Final_Feminist_'Zine_Wilhelm_Payton

BODY IMAGE

Payton Wilhelm

what is body positivity?

the idea that everyone deserves to have a positive image of their body, despite the unrealistic societal standards.

don’t believe what you see on instagram. many women, including myself, find themselves constantly trapped in their own image and self-perception due to unrealistic beauty standards in the media. whether it be your favorite celebrity who has had a boatload of work done but SWEARS it’s “all natural” or the girl you follow because she has your “ideal body” but every single picture is photoshopped.

to clarify, there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting plastic surgery or touching up a photo. the issue lies in how it is perceived by you. promoting these unrealistic standards that can never be attained naturally becomes extremely toxic to young girls and women, as it has been for years.

male gaze

noun the perspective of a notionally typical heterosexual man considered as embodied in the audience or intended audience for films and other visual media, characterized by a tendency to objectify or sexualize women.

Oxford Languages

catering to the male gaze is something society has made innate within every woman for centuries. women are expected to act, dress, speak and look a certain way or they are no longer “lady-like” or attractive to men. this sensation is extremely toxic, keeping women from expressing their true, unfiltered selves. the phenomenon is something that has worked its way into social media, “Platforms, like Instagram, with the original purpose of sharing experiences and candid moments with your followers and friends are now fraught with self-promotional idealism”.

-Amy Grantham

“Male fantasies, male fantasies, is everything run by male fantasies? Up on a pedestal or down on your knees, it’s all a male fantasy: that you’re strong enough to take what they dish out, or else too weak to do anything about it. Even pretending you aren’t catering to male fantasies is a male fantasy: pretending you’re unseen, pretending you have a life of your own, that you can wash your feet and comb your hair unconscious of the ever-present watcher peering through the keyhole, peering through the keyhole in your own head, if nowhere else.

You are a woman with a man inside watching a woman.

You are your own voyeur.”

Margaret Atwood, The Robber Bride

brain vs. body “Although body image concerns are not a mental health condition in themselves, they can be a risk factor for mental health problems such as poorer quality of life, psychological distress, and unhealthy behaviours including eating disorders” -Carolyn Mair

a negative body image can lead to much more serious, long-term problems for young women. this distress often leads to anxiety disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse and decreased selfesteem. “This can lead to social isolation, negative self-talk, and overeating for comfort. These behaviors all perpetuate a negative perception of self” -Kerry Heath

it’s becoming physical. the effects of such a dissatisfaction with self tends to link directly to body dysmorphia, which is actually classified as multiple types of obsessive-compulsive related disorders.

being negatively influenced by body shape and weight is consistent with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and/or binge eating disorder.

Lauren Mulheim

“since the late 19th century, fat has held a very specific resonance of laziness and gluttony; of being uncivilized, primitive, and out of control; of being somehow less than human; and all of these attributes are also placed on the bodies of other marginalized identities. feminism must be able to hold all of who we are, or it will exclude those who need it most”.

Selina Thompson, Fat Demands

what we, as women, can do about it.

1. don’t be a shady bitch to yourself.

2. and don’t put down anyone else’s body either.

3. when you look in the mirror, point out all the things you like.

4. reframe your “flaws” as benefits.

5. realize that your weight is one very tiny detail.

6. same for your clothing size.

7. is the scale makes you feel like shit, throw it out.

8. learn to take a compliment. people mean it when they say it.

9. appreciate all of the badass things your body can do.

10. don’t feel pressured to absolutely adore every inch of yourself.

11. don’t let your strength or self worth be defined by bodily issues.

12. exercise to feel better, not look better.

13. set goals that have nothing to do with your appearance.

14. surround yourself with positvity.

15. find a supportive friend or group that can keep you positive.

16. when you’re feeling great, celebrate it.

17. stop comparing yourself to others. you are your own person.

18. don’t compare yourself to your past self either.

19. buy clothes you enjoy wearing and feel great in.

20. realize that your self worth has very little to do with your body.

Casey Gueren

“I post a lot of naked pictures of myself–one, because I look good, but two, because I want to normalize it. When I post these things, it’s not to be provocative”.

-Lizzo

bibliography Bruner, Raisa. “Lizzo Fulfills Her Self-Love Prophecy on ‘Cuz I

Grantham, Amy. “Women’s Greatest Performance; the Internal Gueren, Casey. “23 Body-Positive Tips That Aren’t Garbage.”

Heath, Kerry. “Body Image: What It Is & How It Affects Mental

Mair, Carolyn. “The Influence of Body Image on Mental Health.

Muhlheim, Lauren. “Body Image and Eating Disorders.” Veryw Thompson, Selina. “Fat Demands.”

Love You’.” Time, 11 Apr. 2019.

lised Male Gaze.” The Everyday, 24 Mar. 2021.

BuzzFeed, 4 Feb. 2019.

Health.” Edited by Kristen Fuller, Choosing Therapy.

.” BPS, 17 May 2019.

well Mind, 5 Jan. 2021.

thank you.