Women’s Health made an interesting New Years resolution for 2016. According to Editor in Chief Amy Keller Laird, the magazine will no longer be using the terms “Bikini Body” and “Drop Two Sizes” on its front covers. The news was revealed through a quirky letter Laird wrote for the magazine’s website, in response to a recent survey targeted toward readers.
“You told us you don’t love the words ‘shrink’ and ‘diet,’ and we’re happy to say we kicked those to the cover curb ourselves over the past year,” Laird writes. “But we’re still using two other phrases—‘Bikini Body’ and ‘Drop Two Sizes’—that you want retired. Since our goal is always to pump you up, and never to make you feel bad, here’s our pledge: They’re gone. They’ll no longer appear on Women’s Health covers. (Whew, that felt good!)”
Laird went on to describe why those catchphrases were harmful or unappealing to the majority of surveyors and described the phrase “Bikini Body” as being an “unintentional insult [for implying] that a body must be a certain size in order to wear a two-piece.” Her reasoning rings true for most survey respondents, but may be dismissive of overarching negative themes that accompany problematic terms.
Atiya Harvey, a sophomore and Feminist and Gender Studies major, describes the first image that comes to mind when hearing the term “Bikini Body” as being a white blonde woman with a very slim body. This image is a direct representation of the ideals that mainstream media aggressively glorifies, the ideals that consistently serve as weapons against the self-confidence of so many people, especially young women and minorities.
“I grew up only seeing white women in a lot of different successful roles,” Harvey states. “So I’d look at myself and be like: I’m not tall. I’m short, I’m black, and I’m not slim. And for a while I hated myself because of that, until I finally realized that is not my body type. Even when I rowed crew—when I was very small—I still saw flaws within myself because I didn’t look like the people I’d see on TV. I wasn’t a size two.” Harvey’s story is only one example of how the media’s lack of representation is unrealistic, exclusionary, and detrimental.
Women’s Health used the term “Bikini Body” and its associated images as an attempt to motivate people to exercise, diet, dye their hair, lighten or tan their skin, buy certain products–basically do whatever it takes—so that they can one day look just like the models the magazine chooses to feature (and Photoshop). Unfortunately, the majority of media sources that run off of advertising or subscriptions will do the same. Instead of focusing on improving the actual health of an individual, the focus remains on “improving” the physical appearance to the standards that have been set by the beauty and health and fitness industry.
Joe Ramirez, Owner and Master Trainer at Women’s Boot Camp Fitness here in Colorado Springs, is one of the many people working to empower women by making them feel secure in their bodies. His fitness programs are designed to get women in shape by helping them develop all-around muscle, which, in return, makes them feel confident in owning their bodies—clients will know they are healthy based on the work they’ve done and the change they’ve seen, not by the guides and images provided by media outlets (like Women’s Health) that show the appropriate look of a healthy woman. The atmosphere is also focused on building a community of encouragement, and is not competitive or based around bodily comparisons.
“I think having the emotional support of other women in a group provides a unique camaraderie where women can come together to support each other to become healthier and keep each other more accountable,” Ramirez stated.
Women’s Health is taking a step in the right direction by banning terms that imply a certain body type is the ‘right’ one. However, true and lasting change will only come when the models become diversified (both in race and shape) and the regiments offered become inclusive and empowering.
As Harvey explains, “There’s this idea that there is only one body type and that is not true at all. Different people’s bodies look and work in very different ways, so to only show one type and say ‘This is all you can be,’ it works against people.”
Ultimately, as Laird of Women’s Health said, “Any body—every body—is a bikini body”. Let’s try to start seeing that.