How Pop Culture Has Damaged Body Image
graphic by Lauryn Alejo
The influence media has had on our body image is tremendous. We have been bombarded with idealistic, photo-shopped, manipulated images of men and women throughout the span of our lives. This is in order to promote an ideal that is essentially non-existent. It is very bizarre that the ideals that are being projected by these men and women are also held by these standards. Most people presume that since the photoshopped images are of these individuals, that they are not under the same pressure. Instagram models, influencers, celebrities, fitness instructors – they play a part in the toxic nature of body image culture. This contributes to the scrutiny people in the public eye face when their weight fluctuates. I will now discuss the different ways in which pop culture has damaged our views of our own – and others – bodies, as I believe if we dissect moments like these and realise where we went wrong, then we can move forward.
1999 — Victoria Beckham on her Baby Weight
After giving birth to her baby boy Brooklyn, Victoria went on the show “TFI” with Chris Evans for a casual interview, after the FA Cup final that involved David Beckham. On this show Evans makes a comment about “since giving birth how have you managed to lose all of the baby weight so quickly?”. Bear in mind this show airs not even two months after Brooklyn was born. Victoria then responds with an offhand sweeping statement about how she didn’t put much effort into it, and then attempts to move the conversation along. Evans is determined to stay on the topic because apparently “the girls” want to know how she lost the weight. Evans then suggests Victoria step onto a weighing scale on national television to see if her weight was back to “normal”. Firstly, weight fluctuates all the time and changes throughout each day. There is no “normal weight”. Secondly, what the fuck? Why is it a necessity for Evans to know her weight? And why is it even a topic of conversation? Being pregnant and giving birth is such a long strenuous process that requires a lot in a person. It’s physically and emotionally draining. The LAST thing anyone should be thinking about is how to lose weight. A woman just grew life inside of her for nine months, that’s incredible. Then Evans announces her weight on live television, which is extremely triggering for a lot of people. It then sets this ideal that your priority after giving birth should be ‘not spending time with you baby’ or ‘recovering’ but doing circuit training in the gym. It also encourages this standard of beauty of which every woman is held up too. Even when facing a difficult and exhausting nine months, our priority is still looking physically appealing. In which women’s mental health and wellbeing are put on the backburner…again. Watching this interview in 2021 is honestly both cringe and uncomfortable, the number of sexual references he makes towards Victoria is enough to make me squirm. What’s also disconcerting is the comment made by Victoria stating, “Oh no, you did this to Geri (Halliwell), but she’s really small”. One point being that why has Evans done this on two occasions? Secondly, Victoria Beckham, the talented singer, songwriter, and fashion designer, is still worried about the scrutiny she will face when she gets on that scale because her girl band accomplice, Geri, is smaller than her. This is what I mean when I say that although a lot of us, especially in the 90’s to 2000’s era, looked to spice girls and envied their lives and bodies. But it's comments like that which demonstrate that Victoria Beckham is too affected by the damaging body image culture of which she too is a part of. A YouTube comment under the video even states “and you guys wonder why she keeps so thin. Immediately after having birth she was weighed like cattle”. No one escapes it.
2009 — Kate Moss
Yep, I’m sure we all remember this quote. I recall actually looking at this, and whenever I wanted to stop doing sit ups or eat chocolate, I would remember this line. I was thirteen. Thirteen-year-old me deserved better than that. I was a child. I should have been allowed to eat chocolate without feeling guilty. I feel some of my childhood was stolen because of concepts like this, I remember avoiding eating my own birthday cake. My mind was full of ‘thinspiration’ and photoshopped images of girls thinner than me, more toned, with thigh gaps and high cheekbones. Everything I ever wanted to be between the pages of a magazine and in editing software. I spent a long-time resenting Kate Moss because of this statement: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”. It was a catalyst of anxiety and led to a movement of body dysmorphia and eating disorders. But she is also a product of her environment. Nearly ten years on, Kate Moss made statements about the toxicity of her model environment. How statements such as hers were common thoughts among models so the statements in her case were more so praised, then ridiculed. Kate Moss was put under so much pressure from a young age to be skinny herself, meaning she was created and produced by this poisonous environment. She even goes on to explain how at fourteen she was most known for her topless shoots.
In the early days of her career, which began at just 14, she was known for her topless shoots.
Kate admitted this wasn't always something she was happy with.
"Yes, there was pressure," she said.
"I worked with a woman photographer called Corinne Day, and she always liked me with no top on, and I did not like it at all when I first started.
"I wouldn't let my daughter do it. She's 15 and to think I was going topless at her age, it's crazy." - Source
Reality-TV
How many reality shows have been used to promote ‘thinness’ and simultaneously fat shame others? Supersize Vs Super skinny is a prime example of reality TV shaming individuals for their diets and body size. It is a tremendously horrific show that I outright refuse to watch. It gives individuals a step-by-step guide into an eating disorder. There is literally nothing good to say about this show, and what it is still doing on television is something I will never understand.
Victoria Secret Fashion Show
Where do I start with this? I began watching it for the musical guest but then it became a gateway into something a lot more poisonous, the fashion show. There is no secret about the problematic nature of Victoria secrets fashion show, and everyone behind it. But I am specifically focusing upon its impact in body image culture. I remember watching it then my following internet searches would be along the lines of ‘Victoria secret diet’, ‘VS Exercises’ ect. It is now incomprehensible that I spent so much time and effort attempting to mirror this body. A body that is a mixture of starving yourself for weeks on end, photoshop and bad habits.
“Adriana Lima, the brand’s longest-serving model, told the Telegraph in 2011 that she cuts out all solid food nine days before an appearance. Many models do not drink fluids, either. “Dehydration is a massive problem,” one fashion editor told me. Yet every year, this event – this circus of competitive anorexia – is broadcast, streamed, applauded.”- Source
There is precisely no body diversity in this show and it was a reminder to women that there is only one body type which is desirable.
With so much negative reinforcement it almost seems impossible to love yourself, and it's no wonder it takes so long to complete this mission. We have to erase years of brainwashing, and manipulation. It is so much effort, but it is possible, and it is so worth it. It is a constant struggle, and it requires daily work but by acknowledging these representations, we can change it as a community. There is no ideal body type, your body type is amazing. I admire those who are speaking out about body positivity, and who promote how each part of our body is looking out for us. Even the parts we don’t like about ourselves, they are all important to us. Our body is our home, let it take care of us.
Petition of the Month!
You'd think the last thing a transman in a queer relationship would have to worry about is unplanned pregnancy…Well, this pregnancy was far from normal:
The pregnancy was a cryptic pregnancy – They are more common following a traumatic event and causes the mother to not know she's pregnant.
In my case, the pregnancy was a product of an assault. For the full story... click here.
Our daughter, Beau, was born premature at 3lbs and had to stay in the NICU for 6 weeks. With Covid still in full swing, we had to follow the hospital guidelines and be incredibly safe to ensure we could always make our daily visitations; But even that was hard. We could only see her singularly. So every day we each spent 4 hours sitting, loving our tiny miracle alone in masks, to then come home and immediately retell all the cute Beau moments of the day.