From the moment a girl is born, she is placed on a pedestal and subjected to societal pressures to be perfect. These expectations of perfection extend from our appearance, behavior, emotional sense, and societal contributions. Women are constantly bombarded with messages telling us that we have to strive to meet these unrealistic beauty standards, comply with traditional gender roles, and embody the qualities of being maternal, soft, and beautiful. According to the Plastic Surgery: Facts and Figures webpage, 26.2 million cosmetic procedures were done in 2022 in the United States alone, which happened to be a 19% increase since 2019.

The constant reinforcement of societal expectations has an extreme impact on a woman's self-esteem. The pressures often cause women to constantly compare themselves to an unattainable “‘ideal” figure, leading them to have feelings of insufficiency and a destroyed sense of self. As we fear rejection, we limit our opportunities for growth and self-expression. But as unfortunate as it sounds, this cycle will never cease to exist. We try our hardest to change the way the world views women; however, the further we move along as a society, the standard changes, causing women to frequently strive for perfection. Never feeling fulfilled with themselves.

Beauty standards are societal expectations and ideals that define what is considered attractive or desirable, typically in terms of physical appearance. These standards are ingrained in women throughout their lives from a young age to remind them that to be something in this world is to be pretty. They all emphasize certain features or characteristics as being more beautiful or appealing than the rest. 

However, these standards vary across a vast amount of cultures and periods. Science of People showcases how the standards have changed significantly over the past hundred years. Women were expected to keep a boyish figure in the 20s, curves and large breasts in the 50s, being extremely thin in the 90s, to now having an hourglass body like the Kardashians. Constantly changing diets, makeup, and undergoing surgery to meet these standards is unhealthy not only for women’s mental health but also for their physical well-being. We are destroying our bodies trying to stay with the trends.

Cultural beauty standards differ more than we think. In Western cultures such as the United States and some parts of Europe, the ideal beauty of a woman is to have a slim figure, clear skin, and symmetrical features. East Asian standards often prefer a more youthful-looking woman with pale radiant skin, large eyes, and a petite figure. Cultures in Africa such as the Nigerian and Ethiopian cultures tend to favor women to have fuller and curvier body shapes with dark skin. Lastly, places in South America for instance Brazil and Colombia have a huge emphasis on having an hourglass figure with toned bodies, curves, and a sun-kissed complexion. These countries/ cultures highlight the importance of viewing beauty through diverse lenses and recognizing its varied interpretations worldwide. It shows the conflict that a woman faces when they're considered ugly where they live but seen as beautiful in other cultures.

I’ve had my share of feeling insecure with myself. Ever since I was young I asked myself if I was ever pretty enough. My mind was always fixated on how others would perceive me. “Eat more, you're too skinny,” was always a phrase I heard growing up. It was like a broken record, constantly reminding me that my body was unpleasant to look at. I envied Aishwarya Rai who was the staple of India’s beauty. She was fair with green eyes and had a radiant smile. One glimpse at her made me hate myself even more. I constantly tried to stay on trend so I could fit in, but it was never enough. I despised my appearance but hated even more that society cared just as much about my looks. Even family members, well in their forties, would constantly remind me that I was unpleasant to look at, highlighting the perversion of these beauty standards 

I never understood why being pretty was the way to go. People were always treated better when they looked and acted a certain way, but why does it matter about how we look? With over 8 billion people in the world, we are all diverse and unique, we are bound to have different appearances and ways of expressing ourselves, and there shouldn't be a problem with that. Beauty shouldn't be something that can be defined by a single standard or ideal, it should be celebrated and encourage others to embrace their individuality.