A body is the physical structure of a person or animal. Someone’s figure is only one aspect of a person, yet everyone seems to be hung upon their image. A simple word has become a phenomenon, and everyone is striving to be this “ideal image”. Our society today is structured around the outside beauty of a person, rather than the inside. This epidemic comes from Pop Culture’s unrealistic ideal standards of people’s bodies. Our idols and celebrities are ingraining certain lifestyles and figures into our brains, causing us to believe that these images are normal. Unfortunately, ideal images are usually not natural or normal and are achieved gruesomely. Due to these unrealistic standards, many teens and adults are developing unhealthy habits; some life threatening.

Probably the worst standard the industry has ingrained in us is the female physique. The ideal body type in America today is for a woman to be tall and thin, usually with a thigh gap. For every state and country, the ideal image ranges, but it centers on being thin. Due to celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian, Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé, the big butt and boobs ideal has become popular. These idols and others have created an unrealistic ideal physique; tastefully curvy, thin and having a thigh gap as well. This ideal being almost unachievable! 

While that physique may be considered “perfect” in America, models differ from these standards as well. The average height for a female in the United States is about 5’5”, for models it is 5’9”. So already, the average woman isn’t tall enough to fit model standards. Alongside the height obstacle, the average size of an American woman is 14, while model’s range from a 00 to a 4. Fashion is a huge element in a woman’s life, and all they see are stick thin, skeleton models showing off clothes they are interested in. And when the time comes to try on the different pieces, many women are upset with how they look. The reason for this is that they don’t look like the models televised everywhere. Models are on billboards, magazines, movies, and television. Seeing images everywhere of these almost impractical bodies makes normal people believe that they’re not beautiful. This portrayal of one physique causes problems in the self-esteem and self-love of people, especially women. 

Alongside the modeling industry, the film industry is terrible as well. Nowadays it seems as if whenever someone turns on the TV they are graced with the presence of yet another skinny woman and muscular man.  Celebrities, such as, Keira Knightley, Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, are only a few of the countless thin faces in film. Due to their job, actresses have to “shape up” for certain roles and lose unhealthy amounts of weight in order to embody their characters. For example, Anne Hathaway lost 25 pounds for her role in Les Misérables. Even though she won an Oscar for her performance, she admitted her weight loss regimen was terrible for her health. This is only one of the multiple cases of actresses and weight loss. On the red-carpets, we are graced with skeleton backs and hollowed cheeks covered in makeup. Celebrities not only set unrealistic standards, but they succumb themselves to these standards as well. Many exercise excessively, diet, or develop eating disorders due to the pressure of the industry. By many of them not fighting this un-ending epidemic, the cycle just continues on and on.

Therefore, normal people constantly see only one physique; causing for severe life-threatening disorders to develop. Anorexia and Bulimia are eating disorders that are becoming more common in teenagers due to the pressures of pop culture. Many people whom don’t fit the ideal image begin to hate themselves and the only solution is to become “perfect” through unhealthy habits. Many girls and boys don’t eat or restrict their calories excessively in order to drop the weight. Others binge and purge in order to continue to enjoy food without fully consuming it; therefore not gaining weight or processing the food. While some develop this disease, others are unable to and wish that in fact they were anorexic. Others, exercise excessively while restraining their food intake. Eating disorders are not unimportant, they are life-threatening, in the same way that obesity is. When someone becomes too thin for their natural build, they slowly begin to die.

The solution to our society’s unrealistic ideal image is not simple. It requires both the modeling, music, and film industries to change. Pop culture needs to represent multiple body types, not just 00 and plus-size. Times are beginning to change thanks to the help of celebrities like Kate Winslet, Jennifer Lawrence, Lorde, and Beyoncé.  Some models are beginning to spur change, such as Robyn Lawley, a plus-size model. She has created a swim line designed for every body type and is a spokeswomen for Swimsuits For All. Even recently, Barbie, who have been shamed for years about how unrealistic their doll is, has introduced multiple different body types and skin colors to their collection. Small steps, similar to those stated before and others, are helping rid our society of this unhealthy ideal image.

The road to recovery is long and treacherous, but it is possible to reach the end. For this to occur, everyone needs to help in some way, but the first player should be Pop Culture. The modeling, film and music industries need to step up to the plate and begin on recovery road.  Until a solution is reached, every girl and boy should know that their body is beautiful just the way it is; whether that is tall and thin or short and curvy.  Everyone is beautiful no matter what anyone says.