We live in a society where everyone wants to be perceived as a perfect person on their social media handles. Not withstanding the reality, everyone is concerned about dazzling display of their persona. The society is becoming image-heavy, to an extent that advertisements in magazines and newspapers, books, pamphlets, and online sources are all filled with posts defining norms of beauty that lead to disastrous consequences like body shaming. All of us are getting adversely affected by this recurring mindset. In the midst of this growing concern, we are sweating for achieving the so-called ‘perfect body’ which does not exist. The internalisation of body shaming and weight bias hangs heavy on the minds of everyone, so much so that it starts affecting our routine life. Nobody is realising the dire consequences of such a phenomenon.
Body shaming and the targeted criticism associated with it provokes to possess lower self-esteem. It does not allow us to love ourselves the way we are. We are so conscious regarding our bodies and appearance that we are neglecting our real health. Regular name-calling or body shaming has deprived almost every over-weight person of mental peace. It is affecting us in such a grave manner that it is leaving life-long scars over personality. The entire generation is incredibly insecure and concerned over this stereotyping, which needs to be addressed in a serious manner.
The conundrum lies in-between being over-weight and being fat in appearance. We have been well fed with the idea that possessing a sleek and slim body is being sexy, while a protruding belly is repulsive. However, an extremely thin body deprived of muscular development and unpumped veins is no good. But, more often than not, the peer group’s concern is never about being fit but all about the appearance. Instead, we should realise that keeping our body fit is of prime importance. Flaunting the six-pack abs should not be the sole purpose of going to the gym. Rather, the focus should be on increasing the bone density and strengthening the muscles.
To conclude, we need to love ourselves before anybody. If you don't love yourself, you can't expect that others will.