Societal (body image) pressures of female athletes
Trimarni
Today is International Women's Day. A day to celebrate women's achievement, raise awareness against bias, stereotypes and discrimination and to take action for equality. A day to move closer and to eventually achieve a gender equal world.
Although every day should be an important day to celebrate women's achievements while calling out inequality, today is an important day to remind female athletes that the power to change starts from within. When you take this approach, the world is better off.
Far too many young girls, teenagers and young adults believe that the external view of their body defines their perception of their physical self. And when a female doesn't feel good about her looks, she may be hesitant (or refuse) to participate in sports, try out for a club, join a team or lack confidence in a professional setting. Many little girls grow up idealizing certain celebrities, athletes and influencers with the idea that they must look a certain way. These girls grow up to become teenagers and then adults. Throughout life, bodies change. When a female struggles to accomplish a certain body, she can become very self-conscious and may resort to unhealthy and drastic measures.
There's no denying that conventional mainstream media has greatly contributed to negative body image among girls and women. All over TV, movies, magazine covers and ads are females looking thin, defined and beautiful. Messages about body image are almost always shaped by the media, beauty and diet industry and claims of health and fitness. With a unified message showing how all women should appear - this creates an idealized body image. Let's not forget that most "perfect" bodies are digitally altered and filtered. If you are like most women, you have been criticized, bullied or shamed by others - or you criticize yourself - for being "too big" and not fitting the standard.
Although every day should be an important day to celebrate women's achievements while calling out inequality, today is an important day to remind female athletes that the power to change starts from within. When you take this approach, the world is better off.
Far too many young girls, teenagers and young adults believe that the external view of their body defines their perception of their physical self. And when a female doesn't feel good about her looks, she may be hesitant (or refuse) to participate in sports, try out for a club, join a team or lack confidence in a professional setting. Many little girls grow up idealizing certain celebrities, athletes and influencers with the idea that they must look a certain way. These girls grow up to become teenagers and then adults. Throughout life, bodies change. When a female struggles to accomplish a certain body, she can become very self-conscious and may resort to unhealthy and drastic measures.
There's no denying that conventional mainstream media has greatly contributed to negative body image among girls and women. All over TV, movies, magazine covers and ads are females looking thin, defined and beautiful. Messages about body image are almost always shaped by the media, beauty and diet industry and claims of health and fitness. With a unified message showing how all women should appear - this creates an idealized body image. Let's not forget that most "perfect" bodies are digitally altered and filtered. If you are like most women, you have been criticized, bullied or shamed by others - or you criticize yourself - for being "too big" and not fitting the standard.
Due to lack of representation of women who do not meet an idealized image or beauty standard, race, age or ability, it's very difficult for a women and girls to see themselves as beautiful......and normal. As a result, women and girls have unrealistic expectations of what a female body should look like and this creates feelings of low self worth and inadequacy. If we want a world with gender equality, we need to change the norms and expectations about the female body. Age, race, religion, ethnic origin, socio-cultural status, ability and identity should carry the same weight as body image when it comes to social inclusion.
On International Women's Day, I encourage you to think about your relationship with your body.
- When do you feel most dissatisfied with your body?
- Where did your toxic attitudes about your body and negative self-talk come from (and when did they begin)?
- Who taught you to hate your body?
- Who taught you to love your body?
- What changes do you make with your diet/exercise routine when you feel "off" in your skin?
- Why do you feel great pressure to change the way that you look?
Helping female athletes develop (and maintain) a healthy relationship with food and the body is a topic that I will always promote. I've written over 30 articles on the topic, created a program to helping female athletes unlearn toxic dieting behaviors and fix the dysfunctional relationship with food and the body that is sabotaging performance while negatively impacting mental and physical health and it's a subject matter that I discuss with all of my nutrition and coaching athletes.
Far too many female athletes struggle with the contrast between a body that is healthy and performs well in sport and a body that meets "social standards." While some athletes see weight loss as a means for sport improvements, many athletes adhere to rigid eating rules to look a certain way. When a female athlete has issues with how she looks, there's a good chance that this athlete will intentionally undereat and overexercise in an attempt to change her shape, size or weight....but with this comes the inability to meet energy, hormonal and nutrient needs. Food and body image become a mental stressor as health and performance deteriorate.
There is no escaping the fact that female athletes are objectified. Glorifying unattainable standards of the body of a female athlete can negatively impact the self-esteem of women - especially young female athletes. Female athletes do not deserve to be judged, shamed and sexualized. A female athlete's looks should not override the celebration of her athletic ability.
The power of change starts from within. In a society where societal expectations and pressures on how a female body should look often drive females to diet, exercise and cosmetically change their image/shape/size, how can we move to a more gender equal world if women constantly feel the need to change to meet a standard?
This leads me to an even more important question....
Who the heck is setting this body image standard that you feel you need to achieve?
A set of beauty standards with the mission of achieving an ideal (or approved) shape, size, weight or appearance does not help us move toward equality.
It's unfair and unrealistic. Far too many women are discriminated against simply for being (or not being) a certain size.
Let's stop the objectification of the female body and see every body type as an amazing piece of art. Your body is a gift and it should be celebrated and cherished. Body diversity is normal. Only when you care for your body properly, can we move closer to female body acceptance.
There is no escaping the fact that female athletes are objectified. Glorifying unattainable standards of the body of a female athlete can negatively impact the self-esteem of women - especially young female athletes. Female athletes do not deserve to be judged, shamed and sexualized. A female athlete's looks should not override the celebration of her athletic ability.
The power of change starts from within. In a society where societal expectations and pressures on how a female body should look often drive females to diet, exercise and cosmetically change their image/shape/size, how can we move to a more gender equal world if women constantly feel the need to change to meet a standard?
This leads me to an even more important question....
Who the heck is setting this body image standard that you feel you need to achieve?
A set of beauty standards with the mission of achieving an ideal (or approved) shape, size, weight or appearance does not help us move toward equality.
It's unfair and unrealistic. Far too many women are discriminated against simply for being (or not being) a certain size.
Let's stop the objectification of the female body and see every body type as an amazing piece of art. Your body is a gift and it should be celebrated and cherished. Body diversity is normal. Only when you care for your body properly, can we move closer to female body acceptance.