Every-body’s summer: Embracing shapes, silencing shame

Warmest days in the Philippines can be healing — through waves of the seas and oceans, warmth of golden sunlight, and cozy clothes with beach photos! 

Yet, in real life and social media, the culture  of “body shaming” sneaks in and ruins not just the summer mood but also someone's mental health and self-esteem. Body shaming degrades individuals with shameful and unnecessary remarks, leading to negative and maladaptive effects on a person's life.

In a society that breeds “body standards” of closed-minded perceptions, speaking up and fighting against these is a step towards an inclusive, compassionate world. 

Instead of perpetuating negativity and body shaming, all body types — regardless of size, shape, gender, or clothing used — should be recognized through a lens of positivity and body appreciation.

Many instances of body shaming, such as criticisms about body size and appearance, occur in everyday life, consciously or not. It can happen even at family gatherings, in day-to-day situations, with friends or strangers, or anytime negative comments are elicited about a person’s body.

Sometimes, it stems from ignorant remarks of “not knowing” the comment would hurt someone, and ending with a “Sorry, hindi ko sinasadya.” Instances such as supposed-to-be “jokes” and “friendly banters” about someone else’s body happens as well.

There’s also a time where body shaming  suddenly jumps out of the conversation from family relatives seeing each other and pointing out details of their appearances. And it happens in a split second frequently — in harsh comments on a social media post, hate trains on trending individuals, or even in the back of one’s mind.

“Yes, I experienced [body shaming] a lot, especially since I joined pageants. I heard countless ‘pumayat ka’ and ‘tumaba ka’ every time I go home or when I see a pageant acquaintance,” Angelina Lucero, a freshman at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, said.

“In a way, it’s rooted in the beauty standards, specifically what we think our bodies should look like,” Lucero added.

The toxic mindset of body shaming has influenced people, cultures, and society due to beauty and body standards, in which unfortunately,  biases on body and weight image are historically placed in media representation and culture, such as movie portrayals, stereotypes in TV shows, and global beauty trends. These weighed heavily as a societal pressure, negatively affecting people’s perceptions of their bodies and weight.

The unhealthy ground of “perfectionism” and societal qualifications and standards of beauty further influences people in body shaming others and even themselves. Thus, this culture of “perfect” standards led to negative perceptions and judgments of body types, even their own.

Biologically and physiologically, people have different body types, shapes, and sizes, which means bodies are equally different due to several factors and are not supposed to be shamed or criticized. Due to hormonal changes, genetics, lifestyle, and other factors, human bodies develop in different ways. 

Three body types — ectomorphs, endomorphs, and mesomorphs — are used to classify the biological state of a body without any hierarchy or superiority. These are classified as a “somatotype” and can be determined through measurements of body fat, muscle mass, and bone density. 

Ectomorphs are for lean and slender build, mesomorphs for athletic and muscular, and endomorphs for rounder and softer physique. The various body types show how different bodies are, and there is no inherently better type. It does not indicate any superior strength or weakness, and just elaborates that all bodies are supposed to be different based on body type, genetics, and other factors.

However, the toxic and derogatory mindset of body shaming targets any individual regardless of the physiological fact of body types, skeletal structure, or the variety of clothing used. 

Although sometimes subtle, and people may call it “just a joke” or “not a big deal,” body shaming affects people and society, especially someone’s overall health and well-being. The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) states that body shaming may lead to depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. These harmful effects  can pose serious concern for challenging the disdainful act of body shaming.

“As someone with an ectomorph body type, when I was a little kid, I was really thin, and one memory I remember is my cousin naming me as ‘siit’ in Ilocano, or a fishbone. Fortunately, I didn’t view it as something that would make me feel shameful,” Lucero said.

Being exposed to bullying and body or weight shaming, as well as having “high levels of body image dissatisfaction,” leads to harmful effects on mental health and poses a high risk for developing eating disorders, which can have serious consequences on overall well-being and functioning. 

“It can really affect one’s mental health because when I didn’t know how to handle it yet, it distorted how I perceived myself. I felt like I did something wrong and I should change something in myself just because I didn’t fit with the societal standards,” Lucero recalled her experience.

“Most of the time, unsolicited comments negatively affect me. When they would have something to say about how I gained weight, I hope they also considered if slipping out of their mouths was necessary and thought about how I cannot change such a thing in a snap,” Joecelle Dacillo, a student at Taguig Science High School, told. 

Moreover, body shaming has a risk of being internalized, which directs shameful comments towards oneself and lowers self-confidence. Seeing the repetitive representation of beauty and body standards can breed the negative space of judging oneself. Unless society takes steps against the toxic mindset of body shaming and negative space in the media, body shaming continues to harm the well-being of individuals.

With summer outings and getaways underway, the internet is filled with people sharing snaps of their vacations. Joyful with their well-deserved rest, people pose on the most beautiful beaches and resorts they’ve been to. However, some individuals will try to ruin the fun by leaving hateful comments about someone’s body — something that should be no one’s business but their own.

The unrealistic standards set expectations of specific body types that are considered to be the only ones “acceptable” to flex. It seems like only those with a maximum of 27 inches waistline can wear a bikini, and only those with six packs can reveal their top. These types of standards established the sense of fear, anxiety of sharing, and degradation of confidence, the reason why someone chooses not to post any picture at all.

 

The wide reach of everything we share online opened the door for negativity to thrive. Social media became one of the breeding grounds of hate — far from its main purpose of connecting people. 

Artists are often given the spotlight in social media platforms, yet, it also means the community eyes every detail about them — even the state of their body parts . With the heavy standards that are set on them, they are fantasized to be perfect in every way. This toxic mentality shifts the focus of the people away from their talents and into what should be out of their concern. 

No matter what you achieve,  once you cannot feed their unrealistic expectations, you will be flooded by hate. This is not new to the industry, there were numerous cases of how the community negatively reacted to celebrity bodies as it no longer aligned to the unattainable body ideals that they imposed on them, and it is extremely alarming to know that these are still a concern up to this date. 

For instance, Liza Soberano who is known to be a sweetheart of the Philippine showbiz and a successful woman with impeccable acting skills,  was downgraded with offensive remarks just because of a post where people pointed out how she gained weight while she was accused of being pregnant, and was compared to other girls her age.

The actress revealed it’s her number one insecurity, and  the disrespectful comments affected her mental well-being. 

“I think that’s no secret all throughout my showbiz career; I would always get criticized for my weight fluctuating back and forth,” she told celebrity doctor Vicki Belo in a vlog.

Fortunately, celebrities also stood up against the dictated ideals and shared awareness against body shaming. Spreading encouragement for people to accept their bodies, and opening their hearts to love it just the way it is.

Just like Liza, Gabbi Garcia, a well-known Filipina actress, shared the same experience. Garcia was attacked by insults whenever she posted pictures of her in a swimsuit. Bold and strong, the actress slammed those people when she posted another picture of her in a one-piece. 

“Whenever I post swimsuit photos, people would always bully me for my body. Well, guess what! Yes, I have no boobs, I’m flat chested, [and] I have my own fair share of stretch marks. And I don’t see anything wrong with it,” she said in her post. 

She also emphasized she is content with her own body, and her aim is not to please people. “If your definition of being ‘sexy’ doesn’t fit with my body type, well then sorry, but I love my body. And nobody deserves to be bullied just because of [their] body.”

No one is excepted to the hate train of body shaming, the cruelty it radiates and how it deteriorates someone’s perception of self-worth is a result of every unsolicited \ remarks made. This should not be normalized, and everyone should be aware that somebody’s body is their own concern and no one else’s. 

Each body holds a story, and what they share online does not even capture the tip of it. Everyone goes through personal challenges of raising self-esteem and appreciating their bodies. Some even face maladaptive consequences affecting their metabolism and everyday lives. In both real and virtual life, this prevalent toxicity of body shaming should be taken seriously.

Spaces in communities and media should be used for perpetuating positivity and not negativity, appreciation and not degradation. Shedding light on the harmful instances of body shaming — sometimes occurring in the most subtle ways — is a great step in placing a heavier responsibility on people's remarks and perceptions.

“Personally, I’ve been calling out my mother or those who do bodyshaming to me by saying what I feel about it and setting clear boundaries,” Lucero said.

In the presence of toxic body standards and stereotypes, healthy body image and appreciation are important. Regardless of what anyone says, there are a variety of body types influenced by several factors, and thus are supposed to be recognized with appreciation. Every type of body serves a purpose and functionality, and appreciating its purpose can provide a space for body positivity.

Appreciating one's body is a form of self-care and expression everyone deserves for themselves. During summer and beach season in the Philippines, wearing any preferred clothing — shirts, swimwear, bikini tops, sundresses, shorts, or anything — without thinking about societal perceptions is to express oneself fully and freely. Body appreciation offers a healthy and inclusive mindset and environment against body shaming. Going against the toxic body stereotypes equates to a healthy body positivity, no matter what the beauty trends or media represent. Beyond that, words of affirmation and healthy self-talk can boost self-esteem and combat toxic body shaming. 

From a personal perspective to a macroscopic lens, positivity should set ripples of change and compassion towards communities and one another. Body appreciation should not just occur during the summer season but also across other contexts and times, at school, work, the media, or at home. 

Community advocacy and campaigns for body appreciation can enlighten society on healthy body image and eating habits. Moreover, media and companies should improve inclusivity and representation of various body types, skin color, size, shape, and weight to promote body appreciation and acceptance.

Against the backdrop of negative stereotypes, fighting against toxic body shaming serves a huge role in action — speaking up in family gatherings when someone's body is perceived negatively, dismissing and challenging “jokes” about body types, providing awareness, boosting others’ confidence, or seeking accountability from perpetrators. Thus, every action of body appreciation sparks a burning, impactful change and brings warmth and compassion.

The warmest days in the Philippines can be healing, but body shaming disrupts the summer vibe.

For Filipinos to cherish another beach trip, family gathering, or friendly conversation, healing must take place in a compassionate and inclusive society where self-care can thrive as people care for one another — through body appreciation, and fighting against body shaming.