Positive Effects of Beauty Standards
Beauty standards and media can have good effects on body image if we approach them carefully. For example, seeing photos of fit celebrities, bloggers, or everyday people can motivate us to improve our health. This has led to more people running or doing yoga around the world. Social media helps spread the word about exercise and active lifestyles.
It also promotes healthy habits through role models. Muzaqeer and Ahmad say, “Social media is not only a place for entertainment or social connections but also for healthy lifestyle practices” (p. 1). People find tips and join online groups for support. Plus, Klassen et al. note that young adults often get advice on healthy eating and recipes from social media, which can be really helpful.
Finally, celebrities and influencers now promote diversity to avoid backlash. They encourage us to celebrate differences instead of chasing one ideal look. Things like skin color, facial features, or hair type matter less now. This shift is making beauty standards more inclusive, and it’s changing how people see themselves.
Adverse Effects of Beauty Standards
In reality, the negative effects of beauty standards are stronger and show up in many ways. First, eating disorders have risen since the 1970s. This comes from women’s pressure to diet and get super skinny, like what’s shown in media. Many people don’t know safe ways to improve their looks, so they try quick fixes that harm their health.
Second, seeing perfect celebrity faces or friends’ photos online can hurt self-esteem. Posts from peers often make us feel bad about our bodies and lead to harsh self-judgment. But remember, those “perfect” images are usually edited with heavy makeup or filters that hide real emotions.
Third, bad body image from ads and social media pushes people toward cosmetic surgery, even if it’s risky. Chen et al. (2019) found that photo-editing apps and social media change how people view plastic surgery. Sometimes, strong feelings lead to rushed choices we regret later.
Conclusion
Media images and beauty standards play a huge role in how we see our bodies. We form ideas of the “ideal” look from celebrity photos or friends’ posts on social media. While this can spark positive change, it often leads to harm like eating disorders, low confidence, and less happiness overall. Understanding these effects is key to building a healthy view of our bodies. This can help create a society where everyone feels better and more content.