Body Image Distortion

Lately I've been a little more body conscious than I'd ideally like to be, and seeing how the rest of America perceives a woman's body should look like to be considered "beautiful". Browsing around online, there are so many websites dedicated to get girls to look size 0 skinny, and I even checked out some forums to see what young girls were saying about themselves; some interesting things that popped out:

• "I’m currently a size 0, but I’d like to be skinnier."
• "i don’t really like the so-thin-you-got-no-butt-or-boobs-or-hips look."
• "NOT all Asians are anorexic either, I hate being called that, it’s like a knife in the face..."
• "Just wear gel bras! =D They’re my fav!"
• "the only 0 size they had didnt fit me, still too big...I actually asked if there was a size -1"
• "I need to lose weight too now reading this forum! Makes me feel fat!"
• "i think you should just be happy and do what makes you happy."

After not watching TV for a good amount of time, I just recently found out America's Top Model Winner, as this picture appeared:

Jaslene Gonzales (runner up) and Whitney Thompson (winner)

So, that's great that an "average" looking American White girl won, right? RIGHT? I mean, c'mon, she's even wearing an American flag colored bikini! So many people/posts/comments regarding how wonderful that America is recognizing other images of beauty, but honestly, it comes to show you how political this show is.

It is, of course, your typical blond hair, blue eyed white girl that wins. So, she has a thicker body than the customary super thin model figure. Why? Is it to show that America is now not being as superficial? Is America accepting that the average woman's height is 5'3"-ish at 152 pounds? (Those numbers are ballpark from my memory) OR is it to just give off that image? To boost the show's ratings and appeal to more women that actually look like this?

They also mentioned the winner as a PLUS SIZE MODEL. This girl is definitely not plus size. If the media and others are calling her as such, what are actual heavier set girls supposed to think? "Well, if she's plus size, what the hell am I?" Exactly. Is her winning actually based on her beauty, or is it to cause a controversy in the media? As a disclaimer, good for her. She's a pretty girl and if she wants to model, than all power to her.

So why is America so obsessed with body image? Why has it caused corruption in the minds of young, naive, vulnerable people that cause them to succumb to such diseases like anorexia or the need to bulk up? What's really sad, is that we'll fight the norm and say that a person is beautiful at every body type, but innately, we're thinking to ourselves how we want to lose those 10 pounds, gain that extra muscle, or change that flat nose.

To me, beauty is taking care of your body and the choices you make about it, whether it be the foods you ingest, the exercise you do, or the toxins you take in.

What's beautiful? Being healthy and fit, and having the confidence to say that you are beautiful.

What's beautiful? Having a heart to care about others and the troubles the rest of the world faces, and not about how much weight Lindsay Lohan lost in the past month.

What's beautiful? Humbling oneself and accepting who you are; setting goals and achieving them.

What's beautiful? Genuineness and appreciation.

Beauty is seriously everywhere around us; I find myself examining closely the face of the people around me (some may consider this creepy), and I think to myself (though usually am vocal about it) about how beautiful they are. In simple, natural things like the diversity of eyes, noses, face shapes, and most importantly the consistency of their smiles are extremely gorgeous to me.

I'm sorry that the media has instilled such a distorted view of beauty in our minds that we may so consciously try to avoid. I'm going to have to agree with the lovely quote I found in that blog, to just do what makes you happy, but I'm going to add that just as long as you don't harm anyone in the process, including yourself.

Happy beautifying!