SLC Self Reflection #3
Body image is something that many people struggle with. It can be especially hard on top of low self esteem and a longing to look like someone else. Famous singer, Halsey, said it well in her song Nightmare with the song lyrics “I’ve pinched my skin in between my two fingers/And wished I could cut some parts off with some scissors” (Halsey “Nightmare”). I am really passionate about this topic because I too struggle with having a positive body image. It sucks feeling imperfect, especially in your own skin, but it is a reality for many teen girls. I wish there was a way for girls to realize their beauty, whether its on the inside or out, but it is difficult with ads and commercials using examples of the perfect humans. Like Victoria Secret Models, who somehow have just enough to fill out a sexy bra, but somehow still have a gap between their legs when they walk. Girls feel pressured to exemplify the unrealistic and hate themselves trying, but can never seem to see themselves as perfect.
My Philosopher Quiz indicated I had the most ideals comparable to Jean Paul Satre. He believed something called Existentialism or “the idea that no general, non-formal account of what it means to be human can be given, since that meaning is decided in and through existing itself” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy “Existence Precedes Essence”). This relates quite well to my ideals about the issue of negative body image in teen girls since I dislike the idea that beauty has to be defined. I feel that as corny as it sounds, beauty should be defined by what the girls themselves feel is pretty, not what is defined by an airbrushed magazine cover. If people followed their gut about what they thought was attractive, then I feel the world would be very different. I am not saying role models are a bad thing, I just wish that what was comfortable, was socially acceptable.
My top three talent themes were Achiever, Harmony, and Input. I feel that these parallel well to my issue since as an Achiever, I want to do my best and be the best. Though this may be great for academics, it makes it hard to me to feel happy about how I look compared to everyone else. Since I don’t feel perfect, I instead feel upset. My personal feelings about this issue further prove my point that body image has a big impact on many people since I know I am not alone. Harmony and Input help to further solidify my views since I want people to feel like they belong, and I used this reflection to give my opinions on the issue of negative body image. My strength with Harmony also parallels to my ethical frameworks with this desire for belonging and for other girls to feel like equals, not inferior.
An ethical framework that most closely aligns with my opinions on negative body image is the fairness and justice approach. Pressures to be perfect can sometimes cause disparities amongst people and unfair advantages. It’s a Hollywood classic, the pretty girl gets out of a ticket by seductively moving away some of fabric covering her chest. Though it seems comical in the movies, the message still stands, what if the girl was unattractive? Though it isn’t fair, societal pressures on beauty and physical appearance dictate that the most attractive girls survive. Though it would be best if the Fairness and Justice approach could be implemented in all aspects of life, it can only really control people’s actions from a legal standpoint. Body image is more of a mental issue, therefore, I do not think that there are really any other ethical frameworks that could change how people view themselves and or others.
Positional and personal power are two very strong influences with how people feel about themselves. I know especially for myself and likely many other girls, I hold myself to the standard of what I think society deems beautiful. The standard of beauty comes from celebrities and models. This gives many famous people icon statuses and power to influence others. Yet at the same time, though the standard is set through position, the adverse effects of negative body image are set personally. There are many good-looking celebrities, but if I felt confident in myself and how I looked, it would not matter what anybody else looked like. So, body image is a big deal and has an impact on how girls feel about themselves when compared to a societal standpoint, but in the end how much it affects a girl’s vision of herself, is up to her.
Personally, I feel body image has very little to do with my service action proposal. I would like to start a adopt a grandparent visiting program at an elderly home. Body image could potentially play into whether kids or other volunteers want to visit an elderly person if they look scary or mean. I think that bias would be very unfair, since how they look should not affect how someone treats them. In a way the issue of body image can help me to think about some potential issues that could arise if I want to connect smaller kids to the elderly. Kids are very observant, but they are also vocal, so I may want to think more about the age of the kids I am trying to have spend more time with elderly people. It is possible that young kids may be influenced by what grand parents are supposed to look like. That preconceived image might be oppositional from what they have seen in movies or other media. I think how they will get along with an elderly person is very much a personal preference. Liking someone comes from a mixture of personal values and experiences. Connecting potential life relationships to body image and sources of power is difficult, but brings up an interesting point that I would have never thought about until thinking more into body image.
Relational Leadership is a model, while social responsibility is a theory that can be applied through the model. Social responsibility embodies the idea that an individual’s actions have an impact on society, usually for the better (“Social Responsibility and Ethics” para. 1). These actions can be tied to the five branches of Relational Leadership in that in order to make a positive impact, individuals need to act in a way that incorporates inclusiveness, empowering, purposeful, ethical, and process oriented (Komives et al. 74). By processing this way, social responsibility can be achieved a lot easier, leading to stronger society. This further relates to the societal impact of body image, since as a society, we should succeed better. If even a few people come together to talk about body image and help people to realize that it causes unfair bias and personal problems, people can be more aware and maybe even redefine the standard.
References
Crowell, Steven. “Existentialism” Metaphysics Research Lab, 2017, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/existentialism/
Halsey. Lyrics to “Nightmare” Genius, Genius, 2019, genius.com/Halsey-nightmare-lyrics.
Komives, Susan R, Nance Lucas, and Timothy R. McMahon. Exploring Leadership: For College Students Who Want to Make a Difference. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2007. Print.
“Social Responsibility and Ethics.” Pachamama Alliance, Pachamama Alliance, 2019, https://www.pachamama.org/social-justice/social-responsibility-and-ethics.