Body Shaming Needs to Stop
By: Teagan Davis
What is body shaming? Body shaming is making fun of anyone's features; they may be weight, height, facial features, body hair, teeth, style, along with many others. Though it may not sound like a big deal to the world, it really is. According to WCNC, 94% of high school girls and 64% of high school boys have been body shamed. For example, a young girl named Emily Candelario knows just how bad the sting is being body shamed. Emily said she has been criticized about her weight, body hair, and even her clothes. Emily even stated, “It’s happened my whole life!” Many people have said they related to her story a little too well. To finish her story, Emily’s family member stated to her, “Don’t let yourself get too fat or your husband won’t like the way you look anymore.”
Body shaming happens all around the world, not just in the USA. In South Korea, body shaming is a big matter, especially in the world of K-Pop (Korean Pop). Many young minors in the K-pop world experience being pressured into having an extremely small and unhealthy figure; they have to do this just to keep themselves in the K-pop community. For example, a K-pop star named Momo Hirai, a 22 year-old girl, had to lose 15 pounds in one week just to keep herself in her music group. Her diet to do this consisted of an ice cube each day for a week. As this harsh diet continued, Momo had many moments on stage of feeling light-headed as if she was about to pass out. This might not sound bad, but if you really think about it, she is just drinking water for a full week. Momo even had a fear that one ice cube would make her too big.
Another example, IU, a 29 year-old girl and soloist in K-pop, was on a diet of an Apple, two sweet potatoes, and a protein shake to finish off. IU was on this diet to reach the goal of losing 11 pounds in the same time period, a week. Not only were many fans worried about her health, this also caused her to open up about many eating disorders and body dysmorphia. These diets cause many eating disorders and health issues across the K-pop industry; these are young adults, and many of them have killed themselves from these industries and diets. A K-pop artist named Sulli, just 25 years old, committed suicide on October 14th, 2019 four days after National Mental Health Day. Sulli was known as being outspoken and was loved by a very large community, but many toxic fans still attacked her. It may not seem she was thinking about suicide, but her smile blocked many thoughts. The cause for Sulli’s death was said to be from her severe depression she’d been battling for many years.
Why is body shaming so common? This society has managed to point out many people's insecurities. Due to insecurities; the world believes it’s okay to continue body shaming since it is said to be a “joke.” But why would this be so horrible? Selah House has said, “Some people simply don’t take time to consider their words, or how it might affect another person.” This really shows how our generation doesn’t care, or think, before they speak on someone else’s behalf.
According to Psych Central, in the 2000’s, 97% of women hated their bodies. That’s mainly since many people in this world have been criticized for being too skinny or too fat. This connects to how many people believe they have to have the “perfect” body image or body weight.
Stopping body shaming may be hard, but there are many ways to help. For example, if you or somebody you may know seems to be suffering from body shaming, stand up for them. Words may not sound like a lot, but they can make big changes to many people. If you can’t stand up, help them get a therapist or get yourself a therapist if needed. Keeping it bottled up will make it ten times worse; talking to someone who understands will help you feel heard and get some weight off your shoulders. If you struggle with body image, try to accept yourself for who you are. If you don’t do that, eating disorders and body dysmorphia will form, and maybe worse. One step at a time to help will change the world one bit at a time.
It’s important to acknowledge that body shaming exists and know how to help stop it. Not only knowing that, but to know the shocking factors of it happening to students like us should really make you step up and help more. School should be a safe place for us, so please help and beware of the side effects and symptoms; take the steps to stop body shaming as soon as possible. But why? Think about it this way, this society knows how many body shaming cases there have been. Imagine a world where everybody is confident in themselves, no negative thoughts run by their minds about what they wear, or what they look like. Society would be so much better if a part of our minds wasn’t focusing on wishing you looked like somebody you aren’t.
Teagans opinion is that society would be so much better without body shaming. I agree with Teagan because when she said “Society would be so much better if a part of our minds wasn’t focusing on wishing you looked like somebody you aren’t.” I can relate to it. If everyone was confident about themselves this world would be a better place. And if people are killing themselves or starving themselves that's not good. We need to change this generation .
ReplyDeleteTeagan! I agree with your statement. It is terrible that Momo was going to get kicked out of the K- pop group, because she had to lose 22 pounds. I am so astonished that people feel they need to do this. I feel your opinion on body shaming is that it's an unpleasant thing for people to do to each other. Body shaming is a terrible thing. I agree with your statement because people should not be commenting on how they look. saying how much they should weigh. In the end it kills people on the inside, just how body shaming made IU commit suicide. I also agree with your statement because it really is heart wrenching how people feel the need to comment like this. People should not worry about how they look, they should be happy with the way they look. I think more people should be positive about the way they look like you stated in your last paragraph, “Imagine a world where everybody is confident in themselves, no negative thoughts run by their minds about what they wear, or what they look like.” This shows our world and what should change in it.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion on this is that yes we need to stop body shaming but have you thought more about why people make such harsh comments to other people ? Everyone has their reasons behind why they make a choice. I agree with your opinion.I agree with you. Why I agree with you is because body shaming gets worse and worse and as you said 94% of high school students and 64% high school boys have been body shamed which is alot for how many people live in the US. You also went out of the US and into a more serious exemple like before I read this I had no idea what the K-pop community required to stay in the group.
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