How we perceive ourselves
It is fairly common to see people dissatisfied with their physical appearances. Despite having a healthy weight, many people think they are overweight or unattractive while comparing themselves to celebrities or people near them and think negatively about themselves.
According to Yvette Brazier, in an article Body image: What is it, and how can I improve it? (medicalnewstoday.com), a body image is defined as a combination of thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of how a person views one’s body. Since it’s affected by how one perceives his or her physical appearance, he or she may be physically fit and attractive yet still have a negative body image. Whether it’s realistic or not, people look at Hollywood stars or Influencers and think they are how society views as attractive people and be unhappy with themselves by comparing Hollywood stars to themselves.
People with disabilities have problems with body images as well. It is fairly common to see people with disabilities portrayed as the victim or as the butt of the joke in media even today. In many cultures, people view someone with disability as different, and may even consider that person as not masculine or feminine enough and therefore not attractive by today’s standards. In an article published by the Bradley University Bradley University: Disability & Body Image, it states that men who have disabilities may have difficult time to live up to masculine ideal such as independence and strength which might lead them to question their masculinity and their attractiveness and even their place in society. Women with disabilities also face similar problems; they may see themselves not fitting into the narrow definition of attractive female body.
It’s not easy but we can try to break out of these negative perceptions by accepting our bodies. Kanya Sesser, a skateboarder and a model, mentioned that she “feels good about herself [as in] being confident in [her] own body” in a podcast interview with Ming Canaday, a founder of Traipsin’ Global on Wheels. Sesser pointed out that her being comfortable in her own body encourage other women to show who they really are physically and not just mentally. People come in various shapes, sizes, and colors and it’s not just that very specific type of body that are considered attractive. Anyone, regardless of his or her disabilities, can be attractive – if he or she takes the first step forward by starting to be comfortable in one’s body and accept it for what it is.
This article was inspired by the podcast episode with Kanya Sesser. Here is the link to the episode.