Beauty standards are not up to par.

From movies to television ads to one's house, the world has tried to curate an unrealistic image of humans. A fair skin, a body oh-so-thin, and tresses as smooth as fur would stand up to the mark. These ideals pass by as imperatives for men and women equally. Let us look at some numbers from Gitnux Report 2024. ‘ Some 40% of men feel obliged to have a muscular build’, ‘ 67% of aged women are in attempts to look younger, ‘ 62% of girls feel insecure about their body.' Women are told to have thin bodies, but they shouldn’t be too skinny. Boys should have muscular physiques but should be 6 feet tall. These statistics reveal the ground reality that people face daily. 

In the age of social media, people showcase themselves and more often than not succumb to trolls and harsh comments. 15-year-olds are struggling with body image issues while trying to imitate models and celebrities. 

Is it that bad?

Things may not be as bad as the numbers show, but people are adopting goals others set and trying to achieve them by walking trodden paths. 

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Teenagers aspire to be picture-perfect. Filters and Photoshop have become the norm while these aren't bad practices, they harm people.

When things get worse, people face problems like eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, and other mental health issues like anxiety, depression, etc. In the delicate years of teens and 20s, people lose sight of reality and fall into the trap of these beauty standards. 

Shattering the glass ceiling 

Social media can be both a boon and a bane, It is up to the user to be responsible on a platform that reaches the masses and has a lasting impact. Many influencers are leading the way in heightening awareness about body positivity. People like Sakshi Sindwani and Dolly Singh are acing it in fashion and content creation, defying all societal norms. These people are an inspiration for all those who face comments about being too fat or too thin. 

Body positivity does not promote unhealthy lifestyles, obesity, or any other harmful condition. On the contrary, it advocates for acceptance of the self and the idea of striving to become one’s best version. 

Ways and Ends of practicing Body positivity

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Acceptance of the self is a daily practice. Here are a few ways one can adopt this practice:.

Body positivity can take various shapes-

1. Daily exercise is not for fitting into clothes but to feel energetic and happy in one’s skin. Movement of any kind, be it yoga, gym, or a simple walk, can help lighten the mood and boost energy levels.

2. Your clothes are supposed to fit you, not the other way around. Stop forcing your body into small-sized clothes. One must choose comfort over fashion and not blindly follow trends. 

3. Gratitude is a weapon to achieve self-acceptance. We should be grateful to have bodies that are breathing and working; making them better is an everyday task, not a trend to follow. 

These are small pivots that any individual can use to get comfortable in one’s skin and body. Accepting your body and skin might appear as a minute change, but it impacts our minds affirmatively. Not falling for societal beauty standards and building your own space is the real goal. One should only be in a box when one’s dead.