Nude images have a certain taboo that follows them. Viewers cringe when they see photos of a naked individual. Why, then, do we not flinch when we see a model nearly naked in magazine spreads or in advertisements? A large part of this stigma could be directly related to the concept of body image.
Reach for any newspaper or look at any advertisement and a familiar look begins to repeat over and over again. The model, man or woman, is almost always thin, the skin is always flawless, and the hair, perfectly done and appearing effortless. Of course there are exceptions, but an almost too skinny body type seems to be the norm in publications today.
Constantly projecting images of thin, pretty, blonde girls, or even brunettes, can lead to many tragic outcomes. According to Do Something, an organization that is used to incite social awareness, approximately 91% of women in America have dieted because they were unhappy with their body type. This is a staggering statistic considering only around 5% of women possess the ideal body type, naturally. Some feel that they are overweight, even at a healthy size. While others feel their skin is too dark to be beautiful.
I think it is time to take back body confidence. How can a society move forward when we are constantly setting standards that are almost impossible to achieve for each other? Other cultures ideal image of beauty is such a stark contrast from the Western view, its almost unsettling.
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As a photographer, I constantly hear the complaints of subjects about their body and their weight. As a friend, I hear it from my best friends and peers complaining about the little parts of their body they find undesirable. As a daughter, I watch my parents get told they are unfit by doctors and force each other into diets they’re never happy with. As an individual, I poke and prod at my own body and find myself thinking about how I could be thinner or my skin clearer.
Through this project I have learned to embrace myself and every single person’s body. I have seen people I know who struggle with body image come out of their shell and find their own inner beauty. I want to tell each person they are beautiful and unique. No two people are alike, and I think its time we start embracing it.
Please feel free to explore the collection, Body Perspectives, listen to everyoneā€™s stories and look through their photographs: bodyperspectives.wordpress.com