Throughout the years, there has always been an ideal beauty standard that satisfies the needs of men and women themselves as well. Ever since social media has been out, the demand for women to be “perfect” has significantly increased, but women have been held to a “beautiful” expectation since the 1900s.
In the 1900s, women were expected to have an “hourglass” figure. This type of model showed women in clothing that thrust the women’s chest forward and the hips back. In the roaring ’20s, “beautiful” women were those who had short hair, a small chest, and having a very slim figure. The women who were most desirable in the ’80s were fit and had a thin build.
In the 2000s, media took a significant role in how a “beautiful” woman looks. The ideal dream body looked like Victoria’s Secret model; skinny, no cellulite, no stretch marks, having no fat anywhere that is just not possible. In 2007 Hollywood had a considerable increase in eating disorders among stars there. If you were on a show, you had to look a certain way and follow a specific list of dietary rules; there were still many do’s and don’ts in the acting industry and athletes/dancers since they’re encouraged to be as petite as possible. As a result of these expectations, throughout 1999-2010, many young people had died of anorexia.
In America, it’s estimated that 7 million women and 1 million men have an eating disorder. It is an impossible ideal that people have for women, especially young girls. Many of us find ourselves scrolling through social media and wishing we had their body. Still, we need to stop obsessing over other people and focus on ourselves and having a positive body image.
It is easier said than done, but there are many ways you can get help. If you think you are developing an eating disorder, you can call (866) 962-2175, talk to your school counselor, or anyone you can trust to help you become healthy and happy. There are plenty of sites online that have people who help others get better or just some that offer free advice if you don’t feel comfortable sharing your body issues with someone you know. I struggled with body image issues and still do, but now I’ve learned there are better and healthier options than developing an eating disorder that can help me become the best version of myself. Both Women and Men have been set to many standards that we can’t meet at times, which should be completely fine. The media has added more body diversity to ads, commercials, shows, etc. But there is still a long way to go to make everyone feel confident in their skin.
Below are some websites where you can find resources about how to get better and advice.
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support
https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/
Works cited to this story:
https://www.idealiststyle.com/blog/beauty-ideal-over-the-decades-part-3-the-2000s