Embrace Confidence: Feel Comfortable In Your Own Skin

Body shaming is an insidious form of social cruelty that has permeated human society. Those who engage in it often act as though they have a divine right to demean, diminish, and deride anyone they judge as falling short in physical appearance, whether in skin tone or body dimensions. This pervasive problem continues to harm individuals’ self-esteem and well-being.

Body shaming is a global phenomenon. A few years ago, American rapper and singer Lizzo and English singer Adele faced body shaming on social media, with comments focusing on their weight rather than their talents. This has sparked conversations about the impact of public scrutiny on mental health. Interestingly, when Adele lost weight, she faced both praise and criticism, with some commenters arguing she was “selling out” by conforming to societal beauty standards. This highlights how individuals can be shamed regardless of their body size.

The media and advertising industries play a huge role in perpetuating these stereotypes. Fashion magazines, movies, TV shows, and social media influencers bombard us with images of “ideal” bodies, often edited and airbrushed to perfection. These unrealistic portrayals create pressure, leading some people to feel dissatisfied with their own bodies.

The damage caused by body shaming is profound. It affects people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, although women are disproportionately targeted. American singer, song-writer and actress Miley Cyrus faced body shaming from a French magazine. In 2015, the magazine Nouvelle Vogue published an article that referred to her as “fat” and criticised her appearance. Cyrus responded to the magazine’s comments by sharing a series of photos on social media that celebrated body positivity and self-acceptance. She emphasised that body shaming should not be tolerated and highlighted the importance of loving oneself regardless of societal standards. Canadian poet and illustrator Rupi Kaur’s raw, empowering poems often focus on reclaiming one’s body from the harmful standards imposed by society and embracing it with love and acceptance, making her a prominent voice on the issue of body shaming. People who are repeatedly body-shamed often develop a distorted self-image, viewing themselves through the harsh lens of societal judgment. Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston has spoken out against body shaming, particularly after being criticised for her weight fluctuations. She has emphasised the importance of not judging women based on their bodies.

Indian actresses such as Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai, Vidya Balan, and Swastika Mukherjee, to name a few, have faced body shaming on social media. However, they have stood strong, rightly criticising the unhealthy mentality of judging women solely by their appearances. Sonakshi Sinha has also faced trolling, with comments about her weight appearing on almost every social media post or movie appearance. She was teased frequently in school for being overweight, and even after becoming an actor, people around her continued to focus on her weight rather than evaluating her work in the film industry.

In Indian society, derogatory terms like “takla,” “mota,” and “kala” are brazenly used to body-shame individuals. Those who indulge in such insensitive remarks often seek pleasure from these insults. Parents should ensure that their children do not engage in body shaming; otherwise, such tendencies can become ingrained in their mindset.

The good news is that there has been a growing movement toward body positivity and acceptance. The body positivity movement, which gained mainstream recognition in the 2010s, especially with the rise of social media platforms like Instagram, encourages people to embrace their natural selves, celebrate diversity, and challenge the unrealistic beauty standards set by society.

In the movie Bala (2019), the hero (Ayushmann Khurrana), in his mid-twenties, suffers from premature hair loss and tries every possible remedy to grow his hair back, but to no avail. The jeers and jibes of friends and colleagues incandesce painfully in his mind. Men, like women, also face immense pressure to conform to societal standards of attractive looks, fitness and strength, often compromising their personal essence in the process. Bala is a scathing indictment of society’s pathological obsession with looks and appearance. In the end, the hero decides to jettison the superficial pursuit of physical perfection and instead embrace the spontaneity of his inner self. He makes peace with his baldness. His unwavering determination to stay the course acts as a forcefield, propelling him through his crisis of identity.

If you are being body shamed, don’t let it affect your self-worth. Stay resilient and remember that expecting everyone to refrain from making insensitive remarks about appearance or skin tone is idealistic. Body shaming is a toxic cultural practice that negatively impacts individuals’ mental health and self-esteem. But as awareness grows and movements like body positivity gain momentum, there is hope for a future where people are valued for who they are, not for how they look.

The writer is an independent journalist