With the modernization of technology and the ongoing rise of social media, certain social beliefs begin to transform with no end in sight. Body standards, regardless of outsider opinions, remain the one idea that numerous cultures do not seem to agree on. With an estimated 3,814 cultures in the world, body standards differ around the globe.
Although several cultures remain consistent in terms of their ideals, outside influences encourage change within sacred standards. Used by over half of the population, social media allows users to stream out their opinions, whether positively or negatively, by either supporting body types or expecting bodies to fit a supposed perfect body standard. While the positive side of social media can create hopeful ripple effects, its negatives weigh down its advantages. One can receive social media hate from all over the world, criticizing what characterizes any body as unique. Despite society’s harsh critiques and overall judgment over topics that depict beauty, especially within body types, society grows with time and challenges these pressures to conform to stereotypes.
Although the use of social media represents a highly common way to receive criticism, several examples of body insensitivity come from popular entertainment productions as well. One can find a prime example of this problem in the movie “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” where the main character Bridget Jones constantly calls herself overweight, although she visually embodies an average-weight 32-year-old woman. While several forms of media depict body standards negatively, a handful of media content, such as film and television, provide inspiring messages about body image. In “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” one of the four main characters, Carmen Lowell, learns to embrace her Puerto Rican heritage by accepting her curves. Of the movie’s numerous inspiring messages, this one stands as a perfect example to help encourage viewers to embrace their cultural heritage and individuality.
Another form of body interpretation comes from several health experts. To categorize body weight, doctors and medical professionals alike use a body mass index (BMI) system. Professionals continue to use this system although it does not represent the most accurate form to measure the body. The BMI does not account for the genetic differences between sex and ethnicity. People of different descents, such as South Asians, tend to average slimmer figures and do not carry as much body fat as other ethnicities. Measured by dividing an individual’s weight by their height, the BMI tends to exaggerate the lack of weight in shorter people and extra weight in taller people. The misleading information from the government and World Health Organization (WHO), can seriously impact one’s perception of their body image.
“Current beauty standards significantly affect how people perceive themselves. This often leads to negative body image, self-talk and self-esteem issues when individuals feel they do not meet those standards. Being exposed to unrealistic portrayals can be especially impactful for young people who spend countless hours consuming this type of content and in turn constantly compare themselves to ideals,” Visual Arts educator Karrie Brewer Arana said.
Body standards in history
Although numerous external factors contribute to body perception, several countries collectively intend to carry on their supportive history of body standards. Greece, Rome and Egypt represent a different history of body standards with sculptures and paintings within the countries’ museums. In contrast to the changing trends in the present world of body standards — which alter over time — these countries present lasting trends.
Mainly known for its ancient history, Greece remains an exemplary country for its support of diverse body standards, whether political or aimed toward citizens. With its traditional meals, art, theater and mythology, much of ancient Greece’s history stands out in the beautiful country today. Along with the country’s impressive track record of upholding its incredible past, one can especially look to Greece for the country’s unique —and currently represented — body standards. In ancient Greek history, men needed to achieve a lean, muscular body and show a chiseled face with full lips to earn their status as beautiful. Famous Greek playwright Aristophanes wrote that the ideal traits of a Greek man included broad shoulders, gleaming chests and bright skin. Greek men also wanted to maintain physical strength, so they attended gymnasia to keep their figures.
One can find this idea of striving for perfection in the Disney movie “Hercules.” Based on the Greek mythological divine hero who defined strength for several ancient Greeks, the movie takes place in ancient Greece and focuses on how the young demigod turns into an actual Greek god. When seen at the beginning of the movie, the main character Hercules seems scrawny and disrespected, regardless of his inner strength. Only when he gains muscle does Hercules earn respect from his community. Even in one of the movie’s famous songs, “Zero To Hero,” the lyrics describe Hercules acting as “a nothin’, a zero,” transforming into a “honcho,” who now “is a hero.”
While the average ancient Greek male worked to build muscle, the female body standards strongly contrasted with the males. Ancient Greeks expected women to maintain a soft-shaped body with rounder buttocks, and they even earned praise if they maintained a long, wavy hairdo. Due to the level of poverty in ancient Greece, specifically for women, maintaining a larger figure and carrying extra body fat showed wealth due to an abundance of food. Additionally, Greek women looked up to one of their several gods, Aphrodite, goddess of love, beauty, sex and fertility, and depicted her with a pear-shaped body and a rounder face.
“When it comes to historic body standards, I think the first thing that comes to mind, at least for me, is Greece: I automatically think of Greek statues and artwork. Everything I know about the Greek Gods also correlates to their beauty and overall look. I think that Greece has some pretty memorable stories and artwork that elaborate on and explain their history in terms of body standards,” senior Aubrey McPherson said.
In ancient Rome, society valued several bodily characteristics. For every citizen, clear skin acted as a sign of youthfulness. Roman leaders claimed that women immediately turned into unattractive beings if they showed any signs of aging. They also emphasized that women needed pale, flawless skin, with a hint of rosiness in their cheeks. Additionally, women’s hair should look styled and show off an alluring natural color. Females would often bathe in donkey’s milk as a remedy to whiten, clear and soften their skin. Women needed to maintain a thin, yet robust build with wide hips and small shoulders to meet the qualifications of beauty. When it came to men, the Romans also held high expectations. Young men served in the military, leading them to earn the title of warrior and helping them show off their strength. With muscles and a strong, yet lean build, men earned their title as worthy.
The ancient Egyptians idolized symmetry. Whether in architecture, facial form or anatomy, they desired perfection in terms of symmetry. To the Egyptians, a symmetric build signified balance and proper proportions. If one presented this characteristic, they reflected one of the most important concepts to the Egyptians — harmony. In terms of facial beauty, the Egyptians wore kohl, a powder or paste created from lead sulfide, as an eyeliner to create a sensible eye makeup look. Specifically, women wore their nearly transparent and skin-tight dresses to display every curve of their bodies, essentially to show off their proud figures.
“I have never taught any art history based on body standards. [However, based on what I know,] beauty rituals for royals from any ancient culture derived from nature, using natural ingredients like olive oil, herbs, etc. The current culture uses toxic ingredients along with technology to enhance beauty and highlight the anti-aging effects of certain regimens,” Arana said.
As everyone experiences different versions of beauty, everyone defines the term differently. Body standards remain especially ingrained in societal norms and continue to shape how millions of people view themselves. While humanity and its creations, social media and the film and television industry, continue to promote picky standards, society prevails; as several members challenge societal pressure and instead choose to promote and celebrate inclusivity or broader standards of beauty. The countries of Greece, Italy and Egypt especially rose ahead of their time and recognized differences in beauty as a part of their cultures. Greeks specifically acknowledged and celebrated their body types through various forms of art. Egyptians admired symmetry, yet promoted beauty through the natural elegance and grace of citizens. Romans idolized curvier builds but referred to these body types as signs of health and beauty. Acknowledging different body standards in the modern and judgmental world, not only redefines beauty but also encourages self-love, confidence and respect for bodies of all shapes and sizes. Society can grow, as long as members celebrate differences within beauty and encourage self-love, respect and strength in inclusivity.
