Confidence: a feeling of self-assurance arising from an appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities. A word which plays a pivotal role in many people’s lives. Some people may find it easy to seek comfort in their own appearance, but what happens when the media portrays beauty in a certain manner? These oftentimes unrealistic beauty standards manipulate adolescents’ minds into believing that they are not as good as the celebrities they see portrayed on their favorite television shows.

Over time, the idea of being a “bigger woman” or “thick” is becoming more accepted by today’s society. However, with this idea slowly rising into popularity, skinny women are becoming a target of those who wait for acceptance of bigger woman. With quotes such as “real women have curves” and “real men like curves, only dogs go for bones” posted on popular social media outlets, a feud arises between those who are thin and those considered curvy.

Social media outlets such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc., portray a woman’s body as provocative and revealing no matter what body type. Often, women post photos and videos while wearing skin-tight outfits to expose large breasts or large behinds. Having a body with these qualities is labeled as sexy by the majority of today’s population.

Kim Kardashian, a celebrity known for her hit reality television show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, continues to influence women and teenagers as young as thirteen to attain the so-called hourglass figure. Along with her younger sister, Kylie Jenner, the idea of having plump lips has become popular as well as Kylie’s makeup line. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 17.1 million surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures were performed in 2016 alone.

      People have the right to do what they wish with their body, so other people’s opinions should not interfere with their own decisions. When people decide to comment on one’s decision of body treatment, it can negatively impact that person’s self-esteem, leading to potential mental health related issues.

Body shaming typically leads to disorders for both thin and big women. Bulimia and anorexia are common disorders that begin due to insecurities. At least 30 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder in the U.S. according to The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. A less common disorder found in thin women is binge eating without purging. The goal of people who suffer from such disorder is to gain weight by eating large amounts of food without considering their actual state of hunger.

People create this idea that only one body is acceptable due to insecurities, low self-confidence, and the media’s image of beauty. It is quite impossible to shape every person in the world to have one certain body type. Terminating this idea of body type cliques is nearly impossible, because women live in different societies with different ideas when it comes to perceiving a certain body image. The best way to deal with body shaming is to surround oneself with positive energy and people who uplift one’s confidence.

– Kimberly Franco