Beauty standards are harmful, and we would all be better off if society stopped promoting them. Unhealthy beauty ideals have existed for centuries and have always been enmeshed in our society. They’ve also always been actively harmful, especially for women. 

Society has always had ideas of how women should look, although these differ by culture and time period. Many of these standards idolize certain features or body shapes, most of which are only attainable for a certain number of people. Those who don’t meet these standards are ridiculed by those who do, and as a result, they feel pressure to change themselves. Many do so via the use of cosmetic products, and some go so far as to get plastic surgeries in order to achieve a more permanent change. These women are going to extreme lengths because they feel extreme pressure to look a certain way. 

Beauty standards also cause a decrease in self-esteem in a lot of people. For the past few decades, society has emphasized thinness as something that makes someone attractive. Many of the celebrities and influencers that girls see on social media are thin, often to an unhealthy degree. Many girls feel that to be considered attractive they have to emulate this body type, which can lead to them developing eating disorders. By promoting a certain body type, society is essentially telling everyone who doesn’t fit into that body type that they’re inferior.

As we try to change more and more of ourselves so that we can become beautiful in society’s eyes, we lose what makes us unique. We change our facial features, or our hair colors, or the way we dress so that we can meet someone else’s standards, but by doing so, we’re ridding our bodies of what truly makes them beautiful. Some women devote their entire lives to the pursuit of beauty, simply because society tells them that being attractive and looking a certain way is the only thing that will give them value. Women should be able to live their lives without constantly worrying about how attractive they seem to others, and this won’t be possible if society keeps promoting unrealistic standards.