Body Shaming-How Do We Stop It?

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Carline

Carline is an advocate for women's empowerment and environmental issues, such as plastic pollution and its effects. She is a passionate writer who wants to make a difference.

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What is body shaming?

Body shaming has been around since the birth of magazines and other media display platforms.

Models are put on the pedestal like they are perfect creatures or goddesses.

You see models on TV, on runways, and on magazines and you want to be like them.  You are not alone- almost every woman in the world wants to be like them.

Having imperfections in your body and comparing them to models makes you feel inferior.

Everyone is so caught up with the “perfect figure” ideal that we don’t notice that we are hurting people in the process.

Decades ago Marilyn Monroe was the sexiest, in this day and age she’s already “normal size” and if you see someone post on social media with the same body type as Marilyn Monroe, people would call her fat.

Unfortunately, this is how far body-shaming has come.

To make matters worse, it is heartbreaking to receive vile comments from other women who are supposed to be supporting other women.

Mostly, people think only thin women look like angels. Even celebrities are being criticized after giving birth and failing to lose the baby weight.

Sadly, words amount to bullying and verbal abuse.

What is the impact of body shaming?

• Eating disorders– being ridiculed for body size, resulting shame and pressure can cause a variety of eating disorders.
• Low self-esteem– people who experience body-shaming feel like they don’t count or that their appearance is not acceptable to society.

Body shaming crushes a woman’s self-esteem, regardless if she has a beautiful soul or a lot of people believe in her. Those hurtful words can make a victim of body shaming forget all that.

• Low self-confidence– when a person experience body shaming, all of her other endearing qualities are ignored as if her appearance is the only thing that matters, so she starts to hate herself.
• Depression- being ridiculed often can lead to serious depression and suicidal thoughts.
• Social anxiety- people who receive body-shaming develop a fear of rejection leading to social anxiety subsequently. They would feel like they’re being rejected by society because of their appearance.

How do we stop the culture of body shaming?

Check your own thoughts

Catch yourself in a negative thought and replace it with a positive thought. It may sound a little cliche, but once you’ve trained your mind to see the good in everything, yourself and others, there won’t be any room for negativity.

Let’s say you’re getting ready for a date night and your outfit shows your flabby arms or your love handles. Tell yourself this: “So what? I’m beautiful in my own way and my body doesn’t define me.”

Meditate or relax into a hypnotherapy podcast

We are all so conscious of how we look, but what we should focus on are our minds, soul, and spirit.

When you feel like you’re losing confidence, exercise.  Exercise releases endorphins and makes you feel happy.

Appreciate your body, every curve, every imperfection. Your body is a temple, it is sacred, it is God’s gift, and it deserves all the love you can give.

Listen to daily positive affirmations. Similar to the 1st point above, train your mind to be positive.

Remember that beauty is not skin-deep

Furthermore, if you’re following social media influencers, actors, models, understand that their job is to look a certain way.  If you start to think you have to look like them, stop paying so much attention to them:

Unfollow accounts that make you feel inferior.

Instead, follow body positivity models who inspire other women. Succesful people of all shapes and sizes will remind you that no matter how you look, everyone is unique in their own beautiful way and beauty is not skin-deep.

End the toxic cycle

Body shaming is a behavior which can be adapted from the environment. It is crucial that you’re aware of the habits of the people around you and be conscious enough not to adopt it.

Instead, inspire them to love themselves to look at their good qualities instead of their flaws.

Defend victims of Body Shaming

If you know a victim of body shaming, like on social media or in-person, send them some love.

Don’t be afraid to show support even if it means some people will crucify you for it.  Yes, it happens, people can be THAT VICIOUS. What’s important is you are on the right side.

Body shaming is wrong on so many levels.

Keep your head up!

If you are experiencing body-shaming don’t let it get to you.

Don’t give the haters satisfaction.  Remind yourself of who are, your good qualities, your skills, the things you’re capable of.

These haters know nothing about you.  Continue to live your life the way you want it. Kill ’em with kindness and success.

You are confident.  You are strong.  You are amazing. How you feel about yourself is all that matters. Just do what makes you happy and don’t mind the haters.

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