In 2018, women are surrounded by unrealistic expectations in the media. We see it everywhere, from film, to television, to magazine covers, society’s ideals of beauty and perfection linger still. But, there is a general understanding that the photoshopped images plastered on posters and billboards is an unrealistic portrayal of beauty. People understand that the photos are altered, that the models aren’t goals for us to aspire to. Yet, we still live in a society with rising cases of body dysmorphia, anorexia, bulimia and a declining state of self-esteem for women. Although we have accepted that the mass media pressures women into conforming to ideals of beauty, could it be that the most damaging outlet for this idea is social media?
Looking through the home page of Instagram, suggesting pages for you to follow, the screen is scattered with smooth poreless skin, unfeasibly tiny waists, and long tan legs. It goes without saying that Instagram is an opportune place to share your body confidence and beauty, but has the pressure of looking a certain way on social media gone too far?
With apps like facetune, altering your Instagram pictures doesn’t require sophisticated and expensive photoshop software, but can be accessible on your phone for as little as £2.99. Subsequently, a new culture of altered and touched up images, exerting this false expectation of beauty, has raided our social media. In a way, this could be more damaging to female body image than the mass media. Society understands the woman you see on a magazine cover’s body is fanciful, but we take what we see on social media as the truth.
The increasing profiles of Instagram models, or Insta ‘baddies’, carries on society’s unrealistic portrayal of beauty, but in the way that mass media never could. They are only a click away, and considering the hours in which young women spend time browsing Instagram and other social medias on a daily basis, it is understandable why female body image is fragile. However, alongside this, there are hundreds of Instagram accounts dedicated to body positivity, and this is affecting society and major businesses. Clothing retailer ‘Missguided’ has recently opted to stop photoshopping the stretch marks from their models, and other brands are starting to follow.
The power of social media and its users is clear. Whilst women are still subjected to unachievable standards of beauty, and whilst this can be extremely damaging to body image, there is a rising voice of body positivity and acceptance on social medias. Against a backdrop of Facetune and photoshop, there are those who refuse to conform to the idea of having to alter the ‘imperfections’ off of your body, instead praising what are seen as ‘flaws’. This body positivity movement marks a new milestone of feminism; refusing another societal expectation for women to adhere to.
Instagram profile: Bodyposipanda
Emma Hart
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