Body Shaming

Body Shaming is causing people to be depressed, have eating disorders, and even commit suicide. Based on a survey, “91% of women are unhappy with their bodies and 58% of college aged girls feel pressured to be a certain weight” says the DoSomething Project. Only 10% of people with an eating disorder seek help which is alarming because 20% of people with an eating disorder will die.

Everyone is body shamed in 2017 because it has become part of our culture. When we go to the grocery store we see pictures of women and men that have the “ideal body type” and society thinks that if you do not look like that, then you are flawed. If this is the case, then we are all flawed. Only 5% of Americans have the ideal body shape says the New York Times. Two out of three American adults are obese or overweight says the National institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney diseases. Soon, most men will be oval shaped compared to the ideal inverted triangle shape because the levels of obesity are going up daily.

Body shaming has changed throughout the years because the “ideal shape” has changed. From the beginning of time there was a “perfect shape”. Starting in 1900, the “small waist look” was perfect while in the 1920’s, the “flapper girl look” was the best. In the 30’s the “big hip look” came back in and in the 40’s it was skinny. The list goes on but today in the 2010’s the ideal look is thick thighs and butt, big boobs, tiny waist, tall, thin, and fit. If you don’t fit into this narrow category, then society shames you.

In Metamorphosis, Gregor feels his new legs and feels disgusted with himself sort of like how people today feel disgusted with their bodies. Gregor also hides himself from the world similar to how people today are wearing oversized clothing to hide their flaws. Change in body shape has had a negative effect on the world causing people to be depressed and feel awful about themselves. People need to lift people up instead of bringing them down. Our society needs to be more accepting and less opinionated.

Body Shaming is causing people to be depressed, have eating disorders, and even commit suicide. In society, we need a change. This issue will continue on if we do not make an effort in stopping this. Although we have become more accepting in recent years, this is an issue that could be worked on more.

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