The beach is a popular summer hangout spot, but it’s important to remember that everyone looks different. Society’s increasing judgment and absurd standards can lead to eating disorders and other mental health issues. Exposure to the internet or judgment on physical appearance can destroy a young adolescent’s perspective on themselves and society, leading to a belief that to be liked, one must look a certain way.
Social media sets such unreasonably and unrealistically high standards for the female body, especially towards prepubescent females/young adults when their bodies have not yet reached full maturity. Young females everywhere of all ethnicities, are led to believe they should look like the influencer that they are following. Most, if not all, the time, this leads to them becoming self-conscious, developing eating disorders, and developing body dysmorphia. These traits damage their mental health, self-image, and how they perceive other females.
These young females are then more likely to compare themselves to others, especially ones on social media: “Regular exposure to images and videos that promote unrealistic beauty standards can have severe negative impacts on mental health. Especially for adolescents who are already undergoing physical changes that impact their self-image, this can lead to serious conditions, including body dysmorphia and eating disorders,”(King University). Highlighting that exposure to these videos or images that promote unrealistic beauty standards can lead to complications with children’s and teenagers’ development, as they will try to absorb the information they see in the media, thinking it is reality, creating a huge mental problem for the development of the child and or teenager.
Females edit and alter the photos that they post on social media and use filters to seem “pretty” to the public so they won’t be judged for how they naturally look. This usually impacts young adolescents like high schoolers (and even younger generations). The more these young people use filters and photo editing on their pictures, the more insecure and self-conscious they’ll become, which leads to a more unrealistic beauty standard towards themselves and others.
According to a survey conducted by Consumer Reports in 2021, it was found that “One in five American adults has used a beauty filter before posting a picture or video. Respondents younger than 30 were much more likely to have used beauty filters (47% of those aged 18-29), indicating that the trend is much more common among younger generations. While filters and other editing tools may seem harmless to some, many people believe they have led to an increase in unrealistic beauty standards on social media.”
The prevalence of influencers and celebrities who embody these unrealistic beauty standards (Nikki Minaj, The Kardashians, Adriana Lima/other runway models, etc.) can further exacerbate the issue, making it seem that these unattainable human body features are ideal and obtainable to the rest of the world (which in reality they’re not, unless you get plastic surgery done). Female celebrities are idolized and are an inspiration to many women and children around the world. Because of the prevalence of influencers and celebrities, prepubescent females/young adults strive to look like them, affecting their mental, emotional, and physical health, which then leads to some type of body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders, etc. Stated by Online King University, “Perhaps most of all, social media contributes to our concept of physical beauty and affects what we think when we look at ourselves in the mirror.”
I struggle with self-image due to media influences, like fashion and beauty standards. Seeing others compare themselves to celebrities on social media makes me realize how these standards impact people’s self-esteem, especially among my peers. Social media’s beauty ideals often cause insecurity and decline in mental health, despite the natural beauty present in individuals worldwide.
We should advocate for realistic beauty representation in media and promote body positivity. Let’s demand more natural female portrayals and eliminate harmful beauty standards. Prioritize mental health education for girls to appreciate their uniqueness without conforming to unrealistic societal norms, especially on social media. This will help females live peacefully without harming themselves or their self-image.
