Evaluating how beauty something or someone is is a very delicate aspect in life that involves culture influences. In a pioneering global study done by Dove that was in the year 2004 women globally are most beautiful to the extent of only four percent. These days the fear which is forcing discussions about self-esteem, pressure from society to adjust to modern standards of beauty is growing.
This article discusses the politics behind this abysmally low figure, the effects of culture and media on physical self-image, the psychological ramifications and what society can do to change this unhealthily reductive view of beauty.
About the origin of the Beauty Perception berkeley
Beauty, as a topic, has changed with time especially due to art, literature and even culture. For a long time, different cultures and different epochs had the different beauty guidelines. With large-breasted women depicted in the Renaissance or the emaciated models of the Nineties, these concepts may well mirror social, economic or cultural trends of the time.
In recent decades, social globalization through the mass media has standardized beauty by usually promoting thin and young women derived mainly from European origin. These are imposed to women from various cultures and backgrounds; therefore, most of them feel most inapt whenever they do not meet these unrealistic standards put to them.
Cultural and Media Influences
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Media Representation
Beauty is therefore very important in the society and it starts with the media acting as the lookout. ON Television commercials, films, social media personalities, and fashion magazines, people mostly get to see only the beauty of
their choice and usually, that too filtered. All these images paint awkward images for women putting it almost impossible for the women to accept themselves as they are.
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Cultural Norms and Pressures
ICAL CONSIDERATIONS make beauty perception even more challenging Cultural norms For instance: For example, in South Asia women believed they are beautiful when they are light-skinned that has made skin lightening products to be on high demand. In the same way, in some western societies skinniness is linked with beauty and achievement endeavors. Owned by these cultures it becomes very hard for women to feel good about themselves if they fail to meet these standards.
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Social Media’s Role
Making feed more aesthetically pleasing, Instagram and TikTok spread beauty standards as trends and filters. What distinguishes these platforms is that they give entrepreneurs a voice while at the same time cultivating the culture of rivalry. Popular research indicates that passive social media use negatively affects body image and self-esteem, most evidently in women of a younger generation.
Psychological Implications
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Self-Esteem Issues
In this case, the lack of beauty is strongly related to the self-esteem. Female members of the society who conform to those beauty standards, they are likely to have low self-esteem when they appear and perform in public or any other capacity in life.
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Mental Health Concerns
That pressure can lead to having mental problems like anxiety, depression, and even eating disorders. The National Eating Disorders Association says that people who are exposed to distorted images of beauty are prone to develop eating disorders.
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Copyright 1999, Theme A Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
BDD is an eating disorder in which people develop a preoccupation with some imagined defect in their body image. As was established, not all women who feel unattractive will develop BDD but societal especially media pressures the condition.
Efforts to Redefine Beauty
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Body Positivity Movement
Body positivity is also a movement whose primary aim is to encourage women and people of color or people of darker complexion, short-heighted, and all shapes and sizes to embrace their skin and shapes. More often today, companies like Dove with their Real Beauty continue to promote various forms of women.
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Inclusive Marketing
Today, brands are starting to get the message about inclusion. For example, Fenty Beauty through Ryrie changed the system of the cosmetic industry providing 40 shades of the foundation for every skin color. To that extent, it is important to note that this inclusivity is a strong signal that it is perfectly okay for everyone to be different.
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Education and Awareness
Deliberative efforts pertaining the young girls can go a long way in curbing the pressure from the society. It takes programs aiming at teaching media literacy and self-esteem to bash individuals to make informed decision regarding the beauty ideals to aspire to.
Steps Toward Change
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Media Responsibility
It thereby means that media outlets and the people behind the popular influencers must assume the responsibility of their content. Thus, they can
Provide examples of that beauty has no limits and that thin, natural, curvy, and muscular women are all beautiful.
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Parenting and Mentorship
Childhood peer groups are significant because parents and other role models are children’s primary role models. We ought to support parent and children in embracing and discussing the ideals of beauty with the aim of enticing better body image among young girls.
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Policy Interventions
Government has the power to control industries that continue to promote toxic beauty. For instance, French law mandates such advertisements to include labels on modification that has been carried out digitally.
Personal Empowerment
Although change within the society is paramount.There is also a significant need to empower an individual in changes of self-image. Self-care for women can be seen as practicing self-compassion.While doing positive self-talk or finding acceptance with people who accept one for who they are. Psychotherapy and counseling also make it quite easy to find how one can balance between that issue of individual worth.
Conclusion
The beauty standard in society has been set and regulated by what media, advertisement, and culture impose on the world. From perfect skin, thin waist, and attractive height to the list of the types of perfect female bodies.And facial features.
These standards also ignore the majority of women and the biological diversity of humans. These standards lead to women submitting themselves to unrealistic expectations.In terms of increased poor mental, emotional, and even physical health.
However, the definition of the beauty is not universal and large number of facades is attached to it. Beauty is always in freedom, spirit, manners, personality, power and naturalness.
Advancing a multi-dimensional vision of magnificence requires collective endeavors from people, communities, and businesses. Promoters must be held responsible for propagating negative generalizations of women.
Diversity appreciation can offer assistance kill excellence generalizations. Instruction can address changed recognitions of beauty.
Teaching young ladies to esteem themselves past physical appearance is essential.
Parents, teachers, and society must stand up to and counter gender-based bias and advance appreciation for independence.
