Pushing Back on Body Image Pressures

For the last few years I’ve told parents that one strategy for helping their kids fight the body image pressures they feel from marketing is to do a Google search for celebrities without makeup. The classic with and without photos I’d put up were of actress Scarlet Johannsen, who looked like two completely different people when the photos were placed side by side. Sadly, the advances in artificial intelligence now make it possible for us to embrace a desired visual self as we avoid sitting in the hair and makeup chair, and instead have our appearances glamorized by using one of the many online apps. I want to issue a warning about this subtle and dangerous trend. On one level, trying to overcome our perceived appearance flaws exposes our own insecurities and our dedication to the idol of appearance. In addition, it creates pressure on others who now feel the pressure as the result of the comparison. Can’t we just be ourselves? Can’t we spend our precious time growing in our faith?