In this society, we are manipulated to think that the way our body is shaped matters, like everything we eat will make us seem like we will be different. Our generation is afraid to be different; individuals, especially teenagers, are afraid of being an outcast in life. However, many people have no idea that being unique is what gives character and power to be ourselves.
High school is probably one of the worst places to be for judgment, in both the things we eat and what we wear. Many don’t realize that even the smallest words can make a huge impact in someone’s life. I was once told by my friend’s mom that “when we are born, we are born to be perfect. It is others who deceive our image on our bodies.” This is proven by the fact that among high-school students, 44% of females and 15% of males have attempted to change their body weight.
“This generation is so toxic to others, they will judge you from head to toe and wonder why you have become suicidal, depressed, bulimic, anorexic, etc,” sophomore Kamryn Loper said. “They always question but they never question themselves. We are told that our bodies must be perfect in order to receive love, but the ones saying those words hate their bodies the most.”
Words are one of the deadliest things when it comes to our minds, yet many don’t realize that they shame others bodies on a constant basis. The word “skinny” can even be referred to as body shaming for the reason that it is a word that judges someone’s body whether it is good or bad. Generations after generations have had to deal with body shaming. For example, the first weight-loss drugs were invented in 1920, and prior to then diet books were created.
“I think Body Shaming is wrong because all these guys are asking girls to be what they want them to be and not what the girls want to be,” sophomore Kylie Lewallen said. “Many guys say that girls need to be more developed than others or else they won’t date them, as if it is in their control to change the way their bodies are. It’s also the same when girls say that guys need to be “tall and fit” because they can’t control that either.”
Body shaming is a diverse thing happening all over the world and it does not apply to a specific gender. All genders are being treated unfairly because of how their body is and many like to argue that being body shamed is a sexist thing against girls only. The statement, however, is false because many girls do the same thing to guys as guys do to them. The most common excuse that girls use is “if they treat me unfairly then I have a right to treat them the same way.” Yet this mindset is only causing incidents to happen more frequently while not doing anything to stop it. Shaming people has made itself comfortable in our society.
“I feel like guys don’t get body shamed by other guys and I think it’s an inside thing,” Riley Piearce (‘21) said. “Men want to be protectors and providers, we want to look the best we can to get a girl (even if we have a good body) we strive to look better. I feel like this is good for society truthfully because it makes us healthy and strong.”
Studies have shown that in the United States, 94% of teenage girls have had to deal with body shaming and 64% of teenage boys have been shamed for the way their body looks. Body shaming has also caused eating disorders and of those with eating disorders, 95% are between the ages of 12 and 25. This has even caused commotion throughout elementary schools. For instance, 40-60% of elementary school girls are starting to become concerned about their weight or about becoming overweight.
All through our world and nation, people are experiencing this torment of not being enough: Teens and adults shouldn’t be defined by their weight when they should be expressing themselves through their voice. Many are scared to voice their opinions because they want to be accepted and not judged. Body weight shouldn’t be a thing that defines who you are. People should start to stand up and go against it by making it known that no matter what you are, you’re perfect in your own body.