I do. I do all the time.
Considering what the media portrays how unrealistic girls should look like to be deemed attractive — a thigh gap, a concave stomach, toned arms, v-cut abs and a narrow hip, and all? These "ideal" beauty standards have been subconciously ingrained in us ever since we were little kids playing with Barbie dolls and watching Disney movies and also through advertisements, magazines and fashion shows.
To prove my point, do you ever realise how Disney princesses have huge eyes, similar neck and waist widths, extremely long necks, and unimaginably tiny wrists? Unless you're genetically blessed, achieving such beauty standards are actually quite impossible. They give children a false impression that you are only beautiful if you look a certain way. I do love Disney, but this is something that needs to be improved on or there will be repercussions.
You can read more on this link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/30/disney-princess-real-waistline_n_6076634.html
Photoshop, digital alteration, and image manipulation also contribute largely to the flawless figures you see in music videos and magazine covers. They are drastically altered to sell fantasy, to feed their consumers with their definition of how a "perfect" woman looks like. I don't mean that photoshop shouldn't be used, obviously touching up and removing a blemish like maybe a pimple or an acne is fine, but unrealistic editing is not okay. Impressionable children and adolescents at such a young age are often still figuring out who they are, and they are easily swayed by things like the media. They can end up loathing their appearances and even develop self-esteem issues and eating disorders etc if these problems aren't dealt with properly.
Victoria Secret also launched an advertising campaign recently, using a very controversial slogan as you can see from below.
After a petition on change.org which garnered more than 27,000 signatures, VS changed their slogan to this:
When in fact, I wish advertisements could include more diversity and look like this:
Even mannequins are shockingly thin.
Like what even?
I have struggled with this issue for so long, of not accepting my appearance and loving myself for how I look. It's really difficult given the expectations that society upholds and perpetuates. I still get self-conscious, I do compare myself with others and wish I could look more like them. But i'm still in the process of embracing my flaws and imperfections, and loving my own appearance because no one is perfect. God made you to be how you look like right now. You are beautiful in His eyes and nothing will ever change that. Be yourself.
Love this Roald Dahl quote so much!
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalms 139:13-14
