A Better Solution to Body Image

One of the bigger feminist issues right now is body positivity. It’s an issue that most people can recognize and try to fight against, regardless of gender. People are becoming typically more conscious of our fat-shaming society, they focus on health more than weight (or at least hide under the guise of it), and they pretty openly acknowledge the impossible image women are compared to. Needless to say, we have a long way to go. But as we move forward, there’s a change I’d like to make in the way we talk about dealing with body shame.

One of the most important aspects of body positivity right now revolves around the idea that “every body is beautiful.” Which is great, but doesn’t necessarily address the real issue. The problem isn’t that girls don’t find themselves beautiful: the problem is that we know our value in society is based on our beauty. This is what distinguishes female body image issues from those of men. While men might not be happy with the way they look, it doesn’t directly relate to how they’re treated. On a blind date, a man hopes to meet a model while a woman’s dream is to be set up with a doctor.

What we need to be saying is that women don’t need to be beautiful. We have no obligation to be visually appealing to anyone. We’re not objects for men to look upon with pleasure. We’re human beings, defined by our thoughts and our actions.

Men aren’t socially required to wear makeup because society doesn’t care what they look like. We aren’t trained to notice their flaws like we are with women. Men’s fashion isn’t constantly changing the way it does for women, and there’s definitely less pressure for men to stick to those trends. At a college party, it’s typical to see guys in t-shirts but girls are expected to put significant effort into their appearance. Women are expected to be visual creatures under the eyes of men.

So it’s great to tell girls that they’re beautiful no matter what they look like, but don’t you think it’s even more helpful to teach them that they don’t need to be? You have the right to look like shit if you want. You’re allowed to wear sweatpants all the time if you want. You’re allowed to dye your hair crazy colors, you’re allowed to wear large amounts of makeup or none at all. You can be super skinny or super fat or anywhere in between. You can look however you want because your appearance doesn’t define you.

(I'm an asshole so I missed my post on Monday. But FUN NEWS: I'm going to start doing extra blog posts on Thursdays as a regular thing! They'll probably be more dumb than my Monday ones, but whatever! Stay rad, pals!)