Toxic beauty standards have become normalized for women to fit in a patriarchal society catered to all of men’s wants and needs.
Throughout history, women have been seen as inferior to men and meant to obey the sexist laws and stereotypes placed upon them. Society has never functioned in a way that allows women to exist without all the constant pressure to be perfect.
Women’s beauty standards have undergone significant changes as new decades surface. In the 1990s, the trendy aesthetic “heroin chic” emphasized and glamorized extreme thinness. Women at this time aimed to fit into the beauty standard of thinness, even if it was extremely unhealthy. The media would even go as far as to publicly bash women who did not fit into the body stereotype encouraged.
During the 2010s, however, the beauty standard drastically changed as women started publicly altering their appearances with cosmetic surgeries. Women in the public eye seemingly ignited a new glamorized body type, ideally achieved with extreme body alterations to have a curvy figure. As these new, unrealistic aesthetic ideals surfaced online, women obsessing on the internet felt the need to conform and change their appearance to fit society’s expectations.
As for modern-day culture, beauty standards have circled back to glamorizing thinness instead of curvy figures like in the 2010s. With new drugs, such as Ozempic, financially capable people race to get their grip on them so they, too, can fit the new ideal body type. All this is to say that beauty standards have always been unachievable, yet we continue to fuel the fire in hopes of being accepted in society.
Societal pressure to look a certain way will always continue because, sadly, women are not only the victims but also the aggressors when it comes to needing to achieve beauty standards. If you could ask all the women in your life if they’ve ever fallen into harsh comparisons, low self-esteem, and even, in extreme cases, eating disorders, many would tell you yes.
As a woman living in a constantly changing society, it is difficult not to fall under all the pressure put on a woman’s appearance.
It is so exhausting to see a new trend, new aesthetics, new beauty standards and have lingering thoughts about whether I fit in or not. It is also a shame to see so many women absorbing toxic mindsets because that is all we are exposed to on the internet and even in our daily lives.
The constant pressure so many people feel to look a certain way has always existed, and we cannot move forward if we don’t realize how damaging it is to try to fit into strict beauty standards.
