Like all good movements and causes, somewhere down the line, people have to go too far. It’s happened with feminism, veganism – people being criticised for not consuming raw veg. And now in the world of the body positive movement, people are taking something meaningful and using it to justify, chastise and point blame. Society doesn’t have to promote average bodies.
The world of plus size and skinny
Plus size model Ashley Graham last week was criticised for losing weight. Earlier today, actress Sarah Hyland was verbally attacked for being too thin. Both are targeted for not promoting ‘real women’. It’s a ridiculous, comical phrase. What is acceptable? Fitness guru Cassey Ho sparked this debate on her Blogilates website. After posting an image besides two incredibly toned models for her female activewear collection, comments rushed in about not using ‘real women’. Cassey fired back by bringing attention to America’s shocking statistics. Average bodies are going up in dress sizes, and being overweight is becoming a health epidemic. Cassey then mentioned that she’s not trying to represent average. She wants everyone to live as the best version of themselves.
In the UK, Metro reported that “nearly 40% of the world’s adult population is overweight”. I’m all for being proud of your physical appearance and embracing who you are, but there is major downside to the concept of average bodies. Rather than encouraging people to try to live healthier, it’s almost silently saying don’t bother. The fact is, there’s no such thing as average. We come in all different shapes with different curves, and it’s impossible to construct one ideal. It’s somewhat dangerous putting out certain sizes and saying, this is normal. Because if you are above or below in waist and hips, are you then not normal?
Society doesn’t have to promote average bodies
The media and fashion is about fantasy. Creating unrealistic goals to inspire people. When I had terrible acne, I never expected a skincare company to publish an ad with a spot-riddled complexion. I believe Instagram acts a type of Sims game. A world where you can control everything – you can become whoever. So a woman bored at work is suddenly a food chef online, a woman bored with her life can go online and receive admiration. Whatever portrayal or image you desire, you’re able to control it. There is a level of attention always gained. Sometimes I’m a little sceptical when I see those posts with ‘Real’ and ‘Unreal’. Or those accounts where someone has spent a year posting the most enviable photos, but now wants to keep pushing their stomach out and talk about reality.
The reason companies keep showing beautiful women with abs, is due to the inspirational factor. It’s about the message behind the brand. Take Victoria Secret’s for example. There’s a reason the models look the way they look. Think of all the press involved in discussing how the models get their bodies, hair and makeup. I don’t believe we should boycott them for not featuring a variety of women. As plus size model Robyn Lawley declares we should. We have to take some form of responsibility.
I’m against the use of models starving themselves and know that there are some dangerous images out there which are harmful. However, many Victoria Secrets models work-hard to tone up and eat healthy. I know I don’t want to commit to their lifestyles, and so I accept I don’t have their figures – and yes, I’m not tall enough to start with. Why do we run to social-media to feed our self-esteem? Why do we spend hours looking at women who make us feel insecure?
What’s wrong with promoting healthy?
When it comes to average bodies, there isn’t really any on show. We rarely see photos of a woman who works out a couple of times a week, eats a balanced diet, and has an almost flat stomach. It’s one extreme to another. There’s the strong not skinny movement which is another damaging and ignorant path – berating a body type for another. We can’t blame society for not being happy with ourselves. We can’t blame it for not making us have the same diets and exercise routines as influencers and stars.
What I would most love to see, is different levels of fitness. Models who are toned without always having ripped abs. And more colour. More ethnicities. Average bodies are anything but.
What do you feel about society and average bodies? Do you think the body positivity movement is going in the right direction?
Thank you for your post. It’s a true illustration of current society evolution. Body positivity maybe a good thing but not if overweight people use it to stay in their bad habits. On another side, promoting fit and toned bodies is a good direction for healthier lives bit not if it pushes you down to anorexia. As usual nothing is white nothing is black, that’s why life is so wonderful.
Thank you for this comment! I agree, nothing is white, nothing is black. But unfortunately, society seems to bounce from one extreme to the other. There needs to be more of a normal balance of bodies shown. And honest conversation on health, without attacking people.
I love this post! While I do have issues with excessive photoshop to the point of the product no longer looking like it does in reality, I think a lot of us lose sight that advertisements are an art & companies are in charge of the aesthetic.
I do love it when companies allow customers to post pictures of themselves wearing a product on their site, I think that is a much more realistic perspective than hiring any size of model.
Thank you Jessica! I’m so sorry for such a late reply, just seeing your comment now. I agree – models have zero say in the final outcome. Most celebrities don’t even get a say. It’s a small team in a magazine or brand choosing how thin someone should look. The images are art in a way and not true depiction.
I appreciate you taking the time to read!!
This was a really great post 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Yassss! Yass to ALL of this! I can relate to this so much. For me personally, I feel like I don’t necessarily fit into any of the body movements. I am not skinny, but I am also not morbidly overweight. Where does that leave me? Does it indeed make me average? Or just not relevant in the body discussion debate because I need to lose fifteen pounds, but I don’t look unhealthy on either side of the spectrum?
As someone who struggled with weight all of my teen years (competitive figure skater) that included a variety of distorted eating and eating disorders, recovery was about being healthy mentally and physically then a number. People have lost sight of what healthy is and made body mass the worth. Further more I think it has come down to the fact we no longer have open dialogue nor respect for each other. If someone doesn’t conform to our belief system, then they are flat out wrong.
I had originally decided to go to school for nutrition, before I realized that it wouldn’t be beneficial or healthy for me. I was also disturbed, because many people in that community (much like on instagram) push their own agenda. You need to eat like I do and follow MY plan, instead of realizing we are all beautifully unique and you can’t make a sweeping generalization, but have to make health individual to the person. There needs to be an emphasis o health, and this will be different from person to person. Thanks for sharing this beauty! <3
“we no longer have open dialogue nor respect for each other.”
This is ridiculously true! There’s a lack of discussion, now it’s about berating others who don’t agree with us.
What health is has disappeared. People are becoming obsessed with building muscle or on promoting their curves. And skinny is shamed in there and everyone else ignored.
Thank you so much for reading xx
Love this girl! Yes society always portray the perfect really fit bodies and everyone has to be like them. Like you said and I totally agree that we need more depiction of average bodies and more ethnicities to show that everyone whether chubby, skinny, dark, fair are also really beautiful! You always write inspiring posts girl ❤️
Thank you lovely! I think it’s about being honest with ourselves and focusing more on health than just physicality. There’s time where I may have looked healthy, but in reality I wasn’t eating properly or on some crazy, calorie diet. x
I absolutely loved this post! we have to appreciate our bodies as we are diversely beautiful in our own and unique ways <3
Serene XO
http://www.surrealserene.com
Thank you Serene! xx
Everything always goes too far. I’ve noticed such a huge push towards embracing larger body types at the expense of skinny shaming women who aren’t plus sized. I’m tired of being skinny shamed (I’m a size 2). Part of my body type is genetics but I also exercise five days a week and eat a clean well balanced diet most days. I know so many people who don’t work for the body they want and then see fit to judge mine.
I wish we would promote healthy lifestyles instead of “healthy bodytypes” because healthy looks different on each and every person, in a magazine or not.
I know people as well who go on about how boring it must be to try and eat healthy and exercise, how life is too short. Then those same people complain about their bodies and rip apart anyone who does take care of their’s.
I get what you mean about healthy lifestyles. Right now there’s a type of body in fashion and anyone who doesn’t comply is somehow not as healthy. Thank you for your comment and for taking the time to read! 🙂
I’ve met a few of those people…
I can’t imagine not excercising, My stress levels decrease so much when I take care of myself!
Thank you for writing such a thoughtful post 🙂
Truly relevant post Laura! Any perspective taken to the extreme doesn’t serve a balanced purpose. Appreciation and admiration is certainly valid for those who put in the work for and achieve the ideal fitness- as much as it is important we don’t belittle or judge those perceived less than ideal. Living an inspired life while accepting where we are is the key.
Thank you! You as always, crafted a perfect response. I couldn’t have said it so elegently, but it’s true – accepting who we are while we stay inspired. It’s often the case that people dislike themselves until they think they match a certain look or goal.
It is your eloquent writing that brings out my best responses 🙂 Always my pleasure and I agree with you!