Teenagers are no strangers to the topic of body image. Contrary to past years, the body positivity movement has moved rapidly into our day-to-day lives. The movement may not be as productive as it is intended. Many brands these days are extremely inclusive, ranging from an XXXS to a four XL, nonetheless brands are not the only ones playing a role in this movement, social media has had a massive impact showing the “healthier” side of the story. Many influencers constantly show how they became healthy, but their tips may not work for everyone.
Universal Standard is a brand that has a massive range of sizes, which has its own advantages and disadvantages. While people of any size deserve to find clothes that fit them, it normalizes being content with living an unhealthy lifestyle. However, clothing brands are not the only too-inclusive entity out there. Airlines are also doing their fair share of normalization. Southwest Airlines has a “Customer of Size” policy that gives overweight passengers an extra seat on their flight. This may be a beneficial accommodation to the people who need it, but because of this it gives less seats to people who may be desperate to get on the flight. Corporations cannot please everyone, but they can take a step in the right direction by encouraging their customers to change their unhealthy way of living, instead of changing policies. This would be beneficial to everyone.
Social media is something most teenagers consume everyday, so when they see short clips of a person’s healthy or “perfect” lifestyle it can be discouraging and easy to compare your own life to, but it is vital to remember that what works for one person may not work for the next. Next time you see what seems to be a perfect personage, remember that we are all different and go through different things to get to where we are today. Public figures can also help by showing the not-so-perfect aspects of their life as well.
From the overly inclusive companies embracing and normalizing being unhealthy to big and small names showing their tips and tricks it is easy to be overwhelmed with the decision one has to make to be their best self. Nonetheless, remember what will help you turn your life around and do not be discouraged.
