ALL BODY IS A BIKINI BODY
It’s that time of the year again, Summer. Bikini body (Summer body) is always one of the most used words in this period. The pressure is always on, ladies will be hitting the gym every day to burn that fat while some will start that extreme dieting to get their bikini body ready for summer.
I guess when you hear about a bikini body, the bodies of the likes of Kim Kardashian, Toke Makinwa, and Bella Hadid come to your mind.
A bikini body is a misconstrued stereotype or belief that suggests that only a particular body type looks good in a bikini. It is quite oppressive to present and identify a particular body type as the only type of body that is attractive. There are different body types and each one is beautiful and functional.
The concept of "bikini body" is heavily fueled by the culture of body shaming and fatphobia that is deeply rooted in our society. It is even worse with the invention of social media platforms. Social media users, comedians, etc make countless insensitive jokes about it, you see it in the tweets, Facebook posts, or skits, all covered in the disguise of a cruise but someone is hurting.
What is a bikini body?
A bikini body is synonymous with a thin waist, round butt, medium-sized breasts, and long legs. The body shapes of female celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Bella Hadid, Toke Makinwa, and others are supposedly bikini-worthy bodies for others to emulate. These celebrities wear bikinis and get tons of compliments for that but when another person of a different body type wears it, it is perceived differently.
It's infuriating how we get reminded of this ridiculousness every summer. The entertainment and beauty industries contribute immensely to the propagation of this concept. Magazines Ads put up photos of these women to sell the narrative. Beauty companies and brands are constantly trying to sell detox teas, slim teas, body shapers, waist trainers, and other beauty products to women to help them achieve the most coveted body.
These have caused severe anorexia. (eating disorders), low self-esteem, body insecurities, and mental illness among women.
Achieving a bikini body?
How does one achieve a bikini-worthy body? I will like to say that it's by doing the following;
-Body Acceptance:
You have got to accept your body, love it, and flaunt it, because no matter your body shape or weight, some people are waiting to put a label on it. Be body confident. Appreciate your body because it serves its biological functions ( your body allows you to move, eat, dance, etcetera). Eat healthy foods, engage in any exercise of your choice, and be careful of what you feed your mind: if you believe your body is ugly, that's what you will continue to see, and if you believe that it's beautiful, that's also what you will see.
-Be Careful of What You Feed Your Mind
These days we spend most of our time on social media apps, so it's necessary to filter your timeline regularly. Unfollow all accounts that are constantly spreading messages against body positivity and vice-versa. We are in the 21st century and a lot of people, especially female celebrities, have spoken up against western unrealistic beauty standards. A good example is Lizzo, the American rapper who has shown us that she owes nobody a perfect body. She inspires a lot of women including myself with the way she flaunts her body on the Gram and rocks any outfit of her choice.
-Finally, if you want a bikini body, put a bikini on. It does not matter if you're a size 6 or 36, put a bikini on that body, and it becomes a bikini body.
Remember, no BODY is the standard.
