Body Image Across the Globe
The narratives of our lives are told in the stories of our bodies. We are shaped by our environmental contexts, both socially and historically, but also by the culture and people who surround us.
Western culture and capitalism is affecting body image around the world. Take the beauty industry for example – in 2019 Forbes estimated it to have a worth of $532 billion [1]. An industry where we purchase products to change the way we look due to the culture which has been curated around us. To make ourselves ‘presentable’, or to cover up our ‘flaws’. The so-called ‘Lipstick Effect’, as coined by Professor Juliet Shor, in which we indulge in material products to give ourselves that little emotional lift; regardless of how tight the purse strings may be [1]. It’s as though profit has become the fundamental measure for success and happiness, not collective well-being or the sustainability of life. This affects us, our minds and our bodies.
However there are additional factors throughout life which influence us; education, friends, family, the media, partners, community and culture; not to mention social media which has almost become interwoven into our everyday lives, with celebrities telling us what we should/shouldn’t buy. We are social beings who desire social acceptance; who strive to belong and almost fit in; forgetting that we are all unique in our own way, with our own little quirks. Our environment will be affecting us sub-consciously and in more ways than we may realise or would want to admit. For example, climate influences our moods, pollution influences our health, and natural resources might affect our human survival. But add into the mix the complex nature of modern society , well then, we have a whole lot more to contend with.
We need to be aware that our genes are influenced by external stimuli – this is called ‘epigenetics’. Our environment and who we surround ourselves with have a huge influence on us. This is something worth bearing in mind when we want to get ourselves in a positive mind-set and care for our bodies and minds. If you are in the company of someone who is a regular complainer, their negative state will ultimately affect you; whether you are aware of this or not.
Ldn Dares’ top tips on how you can begin to overcome influential factors:
Increasing body confidence education and learning opportunities
Driving meaningful conversations and support networks
Advocating for change in how people are talked about and portrayed
It is fascinating to see just how different the ‘ideal’ body is portrayed in different cultures. Around the globe the expectations and standards for peoples bodies vary greatly; and this will partly be down to the ideas we have discussed. Check out these pieces of research showcasing these differences:
The ideal male body: What the ideal male body looks like in 19 countries
The ideal female body: What the ideal female body looks like in 18 countries
NB// Ldn Dares notes that these studies are gendered as there is very little research available for intersex peoples body image. We hope that with time this will change and when we become aware of it we will share the findings to be inclusive of all peoples experiences. If you know of research on body image for intersex people please drop us a line.