Social Awareness Project: Body Image

Ella Celebi-

1)    HI. Have you ever been called “fat” or “skinny”? Who and what gender?

Ella- I’ve been called “skinny” more specifically “anorexic” because of my weight. I personally think I’m at a good weight I weigh 103 pounds. And there was once a boy who weighed 30 pounds heavier than me but he is not fat or anything he just has muscle. He weighs 133 pounds. He has called me “anorexic” because I weigh 30 pounds less than him.

2)    Have you ever looked at a magazine and wished you were the model, or wished you had their body?

Ella- not really honestly, because I know that stuff is so photo shopped. It never really bothered me, I mean sometimes I think, “Oh I wish I had her arms!” because that is an insecurity I have.  But um, I know its photo shopped so it doesn’t really bother me that much.

3)    Okay, are you insecure about any part of your body? What and why?

      Ella- Well I just said my arms because um, I don’t know my arms are on the heavy side. And lots of the girls at my school have skinnier arms than me.

4)    What do you consider a “perfect body” for a girl and a boy?

Ella- For a girl probably like nice curves, a big butt and big boobs or whatever, Nice legs, pretty face, and pretty hair. And for a guy, a guy who is taller than you, has abs, strong, handsome.

5) Okay. So would you rather choose a guy with a really nice body and a horrible personality, or a guy with a bad body and a really awesome personality?

Ella- Definitely a guy with a bad body with a really awesome personality. 

Lorenzo-

1)    Okay. Have you ever been called “fat” or “skinny” ? Who and which gender?

Lorenzo- Uhh twice. Yeah in 6^th grade I was small and over the summer I called a boy a fat shrimp, and he said, “at least I’m not a toothpick.

2)    Have you ever looked at a magazine and wish you were the guy model or soccer player?

Lorenzo- No.

3)    Okay. So would you rather choose a girl with a really nice body and a horrible personality, or a girl with a bad body and a really awesome personality?                     

Lorenzo- Uhh… how bad are we talking? ( ugly, and no curves and fat) Uhh.. I can’t decide.

4)    Are you insecure about any part of your body? And why?

Well I can’t say nothing, but my friends think I have a big head. I embrace that but I don’t like my head.

5)    What do you consider a “perfect body” for a girl and boy?

Alright, the guy has to be ripped and have abs and he has to have like biceps ya know? And then the girl like… an hourglass.

Mark –

1) Okay. Have you ever been called “fat” or “skinny” ? Who and which gender?

            Mark- Yes I have been called fat. It is mostly by girls but occasionally boys.

2)        Have you ever looked at a magazine and wish you were the guy model or soccer player?

Mark - Yes I would say that. Well whoever is skinny and looks good. And ya know have that image every guy wants to have, ya know like for a girl being skinny, and for a guy like skinny and has abs.

3) Are you insecure about any part of your body? And why?

Mark- Yeah. Um probably my ears because a lot of people say they get really red sometimes. My teeth because a lot of people say I have shark teeth. And my weight because I’m not as skinny as other people even though I wish I could be.

4)    Okay. So would you rather choose a girl with a really nice body and a horrible personality, or a girl with a bad body and a really awesome personality?

Mark- Not to sound nice or for the video but someone who doesn’t have the “everyday type of body”  but a good personality. But of course I think I would prefer          a nice body and a good personality. It depends on who the person is.

Cassi-

1)    Have you ever been called “fat” or “skinny”? Who and what gender?

Cassi- I have been called skinny by both genders. I have never really been called fat since the 5^th grade.

2) Okay. So would you rather choose a guy with a really nice body and a horrible personality, or a guy with a bad body and a really awesome personality?

          

Cassi-  Neither. I don’t need a guy in my life! They need to have the whole package.

3) Are you insecure about any part of your body? And why?

Cassi- Probably my legs. I don’t know I feel like they are bigger than other girl’s legs. I don’t know I guess its just because I’m taller. 

4)    What do you consider a “perfect body” for a girl and boy?

Cassi- For a guy probably tall has to have abs, muscles, and leg muscles. For a girl big boobs, a butt, and skinny.

       

                        “Why Cant I Be Like the Others?” A scene.

“Ugh my waist is so small. I need to be bigger to impress Chris someday,” My best friend Maggie says.

“Oh please, my butt is as small as a 2 year olds butt,” My other friend Sarah replies.

Ever since I entered High School my friends stopped eating and others spent most of their time near a toilet throwing up. I was confused on how most of the girls at my High School kept alive, I mean, I try to starve myself but after 10 minutes I find myself at the fridge.

            “ Have you guys checked out the new Victoria’s secret Magazine? I have to loose 15 pounds so I could be a model. I wish I could just be like them, tall, skinny, big boobs,” Maggie whines.  What I do in most of these conversations is just nod and think about the things I could get my mind off of this “body” talk everyone has been talking about these days.

            “Hey, Charlotte I see a little flab. Maybe you should go take a run after school or something? I do cardio and yoga everyday afterschool so I could loose 15 pounds,” Sarah says. I feel my face burn and feel the tears about to burst.

            “I am going to be late to class,” I quickly say as I run to my locker. As I do so, I think of my body. Maybe I DO need to loose a couple pounds. Yesterday Jonathan Grooco said I had no butt.

            “Hey, Charlotte,” Big Butt Annabelle walks up to me with gum in her mouth and lipstick on her teeth. She checks me out and rolls her big green eyes. 

            “Is everything alright?” I ask her. Annabelle pulls aside Maggie who walks by us.

            “This is your best friend right?” Annabelle asks Maggie as she clicks her gum. Maggie looks at me and lifts her eyebrows. “Your friend has no butt or boobs!” Annabelle cracks up. Burning tears roll down my cold face, and I couldn’t even look up at anyone. It was dead silence in the hallway except for her obnoxious laugh. I pray to someone or something that Maggie comes up with a comeback, I feel too vulnerable to reveal myself.

            “ Yeah um… she has nothing!” Maggie laughs a little with Annabelle. Instead of my face red from embarrassment, it turns red with rage.

            “Maybe I don’t have the perfect body, but at least I have some feelings, and at least I am not fake like some people. “ I shove both of them with my skinny arms and sprint to 4^th period.

            THE END

When I wrote this piece, I wanted the readers to realize how the media puts out a message saying how girls should have a “perfect body”. I also wanted to show how there are body image stereotypes in this new generation.

In the scene, girls and boys surround Charlotte. They are telling her what she should look like on the outside. But Charlotte takes a stand and shows the rude girls that looks and bodies don’t matter, it is personality that should matter. Annabelle and Maggie who tell her how she should be, take it from the media and compare themselves to others. This relates to the real world because some girls are insecure about their body. They compare themselves to other girls, which makes them feel horrible about their bodies, it could lead to illnesses such as anorexia, bulimia, cutting, etc. We need to take a stand and realize how body image is a big social issue in the world of teenagers.

My Opinion on Body Image in Society

          In a teenage girl mind, there is always a place that notices all your flaws. For instance, I know as a girl, features about me that I may not like, or want to change. I notice that some girls compare themselves to other girls. In fact, 80% of woman in the US are dissatisfied with their bodies.

         In classrooms, girls say how small their butt is, or compare bra cup sizes. When I see this all I could think is, “Why does it all matter so much? We all have different kinds of bodies.”  I feel that the media shoves this one look that all girls want to have, which is: curves, small waist, big butt, and big boobs.

        I once heard a conversation between 2 boys in my class. One boy says, “Boobs or butt?” And the other one replies, “Both. I wish every girl at the school looked like Nicki Manaj.” I immediately look at them and said, “What about personality?” But am I right? This shows the reason why girls are so insecure about their body. Some boys expect girl’s bodies should all be the same, a specific shape and size.

       A solution to this social issue is letting girls know how beautiful they are no matter what kind of body they have. There are many songs like, “All About that Bass” by Meghan Traitor, “Pretty Hurts”, by Beyoncé, and many more that put out a message that no matter who you are and what kind of body you have, you are beautiful.

“Because every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top!” –All About that Bass