Physical Appearance and Body Image Contribute Significantly to an Individual’s Sense of Self.

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Tall, short, skinny and fat are all distinctive traits that people may have. But these are more than just mere physical traits though; they are also traits that contribute to a person’s identity. 80% of 10-year-old girls have dieted. 90% of high school junior and senior women diet regularly. Young girls are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of nuclear war, cancer, or losing their parents. Why do people increase the standards they want to achieve to such astronomical lengths? Why are children as young as 10 years old dieting? At that age I couldn’t care what I looked like, I was too busy playing in the sand-pit and looking for my next great adventure. But we have to realise now that it’s just society’s norm in this day and age to have the hour glass figure and not ‘let yourself go’. At that age I was terrified to get without my parents but these girls are willing to give up seeing their parents again if they are able to fit into a bikini for summer. Since when has it been so bad to be yourself instead of trying to be someone you’re not? Sandra Laing from the biography/drama ‘Skin’ realised this hard way after several efforts of trying and failing to be a part of the white community that was neglecting her for the majority of her life. Growing up my mum told me not be some one that you’re not and if your happy the way you are than why change. This is a motto I believe the community should live to because when you analysis it thoroughly it makes more sense that you can see on the outside. But why are these young girls dieting at such a young age and are more scarred of being obese than losing their parents? I believe that it comes down to a simply answer known as social status. Social status is what defines a person now, whether or not they are a jock, nerd, hipster or an outsider you will be judged by someone in the community because you’re not the same as

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