Body Issues of Our Generation

By: Dahlia Solis Barrera

In this generation, there are a lot of issues that affect the teenage population. One of these problems is the insecurities within the body. These seemingly impossible bodies present themselves not only in social media but also in real life. In schools, we see people with unattainable small waists, perfect hair, and flawless makeup. Although it is never anyone's fault for the way their body is, people can easily change the appearance of their body using filters and different lighting to make their waists look smaller, and their other assets larger where they want them to be. This can cause girls to feel invalid and feel the need to starve or do other things to their body to reach the “impossible body standard”. 

However, women aren’t the only ones feeling this way. On the Internet, teenagers may also see men with unachievable bodies, like big muscles and veins, giving the impression that their physique is due to “hard work”. However, in reality, it may be due to the use of steroids that made the men we see appear that way. This makes not only men but especially teenage boys feel inferior because they believe that without unrealistic bodies, they will never receive the attention they desire. This leads to thinner teenage boys overeating and pushing themselves tirelessly in exercises. On the other hand, bulkier teenage boys may starve themselves while engaging in strenuous workouts, depriving their bodies of the necessary fuel and causing further harm.

Image Credit: Flinders University