Body Image
Playlist and Article by: Eating Rights
Listen Here!: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4g328ii4oLnagO4ju55noj?si=47bf0f5e240845fa
As we enter the 21st century, the prevalence of social media engagement among children and teenagers is exponentially increasing, exerting a significant influence on their impressionable minds. Within this digital landscape, pervasive messages often perpetuate unrealistic beauty ideals, which the audience internalize, subsequently fostering a negative perception of their bodies, including body shape, height, or weight. This many times leads to body dysmorphia.
Body dysmorphia manifests uniquely in different people, extending beyond just dissatisfaction with their physical appearance. It may be the fixation on perceived flaws; whether they are constantly looking at their bodies in the mirror, or feeling unable to even look at them. Those struggling with their body image often are consumed by the fear of judgment from others regarding their bodies. This preoccupation may drive them to fix or scrutinize these perceived flaws. Those grappling with body dysmorphia may believe that they cannot look good without makeup—thus relying on external enhancement to feel presentable and comfortable. Additionally, body dysmorphia intertwines relationships with food, leading to patterns of disordered eating.
There is a pressing need to raise awareness and address the impact of negative body image. Therefore, we have curated a playlist that delves into experiences of those struggling with body image issues.
Skyscraper - Demi Lovato
This song was written during the time when Demi Lovato was struggling with an eating disorder and was also suffering with other mental health problems. The song's lyrics discuss the pain she experienced when she was suffering from eating disorders and self-harm. Many people found this song very inspiring, especially those who were in a similar situation.pretty isn’t pretty - Olivia Rodrigo
The pursuit of beauty is the theme that revolves around this song. Society has bestowed expectations of what is considered as pretty. In the first verse, Olivia reflects on her effort to conform to the beauty standard: she covered her face with makeup to look pretty, skipped lunch and stopped eating cakes on birthdays to maintain a slim figure. Despite this, she still feels like her appearance will never measure up to the idea of perfection.Prom Queen - Beach Bunny
“Prom Queen” centers around a young woman grappling with self-acceptance; the lyrics encapsulates the insecurities that come with the efforts to conform to the conventional beauty standards of society. The song serves as a reminder for individuals not to compromise their authenticity to please others.Orange Juice - Melanie Martinez
A song about the struggles of bulimia. Lines like “Oh, oh, stick it down your throat…” also refers to self-induced purging. The lyric “When you're screaming at the mirror…” reference how people with body image issues look at themselves in the mirror; “screaming” is a pejorative word, oftentimes associated with the feeling of anger. What do people with body image issues feel when looking at the mirror—self hatred, anger at themselves for not looking perfect. Mentions of “Stuffin' up your mouth like t-t-tissue…” highlights the dangerous practice of the cotton ball diet, in which people digest cotton (or in this case, tissue) to feel full without gaining calories (fun fact this can clog your intestines).
Moving on to the chorus, “You turn oranges to orange juice/ Into there, then spit it out of you…” This reference mirrors the act of vomiting, where solid oranges enter the mouth and escape the mouth as a liquid/juice. The phrase “Your body is imperfectly perfect…” is a juxtaposition, almost ironic, as it could be understood in two different ways: given the context that this song is talking about and comforting a character who suffers from bulimia, this sentence could mean that the singer is trying to tell the character that by having flaws, she is perfect. On the other hand, it may also suggest that the character does seem to have the perfect body, but are her ways of achieving it perfect? “Everyone wants what the other one's working…” reflects societal pressures to conform to certain body ideals, even at the expense of one's health.
Finally, (a small theory from the co-author of the article) the use of the word “shoving” in the line, “Shoving clementines and orange bacteria…” hints that the character is silencing herself about her bulimia. Instead of telling people about it, it feels as if something is clogging her throat to avoid letting the truth spill out.Tied Together With a Smile - Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift wrote this song for her friend who was suffering from an eating disorder. The lyrics storytell the things her friend went through. “One thing I have noticed in my life is you can never judge what somebody else is going through, even if they seem like they have it all together.”Scars to Your Beautiful - Alessia Cara
Cara explicitly stated in an interview, “they tell us that there’s only one kind of beauty. This song basically contradicts that idea. It’s saying, ‘well, if the world doesn't like how you look then they should change. They should change their perspective. You don't have to change yourself.’ ” Unrealistic beauty standards have tainted today's society; constantly comparing ourselves to others who we consider more attractive to gain public approval/fit in the beauty standards.
The song's lyrics are a bit difficult to comprehend due to the punctuations located based on lyrical pauses. But put into effective sentences, the opening lyrics reads: She just wants to be beautiful. She goes unnoticed. She knows no limits. She craves attention. She praises an image. She prays to be sculpted by the sculptor. This song tells us to embrace who we truly are and to not be afraid to show our true colors, as well as coming to the conclusion of loving ourselves, “You don't have to change a thing/ The world could change its heart/ No scars to your beautiful/ We're stars and we're beautiful…”Love Myself - Hailee Steinfeld
Just from the title itself, Hailee Steinfeld's storyline for this song is about a lady learning to love herself after a heartbreak, depicted in the lyrics “Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else…” Even if the context is about heartbreak, the song serves as a reminder that we should first love ourselves first before allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and seeking love and validation from anyone else, “I’m gonna put my body first, and love me so hard 'til it hurts…”Most Girls - Hailee Steinfeld
Another one by Hailee, this song tells us that we are all different from physical aspects, behavior aspects, personality, etc, and that it is okay. Just because we aren't like everyone else, doesn't mean that we are outcasts: “No two are the same…” There are days where we don't like the way we are, but it's alright to change because, just like the song says, “You look greatest when you feel like a damn queen.”Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
Shifting perspectives from how one views oneself, this hit by Bruno Mars tells us that other people may see us differently than how we see ourselves, implied by “When I compliment her, she won't believe me/ And it’s so, it’s so/ Sad to think that she don’t see what I see…” The way that the song is written, in second person, makes it seem as if it’s aiming directly towards the listener, reminding them they don’t need to change who they are, because “Girl, you're amazing/ Just the way you are…”Body Dysmorphia - Eyedress
To conclude the playlist, “Body Dysmorphia” is selected as it highlights the importance of loving and accepting oneself despite societal pressures. The chorus echoes the recurring message, “You don't have to change/ You're perfect the way you are…”, encouraging the appreciation of people for their worth beyond superficial appearance.
As we tune in to these songs, we hope that more people have a deeper understanding of the personal journeys of those grappling with body image issues. Together, we can foster an environment where each individual is celebrated for their unique beauty and their worth.
