Bodysnarking is nothing new
Apparently the latest trend in devaluing each other is called bodysnarking - using social networking and blogs to criticize people’s appearances. An article in today’s Edmonton Journal by Misty Harris describes this newest on-line trend.
Well there’s nothing new about this except the venue.
Women have been making critical judgments about other women for ages. If we’re really honest, we’ll actually admit it. We do it out loud or with looks or in whispers. And overtly or covertly we vote that they don’t quite measure up to some standard we have.
A long way to go
We’re living in a time when a woman was actually a viable candidate for president of the United States. We might have come a long way baby in some areas but when it comes to how we treat other women and ourselves we’ve still got a long way to go.
I recently surveyed my wonderful stone circle community and guess what? More than half of them said they wanted to discover their real self and learn how to love themselves more. Oh yeah - and lose weight. In a chaotic world with competing priorities and little me-time, women feel disconnected from their authentic selves and are dissatisfied with their bodies regardless of what they look like.
As a culture we are addicted to TV programming like American Idol and Dancing with the Stars and America’s Got Talent - programs that invite us to sit in judgment of other people - particularly in those early audition rounds.
Somewhere along the line it became ok to criticize in unflattering ways how good people are or what they are wearing or whether their abs are flat enough or if their breasts are perky. And even if you are one of the small minority who doesn’t on some level participate in that sniping at others, I’ll bet you routinely snipe at yourself - out loud or in the mirror as your own internal critic.
One woman in the article even goes so far as posting negative comments about herself on Facebook as a way to beat others to the punch. She says she bodysnarks herself so other people will see she doesn’t take it that seriously.
Here’s a thought.
If we all really didn’t take nasty criticism that seriously it wouldn’t get any of our time and energy.
Perhaps what we need to take seriously is remembering that our physical selves are just the package - pretty or otherwise - that our spiritual self resides in. Bodysnarking is just another way to be disrespectful - of yourself and others.
Here’s a challenge.
For the next week notice all the people that you make judgments about - including yourself. Really pay attention.
Wouldn’t it be delightful if we fell in love with ourselves warts and all?
Wouldn’t the world be a lovelier place if you saw other people from the inside out rather than just the outside?
If there was ever a time for a women’s movement, it’s now. And it has nothing to do with equal pay or glass ceilings.
