Ideal Body Image Around the World

              If you asked someone in the United States about the ideal body type for women, they would likely answer by saying either tall or skinny. The answer for men would most likely be big and muscular. Living in America with a prominent media force it is easy to forget that not all countries see this as a desirable body type. 

 

Many European countries do seek a similar body image to what is promoted in America however there are several countries who do not share this view. A perfect example of this is seen in the country of Tonga. Over 90% of this small country’s population is overweight, however there is little to no negative stigma surrounding this. Being fat in Tonga is seen as a status symbol. Similar attitudes towards body image can be seen in other countries as well. In Jamaica, it is considered desirable for women to have a larger butt compared to the size of the rest of their body. In order to achieve this look, a growing number of women have been consuming very dangerous “chicken pills.” These are the same hormone infused pills that farmers have been giving chickens in order for them to gain weight. The Jamaican women are taking these in hopes of it having the same effect on them. Despite the fact that these contain poison including arsenic, the desire for this specific body type is currently outweighing the countless risks associated with this dangerous action. Countries such as South Africa, Fiji, Nigeria and Mauritania all share a similar ideal of heavier body types also. 

What is interesting to note though is a pattern that has been seen across the world. The more a country becomes influenced by Western culture, the more that country starts to shift their “desired” body type towards a tall and skinny frame. 

             There are, in fact, a few positive sides to these ideals. A skinnier frame often implies that the person is physically fit and in other societies a bigger body shape shows that the person is eating and not starving.  However the problem is that body type should be an irrelevant trait of a person and it greatly affects how we treat people. What all of these countries have in common is that they are using it as a form of a status symbol. Unfortunately, this means that people will go to extreme measures to attain the traits of the body type most valued in their country. This can have devastating impacts on people’s self esteem and even their quality of life as a whole. It is important that we remember that we are all perfect just he way we are, regardless of what you look like or how much you weigh.

-Krista Holtzman

Model Perspective

The media uses models as a representation of perfection, the ideal body image. What most people don’t know is that even those models with the supposed perfect body don’t believe that actually is the perfect body. I interviewed a model, Micki Le, which has been involved in the industry for a couple years. The modeling industry believes the ideal is to be size 0, tall, and with no muscles, butt, or boobs. Le stated in an interview that she would actually prefer to be able to have muscles and a bigger chest, but being in the industry limits that. This just goes to show that the “perfect” body image is unattainable because it is ultimately up to personal perspective. We are trying to achieve a perfect body that is not even perfect to the person with it ideally. Have your own body image and be happy in your skin because you are beautiful. Perfect is only a perspective.

- Alexia Lopez-Klein 

Media's Effect

There has been an epidemic within the culture of the United States. More and more young girls and boys have been looking at the magazines, ads, billboards, TV shows, and movies, and the media in general and creating these images in their minds of what the perfect body and appearance is. The photo shopped models and the fit and in shape athletes are becoming today’s role models. This is creating more and more psychological and health problems within our society. Most teenagers and young adults already struggle with how they look but have not taken it to the extreme for example having eating disorders. According to the article “Why do Women Hate Their Bodies?” by Carolyn Coker on psychcentral.com, “80 percent of women in the U.S. are dissatisfied with their appearance. And more than 10 million are suffering from eating disorders.” This has become a norm in our American culture. People put their mental and physical health, relationships, and sometimes lives at stake.

I interviewed a young 18-year-old girl, Erica who has always been secure in her own skin. In this interview she began to open up and I found out that she too had small insecurities that she would like to change. She represents the young generation that has been influenced by things around her. Even though she did want to look like a certain model, her response to another question was interesting.

I asked , “What do you believe is the perfect body?”

Her response was, “A perfect body is a body type that you are comfortable with. Whether it is skinny or curvy. If you yourself are comfortable in your own skin, then that is the perfect body.”

This response was pleasantly surprising considering everything that influences us to form a perfect body in our head. Even though there are people out there with serious mental and physical health issues, there are people out there that do believe that there is no perfect body.

Daniela Barrantes

Lesley Minervini

Lesley Minervini gives a powerful testimony about accepting and seeing yourself as God sees you.

Shannan McCready, Volleyball Athlete

I interviewed my volleyball teammate, Shannan McCready about her body image and how being an athlete has affected her perspective on it. I thought she would be a good interviewee to get the perspective from a hard-working athlete who has a big passion for volleyball.

Shannan McCready, setter and defensive specialist for the ASU women’s volleyball team talks about her perspective on how body image plays a role in her life while being a high level athlete. This little Hawaiian, coming from a place where she was very average in height in her volleyball teams and everyday life, comes to a place where all of a sudden she is considered very short. Having the stereotypical height ideal in mind, McCready knew what she would be surrounded by. She has a positive and focused mindset that she plays the sport of volleyball for the simple reason of passion.

“I have a big passion for sports, I really like that it keeps me fit without having to go work out on my own. It’s a commitment to something I love, and has the bonus of being physically healthy.” – Shannan McCready

Growing up being nothing but skin and bones to gaining muscle mass and definition, Shannan has become more content with her body knowing that she has come to maintain a fit, athletic build which works well for her passion. “Because an athlete’s body is the key to success and performance it is not uncommon with the idea of making it ‘perfect’.” (Kendrin Sonneville, 2012). 

McCready stated that the perfect and ideal image that is portrayed for a women is unrealistic, “not everyone is going to be as tall or as skinny… everyone is beautiful in their own way and it shouldn’t be judged on this unrealistic portrayal of what they should look like. I think the idea that there is a “perfect” body to have is wrong because there can’t be just one picture of perfection. In different cultures and perspectives the perfect body can be completely different than the next.”

From the perspective of an athlete, it is much more important to maintain a healthy and fit body type that will help boost performance levels than to maintain an image of what society calls perfect. Too much muscle in places it shouldn’t be or having a little too much definition in the arms that make a female athlete look “bulky” just represent the body image of an athlete. This image could be that perfection that a coach or trainer is looking for, and therefore it is perfect for the person. Shannan is a hard-worker and passionate athlete who is seen as having a great physicality for herself and for those guiding her along her athletic path.

Whitney Follette

http://volleyballmag.com/articles/38-a-healthy-balance-sports-and-body-image