The scariest thing about Halloween used to be that there was a small, but possible, risk that your candy could be infiltrated by a razor blade or tainted with poison. But, in 2023, perhaps people are more anxious about sugar and calories being in the candy.
While it is easy to blame our negative self-perceptions on society, it is important to recognize that we are a society and have the power to shape our beauty standards and self-image.
Women and femme-presenting individuals have their bodies picked at, critiqued and obsessed over persistently. It does get worse seasonally. When pants become shorts and turtlenecks turn into tank tops, some people think that gives them license to pass judgements on people walking down the street.
The popularity of the Ozempic trend brings to light a truth many have tried to ignore — where progress holds the most social capital, the “body positivity” movement is fighting a losing battle.
Exercise is a physical, personalized form of self-expression. It should be unique to your body and focus on what makes you feel energized, inspired or just a little more radiant.
How and what we eat is a choice we should make based on how we want to feel and what works for our own body — not through judgment, but by loving what makes us unique.
When given a platform to educate teens about their bodies and sexuality, teachers need to be thoughtful and exceedingly knowledgeable. Everything they say — or don’t say — when teaching the subject matters a great deal.
Unless warranted, commenting on someone else’s body is never a good idea. Instead, I recommend talking about anything else: their aesthetics and style, taste in music, or passion. Social media, populated by young and impressionable teens, needs to break the current cycle of beauty standards and revolutionize a new standard for self-worth.
