Female body shaming has existed for centuries, and is hardly on the path to absolution. Popular medias like T.V. shows and magazines have created visions of near-impossibly skinny bodies being the only kind of body type that deserves praise. In turn, this mindset has leaked into the subconscious of women today-- teenagers or not.
The All Body Types Are Beautiful movement is a call to action for women everywhere to take a stand against toxic body stereotypes.
Approximately 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape and 58% of college-aged girls feel pressured to be a certain weight. Body image is closely linked to self-esteem. Low self-esteem in adolescents can lead to eating disorders, early sexual activity, substance use and suicidal thoughts.
According to the US National Library of Medicine, Among the 31 issues of the five US-based women’s magazines examined, we identified 39 articles related to weight loss with 14 identified weight loss topics. Among these articles, there were many advertisements featuring fat burners, miracle weight loss remedies, and other such fallacies. Articles presented information about exercise and dieting whereas advertisements supported potentially harmful health beliefs and behaviors.