Discovering Body Shaming as a Serious Problem in the World
Body shaming is the action of making fun of someone for their body shape or size. Personally I think body shaming is a serious problem in the world. Women specifically are more targeted than men on social media. It is important as many people use social media. Most body shaming occurs online but I’m sure it occurs in real life. There’s this idea that women and men as well should look a certain way but in today’s society we all look different. I’ve seen many people comment mean things about girls, women, and even teenagers for being a different size or bigger than “normal”. There are many magazines that Photoshop pictures and many women who use filters to make themselves “look better or prettier” as the article I read mentioned. Society has thought us that we should look a certain way and if we don’t meet up with those expectations we are considered different or weird causing body shaming. This topic is important as it can lead to many mental health issues and other issues for individuals.
Sociologist Erving Goffman theorized that the way we look at ourselves depends on time, place and the people around is what influence us to fit in to a certain group. In a way it’s like peer pressure as we act a certain way because we want to be part of society. Goffman used imagery of a theatre to compare how people act when others are watching for instance a play and how they act offstage when they are alone. For instance, when a person is acting on stage they tend to act how others want them to act and when the actors are offstage they act their true self when no one is watching. In a way Goffman would address people who body shame others the same, they only do it online and when they get off their phones they do not have the courage to say it personally to others. As well as doing it because other people are doing it and they are most likely trying to fit in a certain group. Goffman would give a better understanding of why people act this way.
Another theorist would be Charles Cooley who theorized that the more society developed the more people were distant from each other. As well as the theory “looking glass self”, which theorized that we see ourselves the way we think others look or think about us. Therefore, like body shaming what others say influences what we think of ourselves. Cooley could help address the issue to explain that we don’t necessarily have to interpret negative things from others instead we can question others for their comments and think more positively.
I would say symbolic interactionism goes with this subject as society is changing fast and as it does people change as well. Many people today are influenced by others and therefore act the way they do. Although, some things aren’t right, society has to learn together on why certain things are wrong and together influence each other to be and do better.
Body shaming is like bullying; you should not make fun of someone for the way they look. Everyone looks different and just because others comment or say something mean about someone else means it’s okay to say it. I think like Cooley explained as there’s more technology and society is changing the more people are jealous of others, which is not right. We should learn to respect one another and avoid those negative feelings towards each other.
