In the past, we have gone through numerous eras where all over the globe, different regions have had different time periods of what the “ideal” feminine figure was “supposed” to look like. In ancient Egypt during the early 1000 B.C. era, women who had symmetrical facial features, a high waist line, a petite, toned body and thin, narrow shoulders were idolized as the period’s desired female body. However, in ancient Greece between 300 and 500 B.C., women aspired to have a fuller figure with “plump” body features. This fuller body type was also worshiped during the ages of Italian Renaissance between 1400 and 1700, where woman with a rounded stomach, larger shapely hips, and bigger breasts were admired. During the Han Dynasty between 200 B.C. and 220 A.D., however, a slim waist and a small frame seemed to be model body type of women in China during this period.
Yet in westernized America, the culture of the female body and how it is portrayed in the United States only dates back to a few major eras between the 1600s and the 1900s. America has only had 400 years of history on the female form and how it is viewed in American society. Yet, the female figure was strongly influenced by other cultures, mainly British trends during these Georgian and Victorian eras. For example, during the 19th century women seemed to adore the Lillian Russell body type, an actress and singer who took on the Victorian England figure during the later half of the 1800s where woman with full figured bodies and cinched waists were thought to have the exemplary female body type.
However, within the 20th century alone, there have been decades of constant change where a new body type was idolized in U.S. culture or heavily influenced by other cultures. When the roaring 20s came into play, full or flappers and constant movement to the rise of jazz and ragtime, the petite and low, drop waist figure and a smaller bra cup size was very popular. But by 1950, the “hourglass figure” gained tremendous recognition with the famous Marilyn Monroe serving as the ideal 36-21-36 body measurements. In the 1970s, well known celebrities like Farrah Fawcett represented the ideal tall and lean body type. By the 1990s, the petite and small-framed figure was represented by Kate Moss and admired by woman of the time who coined the body type as “heroine chic” in the sphere of modeling. Now, in the 21rst century, the desired female form has taken on a new shape, influenced by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj with a larger bottom, bigger boobs, and a small waist.
Yet, although we have had a short-term establishment of developing views and ideas in the U.S., women’s body’s have always been a global topic of discussion and trends. Now, in 2016, there is still so much hate and so much negativity spread during the teenage years where children enter into the stage of adolescence in middle schools and high schools. And now, that same sickening hate has taken on a new vicious form in how it is distributed on a colossal level throughout the multiple social media platforms that contain comment sections. Although body shaming has taken on a new form with the rise of the internet, the same concept of needing to look a certain way in our society has existed in magazines with body trends set by celebrities or models. The idea of plus sized models didn’t even really come into existence nor was it recognized until 1998, when Ford plus created a range for plus size models.
Since 1959, when the famous Barbie doll first appeared in stores and under Christmas trees across the globe. The doll has lead an impossible standard with biceps 7 inches in diameter, a 16 inch waist, 29 inch hips, and 16 inch thighs. The Medical Daily Pulse reported that a real life Barbie with these measurements and her estimated height standing at 6 feet in proportion to Barbie’s measurements is unrealistic and physically impossible. Even Disney’s numerous princess set unreasonable body standards. Some include Ariel, Jasmine, and Belle who visually displayed inconceivable waistlines that neared the same measurements as that of their necks.
Why is it that our culture sexualizes our bodies as objects of desire rather than accepting bodies that we can exist comfortably and healthily in.
My sister always tells me how she wishes that she had no butt like me, or thinner arms like me. But she is a much healthier person than I am. She works hard to take care of her body, with exercise and clean eating. And although it is idolized to eat whatever you want, so to speak, without the appearance of adding on a single pound, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is an important part of life and taking care of your body is essential.
There is a difference between being fit and being healthy, and just because you are “fit” DOES NOT mean you are healthy. The Eating Disorder Hope website released a report that highlights exercising addictions and eating disorders that the general public may not be as aware of compared to disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, such as orthorexia which is said to be “an obsession or fixation to eat only healthy foods and to avoid entire food groups.” This report also shows that certain publicized diets, such at the Atkins Diet, which severely depletes the amount of carbohydrates that the body needs. Similarly, although binge eating disorder is often mentioned in health education classes when discussing anorexia and bulimia, from personal experience it is not discusses to the same extent. In a report by Web MD, binge eating disorders and the research among them in men are often overlooked and not examined in men as much as women, even though Web MD states that both men and women have similar rates in relation to the binge eating disorder.
When I was about 12 or 13, my aunt pulled me aside and told me that me telling my cousin she was skinny is viewed as insulting, that those types of adjectives like scrawny or underweight are slanderous, words that have been associated with eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Unintentional hostility or saying something about someone’s body behind their back is still hate.
What gives anyone the right to tell you that you can’t wear a crop top because you aren’t of a certain waist size? Or that you can’t wear shorts because of the appearance or size of your legs? As long as you like the way you look and you are confident in your own body, the opinion of other’s shouldn’t matter. Yet, we live in a world where our own appearance and self value is viewed through the looking glass of others. But the only way to change this conception of idolizing certain body types or worrying about what other may think of your body is to be happy and feel self-assured in your own presence. Whether you want to gain a certain amount of pounds or loose a certain amount of pounds, or if you want to work on getting your butt in shape or you’re a man or women who wants abs of steel, then do it. But do it for you, not for anyone else.