Social Media and Body Image

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 Social Media and Body Image

 


 

            It does not come as much of a surprise to us that social media can have its pros and cons when regarding women's or young girl's body image. Ever since I could remember beginning middle school, the emphasis on my body and those of the girls around me begun to shift from an innocent sense of acceptance to a critical, demeaning perspective. As we grow older and begin to be more aware of what we look like compared to what society says we have to look like, internal and external judgment is bound to ensue. 

 

            I began having social media around the fifth grade, I was roughly ten years old with a Facebook page under my name behind my moms back. In my encounters with social media, I witnessed cyberbullying, shaming, promiscuity, etc. and it warped my perspective as to what social media really was. Even today, being on different social sites, specifically, Instagram, can trigger anyone's self-consciousness and instinct to come ourselves to others. Social media can have both pros and cons when it comes down to how you feel about your body and how much you compare yourself to other people. 

 

Pros of Social Media on Body Image

 

            On the opposite spectrum, social media has inspired me in several ways to focus on a healthy lifestyle and not being overly critical of myself on my “off days.”

 

Healthy Lifestyle

 

            Now to be clear, no one is to truly say what a healthy lifestyle is for every single individual. Health is a regimen that needs to be catered to our individual experiences and needs based on how we want and can live our lives to the fullest potential. In my personal experience, I decided to begin working out as a way to relieve my anxiety but also reach my fitness goals and push my body to a different level. King University mentions in their article about social media that even brief exposures to body positivity can alter the way women view themselves and other women around them. Social media might inspire you to try different things and switch up your day to day routine to include something that could benefit you and your body in the long run. 

 

Letting Go of Self-Criticism 

 

            There are certain profiles on Instagram catered to making young women feel empowered and relatable to their peers. One of my favorite profiles is Danae Mercer, she makes a point to show “posed” photos and “natural” photos side by side so women can realize that social media is nothing short of performance and women are allowed to have natural bodies. Other accounts such as @bodyimagepositive on Instagram are created to ease the burden of beauty standards on young women with the reassurance that we are people and do not need to always uphold impossible standards of attractiveness for the likes of men or the general population.

 

Cons of Social Media on Body Image

 

King University discussed in their article that within a survey conducted between 1,000 men and women, 50% of women and 37% of men negatively compare their bodies to others on social media. Social media can heighten the way you see yourself in comparison to others and sometimes encourage negative behavior that is harmful to the body.

 

Comparing Yourself

            

            On the complete opposite of the scale, social media can ignite a lot of criticism about ourselves within ourselves. Most, if not many, of us have experienced a time when we are scrolling past conventionally attractive individuals on social media and find ourselves questioning our appearance. Even a quick “why can’t I look like that?” can completely change how you see yourself and how you feel about yourself. There are a couple of ways we can prevent these thoughts; I like to simply unfollow as much as possible. If you have people on your feed that are not making you feel better due to impossible beauty standards, the unfollow button is your best friend. Alternately, follow more body-positive accounts that will make you feel more in tune with yourself and your body, it’s empowering!

 

Harmful Behavior

 

            On pretty much any social media site there are going to be people who try to persuade you into buying or doing something that is not good for you. These people prey on insecurity and reinforce it by coming up with a “solution” for it, which 9/10 times does not “solve” anything.  Whether it is a product, such as waist trainers, or behavior, such as under-eating and excessive exercising, not falling into that cycle is crucial. Being able to do your research on what is good for you and your body will make you feel much more satisfied and less likely to be persuaded by profiles who exploit young women. 

 

Remember: disconnecting from social media can be wonderful for your mental health, always put yourself and your safety first!

 

Reference: https://online.king.edu/news/social-media-and-body-image/

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