Social Media and Body Image Microtheme Brainstorming

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      When you log onto social media, turn on a TV, or flip through a magazine, what do you see? In my experience, I always see models with perfect bodies advertising anything and everything, articles about losing weight, and segments about thigh gap work outs or how to get a "Beyonce booty".
    All these things may seem harmless, or more so the norm in today's society, but is it hurting people, specifically young girls body images? On Instagram there's thousands of posts under #bodygoals or #thinspiration. These are all people wishing they had some other body, and hating their own.
    Seeing perfect models advertising everything from Versace to Carl's Junior's hamburgers can hurt girls self image. If they never see someone like them on TV or on a magazine, they can start to get self conscious. Seeing pictures of thigh gaps and articles about how to lose weight fast or get the "six pack you've always dreamed of". What if you've never dreamed of a six pack? Should you dream of a six pack? All these types of things can negatively effect the sense of confidence you have with your body. If society constantly is constantly putting out the same image of what's 'beautiful' and what's 'in' that can't help girls with their body issues.

       I know this can be true because I've fallen victim to shaming my own body. I'd follow Victoria Secret models on Instagram and just feel sad and beat myself up over not having a body like them. I'd see people on magazines, and read their articles and would look at my stomach and frown, knowing there was a layer of fat that was concealing my abs. I'd want a bigger thigh gap, smaller arms, and a butt that didn't cast me in stereotypical 'flat white girl' realm of butts. I learned to hate my body before I loved it. I taught myself to point out my flaws before my strengths. If it happens to me, I'm sure it happens to other girls as well. While some people may say it's the person's fault for looking at those types of pictures, it's not so black and white. It's hard to learn to love your body when certain types are constantly shamed in our society, especially on social media. #Thinspiration might be doing more harm than good to girls everywhere.