According to a recent survey conducted by Glamour, 54 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies. In 1984, when the magazine first conducted the same survey, that percentage was at 41.
So, what changed?
Social media, says Editor-In-Chief Cindi Leive. This week, she appeared on the Today show to discuss the survey results, and although body image issues are nothing new, she says they found that “the more time a woman spends on social media, the worse she feels about her body.”
The survey of 1,000 women ages 18-40 also revealed that for 80 percent of women, just seeing themselves in a mirror makes them feel bad, and it’s not all because Beyoncé woke up like that with a flawless face and bangin’ body. In fact, the insecurity mostly comes from friends and family.
“Celebrities, we all know, have a lot of help. They have a whole pack of trainers and dietitians who help them feel good about their bodies,” Leive said. “But really, when you’re looking at women on social media, you’re thinking, that’s the girl next door. If she can do it, I ought to be able to do it.”
Even with social media movements like the #nomakeup selfies and such, Leive adds that women are having a hard time internalizing body acceptance.
Other survey findings include:
- Thirty percent of women said it kept them from having sex.
- 27 percent said it stopped them from meeting new people.
- 17 percent reported it stopped them from dating.
- 33 percent of men were dissatisfied with their bodies.
Read more about the results here.
SOURCE: Today Show
