Serena Ahmad (9) | STAFF REPORTER
“Comparison is the thief of joy,” as quoted by President Theodore Roosevelt, highlights that constantly comparing ourselves to others can cause us to feel dissatisfied with our lives. Beauty standards are a common source of this misery. Beauty standards are society’s perception of attractiveness. This often includes ideal facial features, body weight, skin tone, etc. However, the establishment of these standards are extremely toxic towards certain demographics, particularly young girls.
Adolescents are often exposed to beauty standards through social media. It can cause them to ruin their self-image and perception of themselves by comparing themselves to models and celebrities. Majority of these girls on the internet have gotten professionally styled and photoshopped, which ultimately promotes unrealistic standards that cannot be achieved naturally.
The insecurities we have created through these comparisons can also lead to mental distress. Being unsatisfied with our body causes many girls to have low-self esteem. This may be a symptom of a mental disorder such as anxiety, forming from the fear of others judging our physical appearance and attributes.
Additionally, severely negative notions of ourselves prompt eating disorders. Envying others’ body image will provoke ideas that we must have the same body shape as them. If we allow these conceptions to consume ourselves, it can cause us to pursue harmful habits such as depriving ourselves of food or throwing up after every meal. In particular, malnourishment can impact factors of our body like our heartbeat, digestive system, and bones.
Beauty standards are harmful to youth and adolescents due to their detrimental influence and exposure in the media. As a society, we should denormalize it by having more representation of models and celebrities that encourage natural beauty.
