The ‘Be Real’ campaign and body positivity…

The Be Real Campaign founded in 2014 in partnership with the brand Dove has released concerning statistics in its recent ‘In Your Face’ report regarding the issue of young people being bullied and that one of the main factors regarding this was about their looks. Statistics show that 60% of youths admitted they tried to change their appearance after being bullied and 24% said they reduced the amount they ate or went on a diet.

Denise Hatton, Chief Executive for YMCA England & Wales, said: “Bullying has always existed among young people, but this generation face increasing pressure to live up to unrealistic beauty ideals which they say come from celebrities, social media and the media. It’s crucial that we teach young people how to feel comfortable in their own body and that looking different isn’t a bad thing.”

With the everlasting dominance social media plays within our lives and society, is it fair to say that within our culture we’re beginning to see a shift in where the problem and effects of representations and ‘ideals’ lie and so therefore, perhaps social media is more of an issue with regards to this than traditional media such as magazines. However, that does not mean that the liability of media industries is void and the need for change with regards to the images reflected within our magazines and advertisements has any less of an importance. This is evident when considering the fact that these ‘idealised’ images are presented to us as reflecting reality and the ‘norm’, when actually it’s a marginalised stereotype.

The concerning issue of body image and appearance for young people and the detrimental effects of this seems a poignant reason of why a more broadened, realistic representation is significant within society. Young people are both impressionable and vulnerable and for the majority, living in a social media hyped era, it’s all about getting those likes, comments and reactions in order to feel validated amongst their peers and to feel accepted.

Therefore, what can be done to ensure that our Facebook and Instagram accounts stop brainwashing us to believe an ideal that ultimately, we ourselves are in control of? One of the most powerful aspects of social media is that the audience are also the producers. We are in control of what we see and what we react to, therefore surely a place to start would be to filter the amount we consume and begin to use this amazing tool to advocate positivity rather than negativity? Filtering the amount of content, we consume and see on social media could potentially be a beneficial factor to begin with, however as individuals we have almost been conditioned by the media to believe the generic ‘norm’ presented to us throughout our magazines and on our TV screens. How are we supposed to break-away from the vicious circle?

Last year, the NSPCC released worrying statistics regarding the amount of calls to Childline referring to personal appearance. In 2016, it gave almost 2,000 counselling sessions to girls with body image related concerns, which was of a higher rate compared to just 256 given to boys. This significant difference between girls and boys, highlights how this issue can no longer be ignored and more needs to be done about tackling the society’s marginalised ideals of ‘beauty’.

The vicious circle seems ever more poignant within our daily lives, admittedly this is an issue that does not just affect young people, indeed as we grow up, we all seem to conform to the ‘ideal’ and can’t seem to shift our mindsets to believe anything different than what we’ve been ‘conditioned’ and told is true. However, in influencing and helping younger generations to not be blinded by the unrealistic portrayals, perhaps this could work towards igniting a more positive and confident outlook within society.

Speaking to Maria Goodwin the CEO of YMCA Paignton, she states how the YMCA help young people to overcome body dysmorphia and how they advocate body positivity. I also got the opportunity to speak to a few young girls to gain their perspectives regarding women in magazines and advertisements and to gain their opinion on whether we should all just be ourselves.

Finally, can we wave goodbye to gender stereotypes?

Who remembers the ‘That’s why mum’s go to Iceland’ advert? For the 30 seconds it was on our screens, everything about it just screamed sexist. From the mum receiving the shopping and putting it away, to the stereotypical tag line. The sooner it was off our screens, the better. Even today, isn’t it about time that the ads we see on our TV, in our magazines and plastered all over our billboards actually begin to reflect the reality of our society?

Thankfully, the Advertising Standards Agency are introducing new rules that are being consulted on Spring this year, to try and crack down on gender stereotypes being presented in our advertisements. However, this new rule will not be subject to and ban all stereotypes, the ban will be enforced by taking into consideration the context and content of the ad. Obvious gender stereotypes like a woman taking sole responsibility for cleaning up a mess or a father failing at his parental/household tasks because of the stereotypes linked to his gender will be banned, but what about the rest?

Guy Parker, Chief Executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, said: “We are determined to make sure our regulation calls out harmful and outdated practices and a new rule in the Advertising Codes will help tackle the harmful gender stereotypes identified in our review of the evidence.”

A key question though is whether this will apply to the unrealistic body image ‘ideals’ presented to us and for example whether such adverts, like ones advertising spot treatment actually include a person with bad acne and not flawless skin? After all could these not be classed as a gender stereotype now? We are bombarded by so many that portray a stereotype to us, it’s not just the generic that are the problem.

Ella Smillie, Committees of Advertising Practice, said: “Some gender stereotypes in ads can contribute to harm for adults and children by limiting how people see themselves, how others see them, and potentially restricting the life decisions they take, the introduction of a new advertising rule from 2018 will help advertisers to know where to draw the line on the use of acceptable and unacceptable stereotypes.”

The fact that the ASA are beginning to crack down on the issue of gender stereotypes is promising for our future, but we can only hope that eventually the crack down will branch out to cutting out the stereotypes that are there but are less obvious. In society we’ve reached a point where there is a definite need for change and it’s reassuring to know that even the big bosses are beginning to acknowledge this. Roll on 2018, less gender stereotypes which will hopefully lead to more positivity.

The stereotypical, sexist approach within advertising has prevailed for decades, but specific adverts from the 1970’s seem not just sexist, but diabolical too. Pictured below are four adverts, courtesy of the artist Mitch O’Connell. Let’s take a look…

 

There are no words….

 

Yes, because women’s boobs are there to be inviting to sexist, arrogant men who believe the female is there for their own personal joy and entertainment. Oh and sorry I forgot to mention that if your boobs are less than the size of a melon and perky, they are not attractive. ‘Places of interest’ gets me here, like the female body is made to function as a theme park for men whenever they’re bored and want a place to visit. Hang on, what has any of this got to do with a development company? Why was it deemed perfectly normal to objectify women and degrade them all to advertise construction work? It’s a no from me.

 

YES because you were nobody before…

 

 

Don’t be silly girls, you may have thought that you could have had high prospects by being a doctor or a lawyer but no, doctors and lawyers are looking for you as their secretary, because that’s a woman’s job. What a load of rubbish?! Oh and look the image is of a man which of course implies that only men are able to achieve this career and as if women’s lives weren’t made dismal and unequal enough, they’ve also been told that currently they are not a somebody, they’re no one. I can barely begin to understand how or why advertisers found this an acceptable form of advertising, praise the lord women aren’t reduced to endorsing this level of sexism in today’s day and age. Don’t you ever listen to them babe, you achieve what you want to achieve and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t!

 

“Justice” really? Wow, just wow….

 

 

When seeing this advertisement I was screaming from the inside and would have done out loud if it hadn’t have been currently 10.30pm, it stems from its derogatory manner of connoting that a woman’s brain capacity is so little, that she can only just about deal with making the decision on what suite to buy, let alone actual current affairs, crossed with it also being coloured in pink, *insert world’s biggest eye roll here* and ends with the word directly in my eye line ‘justice’. Every single time my eye is drawn to its annoyingly pink, bold letters, I think my blood reaches well over boiling point.

Who was dillusional enough to believe that ‘justice’ is to degrade women and their worth? Making the opposite sex seem like the most superior and of course, the most intellectual. More than 30 years on, I’m so pleased that women are no longer subject to the narrow-minded thought processes which perceives them as being worth no more than the ‘good housewife’, however if you’re reading this and believe or know someone who would commend this form of sexism, then I can think of one or two un-polite ways of saying see ya later.

 

F*** off, just f*** off….

 

‘HEAVY WHERE SHE HAS TO TAKE THE STRAIN’ sorry I had to put that in capitals because I genuinely could not think of a more expressive way to put across how angry this advert makes me. I feel so sorry for the generation in my family that had to endorse this load of bulls***. You’re probably going to witness a lot of *** throughout discussing this advert because to be quite frank, there are no other ways other than caps I can express my emotion. So…swearing with censorship seems fair, not very lady like of me I know…lol p*** off, as if I’m concerned about that.

Can we just talk about how bloody degrading this is (oh look no ‘***’ I’m doing well) and not only that, but how sure of themselves the company are, that they can compare their construction work to specific parts of the women’s body, objectifying her and stating ‘heavy where she has to take the strain’ connoting she’s ready and ‘built’ for a man’s sexual pleasure at their leisure, because that’s all women are here for. Seriously, f*** off.  You should be so lucky.

It’s not okay to sexually objectify a woman, exploiting them and allowing them to be subject to a creepy, voyeuristic mentality that is deemed socially acceptable. I would love to say we are out of the woods with regards to this diabolical, sexualised form of advertising, but there is evidence to prove otherwise, for example the American Apparel and Dolce and Gabbana ads. However, I can assure you this, never will I allow the younger females in my family or in the future put up with this s***, I say amen to that.

 

 

 

 

 

Leading towards a ‘Body Confident Future’…

In November 2017, the British Council’s Youth Select Committee released the ‘A Body Confident Future’ report, focusing on pinpointing issues and debates surrounding body image and how by producing a set of guidelines it could lead to positivity in the future.

Key elements that were up for discussion in the report revolved around advertising, social media and representing positive body image in schools. The Youth Select Committee drew upon interesting solutions to the issue of effects of body image on young people and indeed how the government along with other professionals can influence a change. These suggestions included an annual ‘National Body Confidence Week’ which should be ran jointly by members of the government along with health professionals, sports clubs, advertisers and others. Other recommendations included examining the positive and negative impact of social media on young people’s body image and a development in the mental health services provided to young individuals.

A survey conducted by the ‘Be Real’ campaign found that for most people experiencing bullying revolving around appearance and body image (54%), this starts by the age of ten years-old and that although young people get bullied for a range of things, size and weight remain the focus. Furthermore, they found that being considered as overweight was the most common reason why young people (14%) reported being bullied about their appearance and in addition to weight, people’s body shapes were also a primary focus of the bullying, with 12% of young people having been bullied for it.

Thomas Copeland, 18, Chair of the Youth Select Committee said: “We’ve learned that body dissatisfaction is having a detrimental effect on young people today and it is quite clear that there are long-lasting consequences for health, education and wider life outcomes.”

It’s hard to say how long it will take or whether in the future this issue will be overcome and put to bed, but focusing on the positive, it’s great that young people are beginning to rise against this in order to put the wheels in motion to create a happier, body positive society. It’s time that we all say enough is enough, when the issue of body dissatisfaction is leading to being detrimental to our health and one of its main causes is the representations we see through the media.

As members of society, it’s our duty to rise above the ludicrous stereotypes and ‘ideals’ and to make sure they are dead and buried, to walk the earth with pride about who we are, what we look like and what we stand for, in order to make a poignant stand and to ensure that there is a positive change for generations in years to come. The time for change is now and with a little help from everybody, I look forward to see a brighter, more diverse and more positive ‘body confident future’.

Body Confidence is the way forward…

You would think that being in the 21st century, the unrealistic ‘ideal’ of what a sexy, beautiful and perfect woman looks like would have been put to bed, along with the perception of, if you don’t replicate this, you don’t make the cut, but in reality, that does not seem to be the case. I cannot wait for the time where in my culture, women are able to embrace their body image and love themselves rather than looking in the mirror and loathing their reflection.

It’s time that we put our middle fingers up to all the false representations, stereotypes and ideals and find our inner self appreciation for who we are as individuals. All of us together, not taking the time out of our busy schedules to allow the negative portrayals and derogatory pattern in the media to phase us and then, we make a stand for change.

The Body Image Movement established by Taryn Brumfitt is all about shaping a difference. Originally set up in America, and now expanding globally, it influences women positively and gets them to embrace their bodies, signifying love and self-confidence. Speaking to one of the UK’s ambassadors for the movement, Alice Morris, 24, she identifies how even through somewhat minor acts, we can all start influencing a change in the perceptions of ourselves.

“Filter the way you see the world. Unfollow the accounts on social media, who make you feel negative about yourself and you constantly compare yourself to. Be your own role model.” Perhaps a simpler way of beginning to love yourself is acknowledging what you love about your body, but before that somewhat challenging task, identifying what you love about yourself as an individual could be the place to start. Alice said: “Join movements that help enforce change, that help young women and girls change the way they think and see themselves. Loving your true self, flaws and imperfects to help inspire others to love themselves.”

The significance of loving your true self is where to begin, the idea of self-appreciation and loving yourself, for you, but then does that imply there is a false self? With the way of the world and how the majority of us (even though we probably wouldn’t admit it) constantly compare ourselves to every image that bombards us over social media, magazines or even advertisements, does this mean that we are subconsciously doing the damage to our identities in constructing this fake self on our own accord? Although it’s a possibility, the perceptions of beauty have been marginalized for so long, it’s not unexpected or unbelievable that women feel inadequate or self-loathing of themselves and their bodies and so try to alter themselves to fit in. Some may see loving yourself as ultimately narcissistic, but self-love is the act of taking care of yourself and it’s about time that we stop tormenting ourselves and change our perceptions, tell our mind that we’re beautiful and mean it. How can having pride in yourself and appreciating the body that enables you to live your life be labelled narcissistic? Narcissism connotes selfishness and arrogance. There’s nothing selfish about being comfortable in your own skin, own it with elegance and integrity.

The empowerment of women is ever changing, the battle isn’t completed but it’s a work in progress. We were told for so long what to be and who to be, that rubbish doesn’t stick anymore. It’s so empowering to take control of yourself, appreciate yourself and to ultimately break away from the general consensus of what society deems as beauty. We have the power to be whomever and whatever we like, the foundation of being comfortable with yourself and to start self-loving, brings an empowerment that sets your mind to achieving anything.

I watch children be derogatory about the way they look, worrying that they’re getting ‘fat’ because apparently fat constitutes as being ‘ugly’. When they’re at that impressionable age where everything you do or say about yourself as a sister, a mother or a cousin reflects in influencing them and the ways in which they see themselves. We should be teaching the younger generations, teaching them that it’s what’s on the inside, not out. Teaching them to embrace their ‘quirks’ and to not waste a second on worrying about their looks, their lives should be full of fun, life and laughter, not anxiety over their bodies and appearances. In the future, I pray that when I have children we’ll be closer to a viewpoint in society which embraces everybody for who they are and not what it deems as being acceptable. I’ll make it my duty to empower my daughter or son, to embrace their imperfections and change the way they are on their own accord for good reason, not because of some hyped up, constructed ideology which tarnishes their true identity and obligates the feeling of inadequacy.

As a society we have seemed to come to the point where we care too much about what other people think. The majority of us have to be accepted and liked by everyone, we won’t upload a photo on social media unless it’s the right angle, the right lighting and we’ve got a full face of makeup on. The fear of rejection and judgement is too much and so we feel obliged to conform. Conform, conform, conform…oh and conform again. That way you won’t get judged and you’ll be accepted, bully for you, well done, here’s your Blue Peter badge. Oh, but hold on a second…even though you’ve conformed, you’ll still get judged anyway, because your contour is too dark, your drawn-on eyebrows don’t match and hold on I’m sorry, but that style was so last week, so sorry babe, please try again.

It’s hard to see the light sometimes, because it’s almost as we are all damned if we do and damned if we don’t, but the key is just making yourself happy, content and not caring what other people think. At the end of the day, you’re not asking them to live your life and the majority of the time the people who are judgmental have no real significance to our lives anyway. So, who cares? I say amen to that.

It may seem contradictory to self-love and appreciate when we’re sticking a middle finger up to the unrealistic ideals of what beauty is represented as. However, the difference being that it’s about embracing a true ideal of beauty, not the digitally enhanced, unrealistic version. It’s about being content with who you are and yourself deep within. Beauty is defined as ‘the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind’. Forget the cosmetics, there’s nothing more beautiful than the mind. Embrace that beauty, embrace your thoughts and your personality. Embrace your quirkiness, your ‘flaws’ and never apologise for both your thighs rubbing together.