Have you ever been scrolling through social media and see influencers getting compliments on their body, hair, or appearance? Small waist, small nose, thin body, large hips,-the modern western beauty standard.

The beauty standard has been introduced to us at a young age with Disney princesses, Barbie dolls, TV show characters, and more. It creates an unrealistic and unhealthy body image for young girls. Children look up to these people as role models, which may lead up to them feeling self-conscious. 

Beauty standards are heavily influenced by the media. That includes Instagram, TikTok, commercials, TV, movies, and other influential media. According to a Mirror Mirror article, TV shows and movies cast thin female leads, creating the ideal thin body type standard. 

As stated by the UCLA Diversity Report and Keep Earth, a lack of diversity is shown in TV shows and movies. When influencers or celebrities get plastic or cosmetic surgery, there’s usually a rapid increase of the surgery by people wanting to “fit in.” 

Celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Bella Hadid, Katy Perry, Angelina Jolie, and many, many more, have admitted to getting cosmetic surgery. Whether it was subtle or obvious, it influenced others.

Filters on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and more, makes your skin appear whiter, your nose thinner, your eyes bigger, your lips fuller, and your skin flawless. Women are expected to be hairless with a small

waist, large hips, and an all around unrealistic body. It’s looked down upon to have acne, stretchmarks, body hair, and other normal things. Women are constantly getting criticized and receiving negative comments, all because they don’t reflect society's beauty standards. 

This creates a toxic mindset, teaching young girls and even grown women that you need to be on a diet, you need to get cosmetic surgery, you need to work out all the time, you need to wear heavy makeup-but not enough that makes you look like you’re trying too hard- and other extreme and unhealthy habits, just to look a certain way so society can see you as “pretty.” 

But it hasn’t always been this way. The beauty standard is most commonly influenced by the media, and over the decades that has changed. For example, in the renaissance time, women that were overweight were considered beautiful. In the Victorian era, women were focused on having a tiny waist. In the 1920s curveless body was ideal. In the 1930s-1950s the ideal body was influenced by the media, Hollywood. With that being said, the ideal body type changes throughout the years.

I believe that you shouldn’t be so focused on drastically changing your body. The energy, money, and bad habits into changing your body won’t benefit you in a couple of years when the body standards change.