What's Going On?

What has society done to us? I’ve always heard stories about how powerful the media can be in influencing how girls feel about themselves. However, I always figured I was educated enough and smart enough to rise above the media influences. But lately I have realized that I too have succumbed to the influences and pressures of society. For example, today I was watching Dance Moms (judge me all you want, as a former dancer, it’s intriguing) and I found myself actually envying the girls bodies. Yes, they are strong and full of muscle, but that wasn't what I was envying. I was envying their size. The size of their arms, the size of their thighs, the width of their hips. How ridiculous is that? These girls are 8, 9, and 10 years old. They are young girls who haven’t fully developed, and I’m jealous of their young, thin, predeveloped bodies. I actually found myself getting upset about my own body. And it’s not just them I'm envious of. And it’s not just me who is envious. With waif thin, modelesque women all over the TV, internet, and magazines, it can be hard to even find a woman who has the shape of an actual woman! We are told by society, by the media, and by ourselves that this is normal. And that having hips and thighs that jiggle is not. Here’s an example:

One of these girls is 11 years old. One of them is 30. By looking at their tiny, childlike legs, you would never know who was who. For the record, the one on the left if 30 year old Nicole Richie, while the one on the right is 11 year old Paige Hyland. However, we live in a society that tells us that this shape is ideal, no matter what age, no matter what the cost. And with my everyday media consumption, I have become complacent. I’ve become used to this idea and even accepted this idea as my own reality. So my message to you, and especially to myself, is this: Be actively aware of what you are taking in. Be mindful of the media images. Separate reality from the rest and realize that no one can tell you who to be or what to look like except for yourself. Stop comparing yourself to people younger than you, or taller than you, or thinner than you. And start loving yourself.

And if you need a little help, you can check out @TeamTrueBeauty on Twitter, or some of their wonderfully inspiring celebrity interviews on body image and self-esteem. Check out these interviews by Daphne Zuniga, Allison Munn, Amanda Schull, Eliza Dushku, Shantel Van Santen, Sara Paxton, Lisa Goldstein, Beverley Mitchell, India de Beaufort, and Jodie Sweetin.