An article published last week on Greatist, “See How Much the “Perfect” Female Body Has Changed in 100 Years (It’s Crazy!),” has been making its rounds on the world wide web. Fashion sites have been sharing it like crazy, and while it is interesting to look at and graphically appealing, it’s extremely offensive to really realize that each year brought a “trend” when it came to women’s bodies.
From the voluptuous “Gibson Girl” of the 1920s, to the 60s “Twig” and today’s so-called booty-babe, society switched frequently from decade to decade between what they found attractive. Every ten years, women were trying to achieve different “perfect looks,” to be considered attractive in society. While it’s sad that such standards existed, it’s a fact. But that still does not change the truth that essentially from the beginning of time, women have been judged initially by their appearance.
Though some women commented that these “ideal images” are perspectives by men, it is important to note that this article was put together by a woman. Many times, men do put these pressures on women, but often, women bring it on themselves. It’s important to step back and realize that society’s demands and ideas do not always need to be followed. These “standards” often occur rarely and are virtually unachievable, leaving young women feeling down and frustrated. The fads frequently switch back and forth between curvy and stick thin, and no matter what, someone is always being put down for how they look, and that is not okay.
In addition to the overall theme of the Greatist article being offensive, the sole fact that it was put together is pretty disappointing in itself. Yes, it’s trying to prove a point that this idea of what a women should be is always changing, but it’s sad that here is yet another article about women’s bodies. For example, I found myself unfollowing Huffington Post, after multiple articles on this same topic left me frustrated and annoyed. There are so many larger issues going on, but this seemed to get the spotlight on a very frequent basis. While women have made many strides to this point in time, and though these problems may seem trivial in comparison to issues faced by women in third-world countries, it’s ridiculous that the media frequently focuses on appearance and the idea that there is such a thing as a “perfect” body.
Maybe in one person’s eyes, these body images are perfect. Maybe having these attributes might make some people consider a person “pretty” at some point in time. But to be truly beautiful, focus should be on being a good person, rather than just being a good looking person.
Don’t get me wrong — image is very important. It’s how you attract a mate. It’s important to present yourself in whatever way makes you confident. For me, when I’m wearing something cute and I’m dressed up, I do feel more confident. But I can also throw on sweat pants and a hoodie and still feel great if I’m enjoying life or making someone smile. When it comes to beauty and self love, the focus should be on taking care of your body and being your ultimate self, rather than focusing on being a certain body type.
Whether a lady is thin or curvy, if she is mean-spirited and treats people bad, she is not a beauty. True beauty lies within the heart, and how you love and help others and make a difference in the world. If you can make people happy and give them a laugh, or entertain and help take them away from their daily troubles in any way, you are beautiful.
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