Fitness is Not One Size Fits All
Author Tasnia Islam December 19, 2019
I feel that social media has a lot of set expectations, especially when it comes to body image in the fashion industry.
Although there are some positive things that social media has on a variety of clothing representing all body shapes and sizes, many may feel that it’s not true because the expectations set throughout social media can lead to people feeling insecure. It is more popular seeing a fit and “skinny” person than seeing a variety of different body images on social media.
The lack of representation for different body images, besides the ones mostly portrayed on social media, can lead many people of all sizes and shapes to be affected negatively because now they feel oppressed and feel a need to change themselves. The root of these problems starts off from the expectation that social media makes and labels on body image and from how social media created this expectation without making it noticeable.
Moreover, I believe that these expectations all started with industrialization and the creation of technology. In my opinion, ever since technology got created and advanced throughout history it has allowed many people to tell many different stories and messages through it. Some of these messages are like advertisements being created about protein shakes and are used as a way to portray an image of a set expectation for the “perfect” body image in society.
These expectations can affect many people at a young age. For example, according to Vice, a young girl named Fiona is suffering from anorexia, saying, “I hate myself every time I do it, but I just can’t stop. I wish that I could.”
Fiona is receptive to the messages that claim that her body is inadequate and is in need of attention. Thus, this makes her suffer from the daily abuse of a diet and beauty industry financially dependent on building up her already present body insecurity. In other words, as a result of society’s beauty standards, Fiona is suffering from anorexia.
Although there are some positive things that social media has on a variety of clothing representing all body shapes and sizes, many may feel that it’s not true because the expectations set throughout social media can lead to people feeling insecure. It is more popular seeing a fit and “skinny” person than seeing a variety of different body images on social media.
The lack of representation for different body images, besides the ones mostly portrayed on social media, can lead many people of all sizes and shapes to be affected negatively because now they feel oppressed and feel a need to change themselves. The root of these problems starts off from the expectation that social media makes and labels on body image and from how social media created this expectation without making it noticeable.
Moreover, I believe that these expectations all started with industrialization and the creation of technology. In my opinion, ever since technology got created and advanced throughout history it has allowed many people to tell many different stories and messages through it. Some of these messages are like advertisements being created about protein shakes and are used as a way to portray an image of a set expectation for the “perfect” body image in society.
These expectations can affect many people at a young age. For example, according to Vice, a young girl named Fiona is suffering from anorexia, saying, “I hate myself every time I do it, but I just can’t stop. I wish that I could.”
Fiona is receptive to the messages that claim that her body is inadequate and is in need of attention. Thus, this makes her suffer from the daily abuse of a diet and beauty industry financially dependent on building up her already present body insecurity. In other words, as a result of society’s beauty standards, Fiona is suffering from anorexia.
This reveals how the fashion industry is affecting many young people including Fiona by making them feel so insecure to the point that they can't even look at themselves in the mirror, and they feel the need to take an unhealthy route to accomplish the so-called “perfect” body shape that society has erected throughout history.
I feel as though these expectations are something that we as young people and teens shouldn’t follow because it’s something that can hurt us both physically and mentally. Although it might be hard to do, I feel that all we need is to just build our confidence in order to get rid of these expectations.
“Women's preoccupation with food is linked to the fetishizing of the female form: throughout Western history, from the mythology of ancient civilization to renaissance art to modern advertising, their bodies have been regarded as objects of beauty. (Vice)”
This shows how body image has become an issue throughout history. Because of the use of women's body shapes being portrayed as “objects” and as a means of a fetish, women are more likely to feel more insecure when it comes to beauty. This leads to many women feeling a need to compare their body shape to others in the fashion industry.
I feel that although body image issues have been something that many people have experienced throughout history, it’s still something we can improve on if we just take a step to change how we view body images. I feel like we can accomplish this by making sure there's a variety of body shapes being represented when it comes to advertisements in fashion.
Nevertheless, I believe that the fashion industry should make sure that there is a variety of body shapes being shown especially in fashion shows. This way we can make sure that no one feels insecure or worthless because of their body shape.
Furthermore, some more examples of how body image issues continue to be seen today are through Instagram ads. We regularly see ads on Instagram advertising gym clothing, but we only see fit people wear gym clothing. In these ads and posts, you see profiles like @fitnessbakery post many cheat meals, however, they only show people that are fit or “skinny,” causing many other people of different body types or people that may have not accomplished this goal, to feel insecure.
I feel as though these expectations are something that we as young people and teens shouldn’t follow because it’s something that can hurt us both physically and mentally. Although it might be hard to do, I feel that all we need is to just build our confidence in order to get rid of these expectations.
“Women's preoccupation with food is linked to the fetishizing of the female form: throughout Western history, from the mythology of ancient civilization to renaissance art to modern advertising, their bodies have been regarded as objects of beauty. (Vice)”
This shows how body image has become an issue throughout history. Because of the use of women's body shapes being portrayed as “objects” and as a means of a fetish, women are more likely to feel more insecure when it comes to beauty. This leads to many women feeling a need to compare their body shape to others in the fashion industry.
I feel that although body image issues have been something that many people have experienced throughout history, it’s still something we can improve on if we just take a step to change how we view body images. I feel like we can accomplish this by making sure there's a variety of body shapes being represented when it comes to advertisements in fashion.
Nevertheless, I believe that the fashion industry should make sure that there is a variety of body shapes being shown especially in fashion shows. This way we can make sure that no one feels insecure or worthless because of their body shape.
Furthermore, some more examples of how body image issues continue to be seen today are through Instagram ads. We regularly see ads on Instagram advertising gym clothing, but we only see fit people wear gym clothing. In these ads and posts, you see profiles like @fitnessbakery post many cheat meals, however, they only show people that are fit or “skinny,” causing many other people of different body types or people that may have not accomplished this goal, to feel insecure.
Although these posts and ads promote eating unhealthy meals for cheat days, many people may interpret it in the wrong way. Because of how @fitnessbakery uses only very fit and “skinny” people, with a majority of these people being very “skinny,” this leads to many people of all ages to feel more insecure about their body image.
These expectations driven by social media make many other individuals that feel as if they don’t fit into these expectations, feel isolated from others and thus more insecure.
I feel like if Instagram is going to advertise gym clothing, it would be appropriate to include a variety of body shapes promoting it instead of having only one size fitting into all. In addition to this, I personally feel that if people are going to advertise gym clothing, instead of having one size for all people I feel that it is important that people should keep in mind that not all body shapes are the same. Particularly when it comes to fitness, not everyone will have an identical body shape.
Nonetheless, this makes me question, where are the real people? Where are the people who look like me?
When asked about how she felt about the fashion industry now, a former student from TYWLS of Astoria replied, “I feel like there's a lot of inclusivity and diversity for example before if you opened a magazine you would see people of the same body type but now if you were to open a magazine or go online there are lots of different things you can see in order to connect with you, for example, there's like brown-skinned models, models of different body types that are important.”
These expectations driven by social media make many other individuals that feel as if they don’t fit into these expectations, feel isolated from others and thus more insecure.
I feel like if Instagram is going to advertise gym clothing, it would be appropriate to include a variety of body shapes promoting it instead of having only one size fitting into all. In addition to this, I personally feel that if people are going to advertise gym clothing, instead of having one size for all people I feel that it is important that people should keep in mind that not all body shapes are the same. Particularly when it comes to fitness, not everyone will have an identical body shape.
Nonetheless, this makes me question, where are the real people? Where are the people who look like me?
When asked about how she felt about the fashion industry now, a former student from TYWLS of Astoria replied, “I feel like there's a lot of inclusivity and diversity for example before if you opened a magazine you would see people of the same body type but now if you were to open a magazine or go online there are lots of different things you can see in order to connect with you, for example, there's like brown-skinned models, models of different body types that are important.”