Feature 11
WEIGHT a minute, a Pinterest obsession Photo courtesy of Flickr’s Edson Hong. Used with permission.
BY BRANDY NORMAN Staff Writer
If you’re a female, you know the pains of
same time. It's seems like the harder I work at
“It was so bad in my school that if you
Pinterest can cause unrealistic goals and
trying to maintain a certain body image for
looking that way the further away I am,” said
were overweight, people made fun of the way
dreams for normal women and is consuming
the American eye. Even if you aren’t willing
UC senior Jaimie Bengie.
you looked every day,” said UC junior
females everywhere. And it’s not just about
to admit it, you diet and you work out to feel
She’s not the only one who feels that way
Corrine Jackson.
fitness. Pinterest has caused this epidemic in
a sense of accomplishment and to build your
and, in fact, you’re surrounded by girls at UC
confidence. Not always to be “perfect” but to
who feel the same way you do.
It’s true. Women are starting to care more
America where women want to get married
and more about the way they look and some
more than ever, paint their nails every day,
be healthy. Even if you don’t do those things,
“I will admit that I have never had that
will do just about anything to become what
cook on a daily basis and then go workout. It
you’ve probably struggled with self-esteem
perfect body that Pinterest throws around. It
they are surrounded by in society. Many web-
is discouraging when society expects average
at some point. Why? Because you’re a
does affect me, however. Just looking at a
sites have banned accounts who promote eat-
people to be super models.
woman and Victoria’s Secret makes you feel
couple of photos makes me feel guilty for not
ing disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and
ashamed of your curves! The media, fashion,
eating lettuce for 354 days in a row. Maybe if
the use of laxatives to lose weight.
and websites create an expected body image
I was more active they would encourage
However, there are still many websites
beauty or does the media? What came first?
and one of those sites is Pinterest.
rather than make me feel guilty. Whoops!”
that we visit on a daily basis that are still
Honestly, it’s hard to say but if Photoshop
said UC junior Joy Coleman.
enabling people to promote this idea of
and makeup were never created, would it
Pinterest is one website that women are
Who is to blame for this? Do we hold each other to certain standards of weight and
crazy about right now. Besides the fact that
It’s not just always college girls though
obsessing over your body. Pinterest included.
matter what we looked like anymore?
most females are obsessed with “pinning”
and it’s not always high school either. Body
So the question is, is the Pinterest “fitspira-
Pinterest is great for planning your wedding
new clothes onto their boards and creating
image affects everyone, every gender and
tion” just as bad as pro anorexia and pro
but not so great for confidence if you expect
their perfect virtual wedding, there is also
every age.
bulimia sites? Maybe, because regardless of
to look like the women on the site.
another category that gets a lot of attention:
“I was with my middle school group at
what you’re doing in life, you should never
“To me, a perfect body image is overall
the fitness and health category. If you are
my church last Christmas break and they
obsess. It doesn’t matter if it’s an eating dis-
feeling happy and confident in how I look. It,
familiar with Pinterest, you know what I’m
were singing and dancing. One girl, who is
order or exercising, excessive amounts of it
of course, also includes trying my best to take
talking about. If you aren’t familiar, then just
easily less than 100 pounds, wasn’t partici-
can cause health issues. So, why do so many
care of my body. I realize that I will never
know that the site is plastered with beautiful
pating. One sponsor embarrassed her by mak-
users on Pinterest insist on promoting this
have a perfect body but as long as I ensure I
women with amazing bodies-most likely per-
ing her join in. She was still so angry and
obsession?
am healthy and happy, everything else will
fected by Photoshop. What does that say
asked through gritted teeth, “Did you see
“I think Pinterest is not really unhealthy
take care of itself. I think the worst thing a
about America and what does that do to the
what she wanted me to do? Clap my hands!
unless you make it that way. For me and some
person could do for their body image is com-
average female?
What if everyone saw my arms jiggling! Why
of my friends it is a good way to motivate us
pare themselves to someone else because as
“I do actually look at Pinterest especially
would she do that to me?” Tears filled her
to work out, but to others it can make them
cliché as it sounds: you aren’t them, you’re
when I need some extra motivation. I see the
eyes and that is when I realized we had a big-
hate their body so much that they become
you and your own unique person,” said UC
women on there and think if they can look
ger problem in our society than people care to
desperate to look like the girls in the photos,”
junior Katelynn Hardin.
like that so can I. But it is discouraging at the
admit,’ said Coleman.
said Jackson.
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