Most of us are potential victims of "body shaming," this widespread phenomenon of receiving cruel feedback -- especially via social media -- when our bodies don't meet the unreal beauty standards of our time. This means, if you are not extremely skinny, tall, fit and, especially, very young. The actual culture of Instagram -- narcissism has enhanced this trend, so nowadays almost every woman is a target.
But the ones that are threatened the most are certainly models and actresses, because public exposition of their image is part of their job.
Some of them try to fight this with tools like plastic surgery, Botox, non stop workout, dieting... and Photoshop. The result is that they actually don't fight the problem, but only make it worse. By allowing this misogynist social pressure they keep alive the dangerous stereotypes that young women follow all over the world. That's how we see in covers of magazines all over the world this faces and bodies that don't really exist, but that pretend to be real, or that require exhausting and even inhumane methods to be achieved.
However, a group of actresses and public figures have taken another road, one that is significant and that leads to acceptation of our own bodies rather than follow a "beauty standard" without questioning it. In fact, Lena Dunham, Kate Winslet, Carrie Fisher, among others, are trying to make a huge difference exposing the "body shame" that they have suffered. The creator of Girls denounced recently a magazine that photoshoped her: "I don't recognize my body and that is a problem", she said. Kate Winslet has denounced several times situations alike. Julia Roberts asked her image not to be altered digitally in a recent ad for a multinational, just like Keira Knightly at the recent cover of Interview, photographed by Patrick Demachelier.
One of the most shocking confessions about the issues was from princess Leia of Star Wars, Carrie Fisher. She said to magazine Good Housekeeping that she was asked to lose 15 kilos for the movie... She was also criticized for her wrinkles and looks. "I am in an industry where all that matters is weight and appearance".
The fact that these brave women take the lead in denouncing this situation is the first step --among others -- to change a culture where women, even in the 21st century, are still treated as beauty objects, ones that are made to please others because of their looks and not their contribution to society. As the founder of a campaign against Photoshop in Chilean magazines, I totally support these brave actresses and hope that a lot of other public figures join the conversation and ask to be portrayed in media as they are.
Women have the right to accept their age and body. The shame is on the ones who use that to attack their self esteem.