While we were discussing an image we found in our philosophy book we got inspired by it and decided to write something for the blog based on it.
The message of said image is to encourage young women to feel confident just the way they are, regardless of their appearance. Women who feel insecure about their body image only see precisely that: their body; they fail to recognize all of the great qualities that make them truly special.
The issue resides in society’s expectations of a “beautiful” woman as it’s the one that creates these beauty standards that do nothing, but put labels of unattractiveness on them. Not to mention how inconsistent these so called “standards” are, due to the fact that they are constantly shifting with time, for example, a beautiful woman born in Victorian England would be considered overweight or unsightly nowadays.
This pressing matter really takes its toll as it gives them a sense of insignificance and a feeling of “not being good enough”. If this problem is unaddressed or discussed, they’ll most likely isolate themselves from everyone else and get defensive if someone tries to bring it up. To emphasize the magnitude of the question at hand, it can damage them beyond repair, even scarring them, leading to depression among other horrific mental illnesses.
In short, the nightmares that were just described can all be avoided if we simply show these young women not only how amazing they are, but also how they make our days that much better.
Written by David Reis, José, Sara e Tiago Nogueira