Conventional beauty standards tell us that to be beautiful you must have lighter skin, straight hair, light coloured eyes, and a slim physique. In today’s forever changing society the list doesn’t stop there.
Do men and women who are seen as conventionally attractive have it easier or do they have it harder? To constantly chase an image that isn’t real is impossible.
Physically it is impossible and mentally it is damaging.
To be idolised for your mind and heart instead of your looks should be far more important.
When will we realise that adulation by everyone except ourselves and the people we care about is a very unfulfilling journey?
“Everyone is always after something that doesn’t exist”.
The beauty standard affects all genders. However girls changing their looks and fitting certain criteria's such as small waists and big bums is more commonly known.
Men are also subject to scrutiny, modern day society has created a list of distorted facts such as shorter men being less attractive.
Height is something you have no control over, no amount of money or work can make you taller or smaller.
When asked about modern-day beauty standards Evan (19) said.
“Me personally, I wouldn’t say I feel pressure to look a certain way because there isn’t really much, I can do to look like the beauty standard.
I go to the gym but that’s for personal reasons, not really beauty.
As for pressure, I can’t really say I do feel it because if I keep trying to conform to beauty standards then I’d be chasing something without an end goal, because I know in this country, I am far from it”.
Studies have shown men feel less pressure in comparison to women when it comes to physically conforming to beauty standards.
Women are often pushed to physically change just to feel seen, heard and loved.
Izzie (19) said, “Everyone is always after something that doesn’t exist, an example would be trying to be skinny and “thick” at the same time. It’s not reality.
Social media only shows peoples highlights, it leaves you stuck comparing your lows to somebody else’s highs, it’s damaging.
Also, there is no such thing as flawless skin. Flawless skin is the result of filters, makeup and photoshop.
Meaning so many of us spend our entire life and fortune trying to achieve something that doesn’t naturally exist”.
"So why cant we be as compassionate to ourselves as we are to a friend or stranger?"
However beauty standards for others are not as high as the beauty standards we set for ourselves. People are not as bothered to what others look like , compared to themselves.
As humans we are are too caught up in our own problems and our own insecurities that flaws in others are almost completely unnoticeable.
So why can’t we be as compassionate to ourselves as we are to a friend or stranger?
Because we are taught that loving ourselves too much is arrogant, yet not loving ourselves is enough is not attractive.
If somebody said to you “you look really good today” and you replied “I know” they would instantly turn their nose up at you.
However, if you don’t take the compliment it’s fishing for compliments.
We really cannot win.
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