It is very hard to fulfill the standards which are set by our society. This ideal is set by the society that our outward appearance is the most important virtue a woman has. All the women are suppose to keep maintaining this idea.
Therefore, the beauty ideals influence women majorly and it varies in different cultures. There is a very standardized definition of “beautiful, this is the reason why women feel insecure. However, it is a very harsh concept, people always say things like,
“This girl is too fat”
“that one is very skinny”
“she has a very dull skin”
“that girl is too short”
For society, nothing is acceptable outside their definite paragon.
This has become a popular practice criticizing someone on their skin color, this practice is called colourism. In our childhood, we hear people from fairy tales to real world even in our own families, who always tell us that a slim, fair skin girl is beautiful. If you are “beautiful” by their definition then definitely you will get married easily and all your problems will be gone.
Even in morning shows, the hosts are telling girls and women about products which can make their skin fair. Women call on their shows asking about such products. This practice has ways been normalized in our society.
Body shaming is also very common in our society. People shame someone just because they are fat. This can lead them towards low self esteem. Feeling comfortable in your own skin is never appreciated. On media, we see models and actresses who look perfect in pictures and movies, this norm has led to low confidence in women.
Most importantly, we need to understand that it is ok to be yourself. Fighting these stereotypes is very important. Your physical appearance does not define who you are. You do not need fair skin to be beautiful. Your skills, hard work, and talents do. These beauty standards, taunts will be a problem until you let it be. Feeling beautiful in your own skin is the most honest thing a woman can achieve.
