I’ve been wondering about this for a while, and I genuinely don’t understand what is happening.
I know that beauty standards are cyclical. There have been periods where curvier bodies were considered more attractive, periods where being very thin was fashionable, the “heroin chic” era, etc. So I understand that body ideals change over time.
But what we’re seeing now seems so extreme that I have a hard time believing it can just be about beauty standards.
I’m not talking about every thin celebrity, and obviously I’m not trying to diagnose anyone with anorexia. Eating disorders are complicated, and someone can become extremely thin for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with wanting to look beautiful.
But when so many celebrities seem to be getting thinner and thinner at roughly the same time, it’s hard for me to believe that this is simply a coincidence.
And honestly, I also struggle with the idea that they genuinely look in the mirror and think, “This is the most beautiful version of me.” Maybe I’m completely wrong, but I don’t think most people actually find an extremely emaciated body attractive. There’s a difference between being thin and looking visibly unhealthy, and it seems like we’re increasingly seeing the latter being normalized.
I’ve also seen people argue that this is partly about wealthy people wanting to distinguish themselves from everyone else. The idea is that being curvy or conventionally “fit” has become more accessible, so extreme thinness becomes a way for wealthy celebrities to signal status because it’s harder to achieve and maintain.
But I’m not completely convinced by that either. Wealthy people have access to countless things that are inaccessible to the average person : expensive plastic surgery, highly specialized treatments, luxury fashion, etc. And many of those things are also considered attractive by mainstream beauty standards. So why would extreme thinness specifically become the status symbol?
It makes me wonder whether there are other forces at play here
Why do you think this is happening, and why does it seem to be happening to so many women at the same time?
Posted by thesunisshining36