‘Body neutrality’: Undoing the harm caused by social media’s unrealistic bodies

I remember joining Instagram as a teenager and coming across thousands of images of women who seemed to have the same body type, one that I would not have categorised myself into. It seemed like having this popular body type would bring me everything they appeared to possess: Happiness, social capital, and a life where everything was achievable. I caught myself scrolling for hours on end, thinking of myself in negative terms and placing terms and conditions on my happiness and self-love. Statements that began with “ifs” and “shoulds” became the norm: “If I lose weight, I will be happy”, or “I should follow this supermodel’s diet”. What I did not know was that most influencers, actresses and models, heavily edit their images to present themselves a certain way. These images then form the “ideal” body standards that are imposed on women. These unattainable standards led me to follow intensive physical exercise and diets that were not suitable for my body, and I was not the only one living this experience. Thousands of young girls fall prey to these unrealistic standards that are the products of airbrushing, Photoshop, flattering lighting and posing.

Adolescence is a period of rapid physical, social, and cognitive changes. These changes can be overwhelming, and being on the receiving end of constant criticism or commentary from your social agents for not having the “ideal” body propagated by social media is exhausting. For an adolescent girl, with such rapid changes in her body and self-perception, it is easy to get swayed by what social media promotes. The presentation of “perfect” bodies and airbrushed faces with no blemishes, tends to make adolescent girls compare and hold themselves up to these standards. People have an innate drive to compare themselves to others. In the digital age, this drive is dangerous: Adolescents determine their social and personal worth based on how they compare to others and if they conclude others are in a better position, then they might develop low self-esteem and negative body image. On social media platforms, “popularity” is a game of the number of likes, comments and followers. This may lead to people feeling excluded or alienated because popular posts might include characteristics of “ideal” body types. People who do not conform to these standards would not find themselves being represented, which can affect their mental and physical health by causing stress, anxiety or depression, which could be symptoms of serious mental disorders.

Body image depends on multiple factors, including social media and beauty ideals, and is independent of their Body Mass Index (BMI). Body image, then, refers to one’s perception of themselves, and might differ from actual appearance. A person can be physically thin but might perceive themselves to be a different size, leading to incongruence and a negative body image. The impact of social media on body image is alarming because it heavily promotes unhealthy standards, affecting the mental health of adolescents. The desire to achieve unhealthy ideals emerges as an internalisation of the images portrayed by social media and the media at large. Regardless of someone’s actual size, possessing a positive body image leads to better mental and physical health outcomes. A positive body image has been associated with health benefits, like fewer depressive symptoms, higher self-esteem and fewer unhealthy dieting behaviours.

For active consumers of social media content, it is easy to get persuaded by social media influencers’ views. Their appearance starts to become the gold standard of physical appearance. However, what is not communicated is that one’s diet should be personalised to one’s body’s needs. Your physical activity should be governed by what makes you feel comfortable: There is a difference between exercising because you have started hating yourself for not meeting “ideal” body standards, and exercising because you want to feel stronger and healthier. This mindset shift helps you sustain your lifestyle and achieve your goals in a happier manner.

Shifting my focus from my body and appearance to expressing gratitude for all it does for me enabled a positive change. This is what “body neutrality” propagates: prioritising your body’s functions rather than its appearance. Body neutrality aims to not let your feelings about your appearance dominate your headspace. The approach reminds that your value should not be, and is not, tied to your body. Deriving happiness from appearances is a dangerous path to tread and has the potential to foster a multitude of negative attitudes and beliefs.

The writer is a research intern at ETI Services