We live in a society so influenced by the media, that most
of us have forgotten the definition of beauty. Turn on the TV, flip the pages
of magazines or take a look at the billboards around the city all you see is
size DOUBLE ZERO models. And if you are anything other than a size double zero,
5 foot 7, and have flawless skin that is nice and tan, there is something
seriously wrong with you. Or at least that’s what the media tries to portray. That’s
the sad reality. Girls from a very young age get the idea that beauty is being
skinny. And for those who don’t fit into this category, which is the majority
of us, will develop insecurities. As ridiculous as that sounds, it is very
true. We grow up believing that if we are not skinny then we are not pretty. Since
when did being thin begin to define the word beauty?
How common is it to hear girls saying “I am so short”, “I am
too dark”, “I don’t like my thighs”, “If only I was 20 lbs lighter”. Okay they
may not say it out loud in public, but I think it’s safe to say that they are
constantly saying this to themselves and putting themselves down.
Media has been portraying girls that are ‘size zero” “tall”
and “lean” being the new ‘beautiful’. This creates an enormous inferiority
complex on each and every single normal girl. What is portrayed in media as
being sexy or beautiful, is nowhere near what reality holds. It is actually disgusting
to be that skinny. Nobody has flawless skin including those models themselves.
When we look at a billboard model with that flawless skin, and the body to die
for, us girls, generally forget that those pictures have probably gone through photoshop
at least a couple of time. We automatically go “wow she is beautiful”, and “I will
never be able to look like that.” We put ourselves down and probably become
depressed for a little while.
Sometimes it is not about how media makes us feel about
ourselves, but about the image that media makes society believe is the ‘right’
image. What I mean by that is: because media portrays size zero as the norm, now
people expect you to be really thin; if not, you are called various derogatory
names and bullied. Girls are mean to other girls. It makes them forget that
beauty is NOT just skin deep.
It is no wonder that rates for depression and eating
disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa is still so prevalent
among young adolescent girls. And it’s no surprise that media is probably the
number one contributor. If we are not putting ourselves down, others are.
Either way, we feel bad about ourselves, hate our body and take drastic
measures to try and fit in with the norm.
Us girls, need to remember that we are beautiful. It doesn't matter if you are size 0, or size 10, or heck even size 16 and above, we have
to stop and let our dress size define the word beautiful. We have to stop
putting down on other girls who are beautiful.
Don’t get me wrong, being overweight is not healthy, and neither
is being underweight. But being overweight or underweight has nothing to do
with being beautiful. Each and every one of us possesses the quality of being
beautiful. We just have to believe it. We have to look at ourselves and say I
am beautiful, no matter what they say. Because it’s true. We need to stop
falling in the traps that media has created. If you are a little over weight,
and want to shed a few pounds than bravo to you, that’s beauty in itself. But do
it for the health benefits, not because you think it’s going to make you
beautiful. Because darling you already are beautiful.
Today, I was just minding my own business and studying at
the library. And I could not believe what I witnessed. A girl bullying another
girl. One girl, a little chubbier, was sitting on a chair that was pulled out
blocking the path way. So the skinnier girl who wanted to pass through said “move
it fat @##.” Why are we so mean to each other? It was so heart breaking. The
girl packed up her stuff and left the library. I cannot imagine what she must
have felt when she heard another girl similar to her age group, talk to her in
such a derogatory way.
I am by no means
skinny, and yes I probably need to shed a couple pounds to be healthier. But
you know what, that doesn't define my beauty. How can someone who doesn't know
me, judge me by how look. If someone talked to me like that, I would have been
broken in to pieces. I am a strong woman. But like everyone I do also have an
inferiority complex. No matter how much I tell myself I am beautiful, if
someone called me ‘a fat @##” I think I would start crying.
Girls, lets support each other. Let’s remind each other that
we are beautiful. If our friends forget how beautiful they are let us be the
one to say “Hey you are beautiful, no matter what they say. You are beautiful in EVERY single way.”
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