In today’s society, whether through social media or on the street, beauty standards are pushed onto women, especially at a young age. Beauty standards have evolved over the years, sometimes dramatically. In the early 2000s, the standards for women were to be tall and skinny. Then, in the 2010s, there was a shift to wanting a “Kardashian body,” which was considered an hourglass figure. Matte makeup, bright eye makeup, and thick eyebrows were a trend throughout most of the 2010s. Now, natural beauty has become a standard rather than heavy makeup looks. This isn’t necessarily a toxic beauty standard, but being skinny has definitely come back into current standards.
Social media is constantly promoting changes to insecurities. Whether it’s a medication to lose weight, plastic surgery, or a strict diet, beauty standards affect society every day. Women and men are constantly ridiculed for their looks, setting unrealistic standards and affecting their mental health. The constant change in what’s considered attractive not only affects people’s self-worth but also hurts people as a whole. You can never truly “win” when it comes to looks because of how often standards are changing. It’s also important to realize that beauty standards aren’t rooted just in beauty but also in racism, sexism, and even classism. Historically, lighter skin and hair have been favored, marginalizing people of color, poor people, and disabled people.
Industries use these standards to make money off others’ insecurities. They convince people that something is wrong with them while also promoting their business. The more insecure people are, the more money they make. There is a difference between helping a person’s confidence and making them feel like change is something they need. Toxic standards limit self-expression, making people afraid to dress, style, or simply exist.
Overall, beauty standards become toxic when they control people instead of helping them. People should be able to find comfort in what they like or how they look. In today’s society, starting at a young age, children are told what is considered acceptable. Standards are damaging and should be an irrelevant topic, but unfortunately, they are not.
