It comes as no surprise that social media has a huge impact on how women feel about their bodies, but it’s also not something to overlook. In fact, the degree of stress that social media causes in relation to body image is quite alarming.
When it comes to our bodies, these are the most stress-ridden situations we deal with according to a recent poll by Refinery29 analyzing 1,000 women:
- 73% say wearing a swimsuit at the beach or pool
- 54% say trying on clothes in a fitting room
- 53% say being weighed at the doctor’s office
- 53% say taking a group photo
With 1 in 4 women saying they “loathe” their body, we’ve got some work to do when it comes to body positivity. However, we were pleased to see that this poll also revealed some encouraging findings about how women view each other.
The Body Positivity Movement is a Work in Progress
The body positivity movement does seem to be making progress, considering 6 in 10 women say there is more acceptance of different body types than 10 years ago, but the unfortunate part is that we don’t always see ourselves in it. Just a third say, “The body positivity movement represents bodies like mine.”
With progress still to be made, it’s important to have role models to look up to in this movement. According to the Refinery29 poll, here are the most popular female role models when it comes to body positivity and representing different body types:
- 38% say Serena Williams
- 30% say Ashley Graham
- 17% say Khloé Kardashian
Impact of Social Media on Body Image
Social media has a major impact, whether good or bad, on our body image. Here’s what this poll discovered about women and what influences their own views about their bodies:
- 70% say social media impacts how they feel about their body
- 50% say family impacts how they feel about their body
- 49% say conversations with friends impact how they feel about their body
Whether on social media or in person, women have heard comments like “This would look good on your body type,” “You have such a pretty face,” “Are you sure you should wear that?” “You need some meat on your bones,” and even, “Should you really be having dessert?”
What’s even worse is that these comments are being told to women at an early age. An alarming 65% say someone made a critique about their body before the age of 14, and 41% say the comment was made between the ages of 10 and 13.
Negative Body Image Holds Women Back
Having a negative body image can hold women back from living out their lives to the fullest. In fact, 1 in 5 women have cut down on activities they used to do because of body image. Of those, 74% go to the beach less frequently. And 39% of women buy clothes online so they don’t have to try clothes on in a public fitting room. 38% of women reported having sex less frequently due to how they feel about their bodies.
Women are More Likely to Say Something Nice About Other Women
As women, we’re more likely to say something nice about other women’s bodies than we are to praise ourselves. The most common words used to describe other women, according to Refinery29, were “cute,” “strong,” and “beautiful.”
- 93% use positive words to describe average women
- 91% use positive words to describe celebrities
- 80% use positive words to describe themselves
According to the poll, two-thirds of women agree that they are harsher on themselves than they are on others, and they are more likely to compliment someone else than they are to talk positively about their own body.
Where Do We Go From Here?
If anyone on social media causes you to feel negatively about yourself, you have permission to unfollow that person or brand. It’s time to fill your feed with people, influencers and brands that make you feel good inside and love yourself more.
When you’re on social media, practice lifting other women up and encouraging them. Even if you’re in need of some positive feedback yourself, chances are other women are too. The more we can help other women be reminded of how beautiful they truly are, the more we’ll experience the ripple effect of what encouragement can do.
The next time someone in your family or friend group says something that doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, politely let them know. It’s time to put a stop to body shaming and change the language we use when talking about our bodies with others. Oftentimes people have no idea how what they said comes across. You can help move the body positivity movement forward by helping others speak more kindly.
