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A study of Stellenbosch University showed that body shaming is not eradicated in the media.
The body shaming it is a social practice that has proliferated with digitization and social networks, due to the feasibility that these give to give opinions about people based on their shape, size or appearance of their body; However the body shaming It is not new, since it continues to be an action generated by beauty stereotypes that reduce the self-esteem of consumers, giving more and more viral stories that show their effects and generate empathic awareness.
Experts in psychology and sociology have studied for years the trend of bodily criticism that, although it has always materialized in advertising and communication sectors, with the arrival of social networks it has gained strength to become one of the main reasons for cyberbullying that generates high rates of depression, anxiety and insecurity in the new generations.
And it is that the body shaming It can be seen in small actions that seek to shame someone for their appearance, making physical judgments and promoting public conversations around the body of a single person. This is most visible on famous social media accounts, where influencers and artists battle daily against groups of “haters” and fake followers dedicated only to issuing insults and generating controversy on their fan pages on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and now TikTok.
celebrities like Lili Reinhart, Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, Demi Lovato and, recently, Danna Paola have spoken out more than once for measures that restrict the body shaming In Internet, because as victims of the same trend, they consider it necessary to generate support and information networks that help young people to differentiate constructive and empowered criticism from harmful and malicious opinion.
And according to the study “(Re)building Body Shaming”, from Stellenbosch University, this negative trend is quite focused and promoted by traditional and digital media, where the face, hair, stomach and chest are the parts of the body that are most focused on when talking about women. For example, this text analyzed BuzzFeed web posts and identified more than one article titled or written using BuzzFeed techniques. body shaming, where demeaning metaphors and comparisons are used.
“Why does it look like Selena Gomez has babies trying to get out of her knees?” “Why does Miley Cyrus look like a giant baby in diapers in shorts?” “Why does Beyoncé look like The Grinch?” Are some of the featured notes.
Since 2003 this began to be more dealt with, including the American Journal of Public Health warned the media about the negative stereotypes of people with obesity that are perpetuated in their programs through the idealization of thin characters, which, in turn, took their toll in advertising campaigns of all kinds and, Despite the spread of the so-called “Body Positive” with which many brands and companies tried to counteract the damage generated for years, the body shaming is still present in the culture, communication and thought of people.
Body shaming: history shows the effects of criticizing the body of others
Although it is said that this is a trend of the past that is beginning to be eradicated with new working methods focused on “Body Positive” and “Advertising without Filters”, the cases of body shaming are present regardless of the number of followers or fame you have, because affects a Leonardo DiCaprio in the same way, being called “the hope of men” for his “daddy’s body” in a note from The Sun newspaper, as a young tiktoker with 192 thousand followers who was humiliated by a saleswoman for her physical appearance.
Kayla Houlihan is a young Australian who has gone viral a few days ago after recounting the anguish she experienced when she was criticized by a clothing seller, who made hurtful comments about her physique and left a mark that today maintains the debate on the Internet.
How many months pregnant are you? a clerk asked while shopping in the store.
“No, I’m not pregnant,” the young woman answered automatically.
“Sorry, I thought you looked pregnant.” The woman replied with a critical look that went from head to toe.
@tribeskincare
I know I shouldn’t care, but I do🥹
♬ original sound – Tribe Skincare
“I’m tired of a lifetime of comments about my body,” the young woman concludes the story, who ends up crying by not avoiding feeling insecure with her body to the point of doubting whether to put on her new bikini on vacation, something that generated the outrage of TikTok users and sparked a debate for the new age and its beauty promoters.
“Even if I could see the baby kicking around, I wouldn’t have the nerve to ask someone if they’re pregnant.” says a user.
“This happened to me too. And it’s absolutely mortifying.”another commented.
This story has already reached more than a million views and seeks to leave a lesson to the active population of social networks, mostly millennials Y centennialsso that they achieve affective and social responsibility in the physical and virtual world in which they work.
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