The world is a strange place. It has an obsession with being beautiful, young, thin, rich, hot, famous – and they are giving the impression that you should be that, too.
These messages bombard us daily, and I can’t be the only one to notice that these messages seem to be getting worse? The entertainment industry is getting more sexualized, the fashion models are getting thinner, the plastic surgery industry for young people is booming… and of course, with that we have the media that is circulating those messages. And what’s more scary is that consumers of the media – and the rise in social media that makes access pretty much unavoidable – start getting younger and younger.
According to a study by Duke University, 40% of girls as young as 9-10 years old have already been on a diet; and a study done by the National Eating Disorders Association reported that 70% of 9-12 year olds “want to be thinner”.
Some more quick statistics:
- 69% of girls in 5th-12 grades reported that magazine pictures influence their idea of their body shape (source).
- 80% of women who answered a survey done by People magazine said they felt more insecure after witnessing women on the television and movies (source).
- A study found that adolescent girls were more scared of gaining weight than nuclear war, losing a parent or getting cancer (source).
- In a survey done, 56% of teens said that the media’s advertisements are the main cause of their low self esteem; and 52% said the media pressures them to change their body image (source).
This, of course, is shocking, but should it be of any surprise? After all, every year, the average adolescent sees over 5,000 advertisement mentioning attractiveness; with 50% of all commercials targeting women mention physical attractiveness (source). It’s really no wonder there has been some kind of distorted view on beauty, and are becoming much more concerned about our looks over our much more important things such as our health.
A call for change – a beauty revolution!
Thing is, what people call “beauty” today should really just be named as “cosmetics”. The world’s standard of beauty is not the real standard of beauty – true beauty is, as cliché as it sounds, on the inside. The earlier you know it, the better, and this is why I started Beautifille… it’s time for a beauty revolution!
I want to take you on a journey in living a “beauty-filled” life; and it starts here – debunking the false beauty messages you have been surrounded with. Because really, the images you see are carefully structured to convey their message, idea or sell a product. Behind those models are extreme dieting, personal trainers, makeup artists, hairstyles, professional lighting and photography; topped off with the big one: Photoshop. Every single one of these images has been digitally manipulated to within an inch of life – the women in those photos themselves do not look like that!
Likewise, what is considered beautiful or the ‘ideal beauty’ keeps changing, so it’s really pointless to try to conform to whatever beauty ideal is “in”. Back in the day, curvy was in, and so were products to make you gain weight. Now it’s the opposite. Tomorrow it will be something else.
The first step
The first step is redefining the word “beauty”. It’s time to bring back the true meaning of beauty; which is greatly needed, if a recent study is any indication of how much importance we put on our looks. Conducted by cancer and dermatology universities, they found that if there were trying to sell sunscreen to teens, they had more luck persuading the teens to use sunscreen so they don’t get wrinkles, instead of getting skin cancer. In other words, they were more concerned about their looks than their health; and if companies are now using the “looks” card to sell important issues, then we know it’s time for a serious change.
Before I go on, let me just say though, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good.
Honestly, looking physical attractive and what goes with it is fun. Putting on makeup, taking care of our skin, doing you hair and dressing up is fun, and it’s good to take care of ourselves. As I also mentioned in my first post, I am very aware that sometimes, the line of body image and self esteem can cross over to each other. There’s nothing wrong with wearing makeup and feeling hot in a new outfit; but you still gotta realize those are just “decorations”; the icing on the cake – you’re already a wonderful, beautiful delicious cake. Everything else is a bonus.
It isn’t easy to remember sometimes – and for me, it took awhile to truly realize that physical attractiveness isn’t everything. But most of all, I learnt that it’s all about consciously wanting to change your mindset. The outside influencers will always be there, doing what they do, so it’s up to you to try to de-clutter your mind off it.
Ready, Set, Glow!
It’s been over 10 years since Dove paved the way with their Real Beauty Campaign, starting this conversation which is growing stronger everyday and I hope it continues to and we can be a part of it, because the heart of Beautifille is the topic of what it means to be a “beautiful girl”, and it all starts here, with the definition of beauty.
So, let’s begin! Share this post with a friend who you think wants to have a beauty revolution and redefine beauty in their life. Let’s make a stance that it’s time for a beauty revolution, and let’s spread the word!