“Thinspiration” videos and pages have been popping up all over the web. As discussed in the bioethics of cybermedicalization, it is hard to ever find a true black or white on these issues. Original “thinspiration” videos got a lot of hype, and were eventually seen as a negative thing by most of the world. One of these reasons is how it encouraged girls to strive for unattainable means. With photoshop and airbrushing, these photos are often not “real” people, which means some girls will die trying to achieve the impossible, by having that perfect, and truly unattainable body. How can one ever reach the impossible? Another reason that thinspiration was viewed in a negative light is that ways of “attaining” that body would often be embedded in the video or in the text beneath, encouraging starvation if it was necessary. To combat this, some have tried to make “healthy” thinspiration videos. For example,
This video encourages girls that “thin doesnt have to mean anorexic”, and attempts to promote a healthy approach to weight loss. But the problem is, the pictures they are using are again, unattainable. Using mainly celebrities who have obviously been airbrushed, it creates again an unattainable body that people can fight to the death for. So, what is the next logical type of thinspiration to employ? How about healthy bodies which are naturally thin?
So called “real girl” thinspirations are real girls, NOT celebrities with airbrushed perfect bodies. Yet again, it is encouraging girls to reach unhealthy standards. These girls may be naturally thin, or may be using unhealthy methods to get there. But even if they are naturally thin, girls who are not as thin as that who want to lose weight will try to attain something that will never be there body type. For example, you could end up weighing 100 pounds, but if you naturally have wider hips, no amount of weight loss will change that.
The negative is all thinspiration promotes that where you are, right now, is not good enough. Why can girls not be viewed as beautiful, and view themselves as beautiful, just the way they are, at this very moment? Some may argue that some people are trying to get inspiration to lose those stubborn pounds that are putting them at risk for diabetes and other weight related diseases. Well then isn’t becoming HEALTHY your inspiration? Knowing you will see your daughters wedding day, or can spend more time with family would be more appropriate. It is not bad to want to lose a bit of weight and look sexy. But when it becomes a need instead of a want, and happiness becomes a destination rather than something that is with us through that journey, that is when weight loss can become a negative thing. Weight loss over striving for a perfect (unattainable) body is a much better goal, and thinspiration videos does not promote this.
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