Selfies — they’re everywhere right? A modern phenomenon. And whether we want to admit it or not, whether we take them to be goofy, show off our makeup or just because we’re bored (that’s me), we all take (and share) them now and then. And every Instagram like serves as a mini-confidence booster — but is that healthy?
In support of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February 23-March 1), Her Campus has been hosting a #LovingMe project, encouraging people (but young women especially) to share what they love most about themselves (excluding anything physical) on social media. I think it’s a great initiative to remind us we should be sharing more than our pretty faces.
What do I love about myself? I’m loyal (almost to a fault, but we’re focusing on positives here). I’m a good storyteller and good with words. I’m practical-minded with a creative streak. I’m good with my money. I’m nice. And you know what? There’s even more stuff that I love about myself — I’m more than my body parts, whether I like them or not.
Which is why it’s so disappointing to see what the TODAY show has been doing this week with their “Love Your Selfie” series. The show’s intentions seem to be in the right place, as their blog explains:
Every day too many of us wake up unhappy with the way we look. TODAY wants to change that! With the “Love Your Selfie” series, kicking off Saturday, Feb. 22, TODAY will examine the obsession with body image and how we can join together to feel more positive about ourselves. TODAY’s anchors will take an honest and revealing look at how they feel about their own body image.
It sounds kind of great, right? I have to take issue though with how the emphasis is still placed on outward appearance. I much rather hear about what personality traits celebrities feature about themselves rather than listen to what they and the anchors are self-conscious about. There’s a time and place for that, and it takes guts to admit what your “imperfections” are, but NEDA Week is not that time — especially if it’s not balanced out with discussions on “inner beauty” and the like.
Ultimately, it feels like a missed opportunity, especially when the statistics TODAY shared about body image are so eye-opening: Read more