ClaireBunnell, Staff Reporter
We live in a society full of young people who are obsessed with the way they look, dress and appear on social media. For as long as anyone can remember, the beauty industry has put a great deal of pressure on teens and adults to conform to an unrealistic conception of beauty. Beauty is now based on the images shown in magazines and social media – imperfections are looked down upon. If someone does not conform to the manipulative advertisements that are displayed, then they are considered an outsider. Being exposed so frequently to the expectations and unrealistic features the beauty industry portrays can lead to a serious decline in one’s self esteem and confidence. The beauty industry has become a role model for women all around the world; however, this isn’t a good thing.
The majority of teenagers rely on the appearance of celebrities, models and what social media demands to define their interpretation of beautiful. I remember being 13 years old, comparing myself to the way Miley Cyrus looked, learning to find imperfections in my body. At the time, the norm for girls was to be as skinny as a stick, a description I did not match. My stomach hung over my pants, I didn’t have skinny legs, and due to participation in sports, I was a lot more muscular than other girls my age. I found myself pushing away the plate when it came to meal time, in the hope that not eating would transform my body into what society wanted. This psychological burden, driven into the minds of young people, is overwhelming. Young girls especially struggle with conditions like anorexia, bulimia and malnutrition in order to try to achieve society’s idea of perfection. The beauty industry has defined beauty for the world, but it is not a realistic goal anyone can reach.
Over many decades, the way women are ‘supposed to look’ has changed drastically. Just 10 years ago, it was demanded for women to be thin, but now it is more popular to be curvy, have a big chest, big butt and an hourglass figure. It seems as if the expectations are just becoming more extreme as years progress. Moreover, it is almost impossible to transform a woman’s body every couple of years when society grows bored of the way they look. It is not acceptable to discriminate against women who were born a certain way, especially when they can’t control it. Making young people believe they have to change the way they look crushes their self-esteem and is not humane.
In recent years, the makeup industry has become even more influential. The beauty industry claims they are advertising natural beauty, while acting totally oblivious to the fact that all their models are wearing a pound of makeup. They believe acne, caused by puberty, and a natural part of life, should be concealed and covered completely. This makes young people feel insecure and guilty for going through this era in their life. In teenage years, there are so many developments happening in the female body which is hard enough as it. The last thing a young woman needs is to feel as if what’s happening to her is ugly and should be hidden. It can be extremely difficult to grow up to be a confident individual when a huge corporation is always pointing out flaws.
The beauty industry is a constant reminder to people that they are flawed and should continually alter their natural beauty. Society is already faced with many battles. People have more to worry about than their appearance, and as a community, the main focus should be lifting up one another. Every individual is different in his or her own way, which makes each and everyone beautiful. The beauty industry doesn’t have the authority or the right to declare the way humans should present themselves.
The Speculator 