English Speech

Did you ever stop and think about how often we are told to change our appearance? 
Magazines constantly offer tips about how to lose weight “in days,” appear slimmer
“instantly,” and hide our “imperfections”… without actually knowing anything about us, much
less our appearance.  This is one example of body-shaming, and it is everywhere.  Sitcoms
so frequently use overweight characters’ bodies as the basis of many of the show’s jokes.  It
has become the norm to criticize aspects of our bodies as some type of bonding experience
with friends – if we all hate our bodies; it somehow makes us feel connected and united. 
Body-shaming (criticizing yourself or others because of some aspect of physical
appearance) can lead to a vicious cycle of judgment and criticism.  Messages from the
media and from each other often imply that we should want to change, that we should care
about looking slimmer, smaller, and tanner.  And if we don’t, we worry that we are at risk of
being the target of someone else’s body-shaming comments.

Body-shaming manifests in many ways:

1) Criticizing your own appearance, through a judgment or comparison to another person.

(i.e.: “I’m so ugly compared to her.” “Look at how broad my shoulders are.”)

2) Criticizing another’s appearance in front of them, (i.e.: “With those thighs, you’re never
going to find a date.”)

3) Criticizing another’s appearance without their knowledge. (i.e.: “Did you see what she’s
wearing today? Not flattering.” “At least you don’t look like her!”).

No matter how this manifests, it often leads to comparison and shame, and perpetuates the
idea that people should be judged mainly for their physical features.

This leads to the question: if it has such harsh consequences, why is body-shaming so
common?  An example we often discuss at the Braintree Adolescent Intensive Outpatient
Program (IOP) is dealing with conflicts with peers.   Why, when we are upset, annoyed, or
intimidated by someone, do we default to criticizing their appearance?  “Whatever, she’s
ugly,” can be a go-to defense in these situations, particularly during adolescence and the
young-adult years.  In some ways, it feels easier to shoot for something that will hurt, like
targeting physical appearance, rather than expressing what is really going on emotionally. 
Saying, “I’m really hurt by how my friend treated me,” or “I’m terrified of losing this
friendship” opens us up and makes us more vulnerable, and therefore feels easier to bury
underneath the body-shaming comments that rush to mind.

How do we challenge this?  In situations like those listed above, expressing true feelings
rather than physical criticisms can be a great first step.  While recently discussing this with
the Adolescent IOP, several patients admitted that it is hard to identify ways of expressing
frustration without using body-shaming, as this has become an almost automatic response.

Practice identifying why you are upset about a situation.  For example, it’s unlikely that
you’re mad at a friend because she’s breaking out, and more likely that you’re upset about a
miscommunication or feeling of rejection.  Practice thinking it, and eventually, verbalizing it.
Identify who in your life is body-positive – or even body-neutral.  Think of people who
celebrate their body for what it can do, and people who refuse to comment on others’
physical appearances.  Spending time with these people can be especially helpful while you
are struggling with your own internalized body-shaming, and help you view yourself – and
others – more positively.

Confront those who perpetuate body-shaming.  Once you’ve become more aware of
your own body-shaming behaviors, you may notice how often your friends, family or co-
workers do it.  Talk to them.  Discuss why it bothers you and help them see how it may also
be hurtful to them.

Find something (or things!) you LIKE about your body.  We spend so much time
witnessing advertisements about how to make our eyelashes millimeters longer and how to
get whiter teeth that it’d be nice to counter some of that by celebrating what we do have. 
Maybe, despite your body image struggles, you love a new hairstyle you discovered. 
Maybe you’ve noticed how much stronger you feel with balanced eating.  Find something
physical or nonphysical that makes you YOU and celebrate it every day.

\Some women I know like to joke about my physical appearances. My breasts are too small and
so are my eyes. To them my small eyes and fair skin exemplify a particular race. They tease me
for lacking the so-called womanly curves or criticize my choice of make-up and dress. I thought
bullying was a thing that I had left in high school, but I was wrong.\

Shape is a safe place for women of all shapes, sizes, colors, and levels of ability. For years,
we've been working hard to encourage women to embrace their bodies and be proud of who
they are. And while we're all about that internal love
Body shaming is one of the biggest problems in today’s generation. Society doesn't just find
humor in degrading a woman's body; they also find humor in degrading a man's body. Body
shaming has become a problem for both genders. People take their own insecurities and aim
them at other people to make themselves feel better about their own body. 
Body shaming is causing teens nowadays to be insecure.

Today’s generation does not see wrong in expressing their opinion. That is true, but shutting out
anyone with a different body type than them is not okay. 
 I read an article on the internet about body shaming that said between
one third and half of young girls fear becoming fat and engage in dieting or binge eating. It also
said that girls as young as five years old are worried about the way they look and their size, and
one in four seven year old girls have tried to lose weight at least once. Also, one third of young
boys aged 8-12 are dieting to lose weight. These statistics on both men and women indicate
that body shaming has the power of negative affects on someone.

People, with pure intentions of insulting someone, constantly throw around “her body is so flat,”
and “He’s fat, that makes him so ugly,” and “you need to lose weight.” Nobody chooses the
body they have. Everyone is born into that body without a choice. If someone is healthy then it
should not matter what they look like to anyone but their own.
What is a “perfect body”? Magazines put the spotlight on thin girls,

This is to make a picture of the “perfect body”. That is not realistic. Society has created this
image that the “perfect body” is a body someone must have or he/she is shut out, meaning
people see their body negatively. "If people learn that everybody is human on the inside, than
they will realize that they are human on the outside and they will stop judging other people's
bodies," freshman Tyler T. said.
We should not be body shaming. We should be motivating, supporting, and encouraging each
other. Until everyone realizes that, body shaming will continue to be an issue. Body shaming is
an issue that will not be solved unless everyone learns how to accept their own body,