Beauty ideals or beauty standards indicate to us what is considered attractive. We get a sense of these standards through the media, our peers, family, co-workers, school, and so on.
By: Elizabeth Low
For women, beauty standards might include looking youthful, having a flat stomach, with curves in two places. For men, the criteria might consist of looking muscular and being tall. Why do these ideas exist? We live in a sexist, exterior-oriented society. These ideals also exist to make us feel inadequate.
Companies that reinforce these ideals want us to buy products and services to make us look different. However, we do not have to accept what society tells us is how we should look. Here are some ways we can challenge society’s beauty ideals.
Realize that What Society Views As Beautiful Changes And Depends on Where You Live
At its core, beauty is a social construct. The ideal body type was different in 2000, 2010, 2015, and is different today in 2022. What is beautiful in the United States is not considered beautiful in every other country. For example, whitening creams are extremely popular in Asia, and in Western countries, self-tan is very popular.
Use Social Media Mindfully
We should be mindful of how much we use social media and who we follow. Generally, the more we use social media, the worse we feel about ourselves. Also, if you are constantly comparing yourself to others, this can put you into a very negative headspace. Instead, focus on following people who genuinely interest you, you find entertaining, and people who do not make you feel bad about yourself. This goes for your social circle, too; you should surround yourself with people who help you accept yourself.
Don’t Place Overly High Expectations On Yourself
You should stop placing unreasonable expectations on yourself. You do not need to do a crash diet, lose x amount of weight in time for an event, or have the same body type as a celebrity. A good rule is, would you expect this of someone else? If not, then be just as compassionate with yourself as you would them.
Notice The Beauty In Diversity
Can you imagine if everyone looked the same? What would the joy in that be? Beauty presents itself in so many different ways. Also know that you do not exist to look attractive to other people. If you like your hair a certain way, keep it that way. If you are comfortable with your stomach, be comfortable with it. If you don’t want to get plastic surgery even though people are pushing you to, refuse to get plastic surgery.
Accepting ourselves is one of the bravest things we can do. We can start our road to self-acceptance by incorporating some of the points above. Accepting ourselves is a lifelong journey, and we might have good and bad days. However, our lives will become more prosperous and more fulfilling the more we try to accept ourselves.
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This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Elizabeth Low (she/her).
Elizabeth is currently finishing her sociology degree with a concentration in social interaction and a minor in psychology at San Jose State University. During her undergraduate studies she has volunteered and worked in childcare, and in the food industry. She plans to pursue a graduate degree in Clinical Nutrition or Counseling. She hopes to actively counteract social messaging that is linked to disordered eating, overexercise, and body dissatisfaction. Her interests include cooking, childcare, education, research, and writing. She plans to help individuals have a healthy relationship with food and their body image through counseling in the future.
References
Noman, Natasha. “Skin Lightening in South Asia is Why We Have an Anti-Blackness Problem.” https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/skin-lightening-south-asia-why-we-have-anti-blackness-problem-ncna1233549. Accessed 17 October 2021.
Turner, Pixie G., and Carmen E. Lefevre. “Instagram Use Is Linked to Increased Symptoms of Orthorexia Nervosa.” Eating and Weight Disorders-Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, vol. 22, 2017, pp. 277-284. Accessed 17 October 2021.
