The Cost of Beauty Standards: How Society Shapes Women’s Self-Worth

Shaming women and girls based on their appearance is so normalised in our society. Making fun of a woman’s physical features, is often dismissed as a joke, whether it is her weight, height, skin colour etc. I have personally experienced body shaming for years, and I have also witnessed so many women being ridiculed for their appearance. There are many reasons why, women are being scrutinised for their appearance, such as, the media where insulting comments about women’s bodies are considered funny, and many brands that promote unattainable beauty ideals.

People often disguise body-shaming comments as ‘concern’ or ‘advice.’ These include remarks from relatives, neighbours, and family members, such as ‘You should lose weight,’ ‘Why is your skin so dark?’ or ‘What’s wrong with your face?’ When such comments come from those considered family and friends, they not only hurt women but also convince them that they are not worthy because they do not meet society’s beauty standards.

And it doesn’t end here, these comments and criticisms, create self-doubts which leads to anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and insecurities that lasts lifelong. Women who are criticized for their appearance find it hard to accept themselves, and believe that they deserve such harsh comments, as they fail to live up to the unrealistic beauty standard. This leads to internalized misogyny, where women who experience body shaming from a very young age adopt and reinforce these harmful beliefs on other women, continuing the cycle.

We live in a society, where young girls and women do not feel comfortable being themselves. Everywhere they turn, they are reminded of how they are not good enough, which makes them constantly worry that something is wrong with them and they need to be “fixed”. In order to break this cycle, we should start educating children, especially girls, that a woman’s value is not tied to her appearance. Instead of telling them to adjust or ignore mean comments, encourage them to speak up for themselves. Call out media for holding women to unattainable beauty standards, and advocate diverse representation of beauty. 

Beauty is subjective, and beauty standards are man-made, so you are not obligated to live up to the society’s narrow definition of beauty. Carry yourself with confidence, embrace your uniqueness and celebrate your authenticity, because this world needs women who are unapologetically themselves and inspires others to do the same.