaying photos of what the attractive man actually looks like. There's an article telling what women want in men, how they can be seen as “The Boss”, and how men around the world can become more appealing by using tips and tricks…
...because everyone has the ability to be “perfect”.
Once the objects that we have regrettably paid for are at home in our kitchens we stare at them with one hand moving consciously across our stomachs and in the other, a calculator, to count all of those calories that we hesitate to put into our bodies. Unfortunately that hesitation turns into permanent abstaining from eating over the course of what was supposed to be only a few days, but, those days have turned into a few weeks and for some of us those days go on for months. Unfortunately for about 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States these practices will become a full on eating disorder.
For months individuals starve themselves. For months individuals avoid mirrors because they can’t stand looking at themselves, they can't stand the body dysmorphia that is unknowingly taking them hostage. For months individuals avoid going out in public or being seen by their friends all because they are afraid they aren’t society’s idea of “beautiful”. They jeopardize their health, deplete their body of the necessary vitamins, nutrients, and restrict themselves from a natural activity we should have no shame doing. They go to the gym with the intent of over exhausting themselves instead of focusing on physical health. Instead of exercising to challenge themselves, further endurance, or become stronger, these people go because they think they have to. The gym then becomes a tool for self destruction instead of a tool for self improvement.
These individuals could have been or can be the happiest, most kind, genuine people in your community. These individuals could be your friends who, to you, are the most beautiful souls you have ever come across. Yet, they could be hurting so much inside because they don’t think they fit what “beautiful” is. All because of a few comments, captions, headlines, statements, and "journalism".
This is a travesty in our generation that is only gaining more momentum. Our generation has become so fixated on what the perfect body type actually comes down to because they need a standard. They need to compare. They need absolute verification as to what they should be striving for. This is beyond wrong for multiple reasons. People do not have the same body type. We do not have the same 100 percent genetic make up as others do. You could take two people, put them both through the same rigorous training and nutrition regimen and they will still look different. We do not have the same edges, curves, proportions, or muscles, everything is different. We need to encourage people not only to love themselves, but to accept their body type. To not compare ourselves to genes that aren't ours.
Beauty is not a number. Beauty is not dictated by what those flashy and bright yellow captions say. Beauty is not how you look. Beauty is perception. Beauty is what you bless the world with everyday you wake up, simply because you are yourself. Never deprive the world of such a genuinely beautiful gift because you’re the only one who can bestow it.
Let's shift the focus from what our body's look like, to what our body's can do.
Can you sing? Can you run? Can you lift heavy weights? Are you good at obstacles? Flexibility? Dancing? Yoga? Sports? Cooking? What are you interested in? What can your individual, original, one of a kind, body do? Do you workout because you feel you have to or because you want to push your body to see what your unique body can do? Our bodies can surprise us by its hidden talents and skills so do not let what you see discourage you, because your body can do something special.
Do something because you want to not because you think you have to.Let's focus on what we can do so we can inspire others to do the same. That way, we can make positive impacts throughout the world and generations to come. That is what is really important. That is what our generation's obsession should be.
