Dare to bare

Many of us are probably sick of hearing the words 'perfect' and 'body' in the same sentence. I know I am. Body positivity advocate, Evie Copson spoke to me about her experience with vitiligo and the impact social media has.

photo credit: unsplash

This idea that there is a ‘perfect body type’ has been floating around and harassing us for hundreds of years. While behind closed doors we can agree it is ridiculous, we attach our demeanour to this soul-crushing incentive and place more importance on other people’s views than our own. It is funny how we blame and slate society when all society is, is us. We use that word so that we don’t have to personally admit to playing a part in this vicious game. If it’s not the corset, it’s now the internet and diet pills. It can feel like there is no escape and it makes you wonder; will we ever be rid of these societal pressures?

I reached out on Instagram to Evie Copson, who has vitiligo and is interested in all things body positive. When I asked about role models, evidently Winnie Harlow was mentioned as “an absolute beacon for people with the condition, she was certainly the first public figure I remember representing vitiligo openly.” When Winnie Harlow entered the scene, it undoubtedly brought new attention to the condition. With her being a model and public spokesperson, you can see just how important representation is.

"Googling it is like the Wild West for your self-esteem!”

It is interesting to see that social media can actually be a progressive platform for body positivity while simultaneously being the very thing in today’s world that implements the issues in the first place. Evie says, “weirdly, I’d still consider Instagram to be my only pathway into the wider community, anywhere else you look into it you come across mostly very stigmatised views and misinformation. Googling it is like the Wild West for your self-esteem!”

As there is a growing influx of body positive activists, it makes sense to use social media to their advantage as it’s accessing people worldwide. Although, some of us have qualms about social media being the devil’s advocate; isn’t it possible that one day we could change all of that and use our powers for the greater good?

Now, let’s address the downside. Of course, it is a beautiful development to have better publicity for minority matters now more than ever before. However, we face the next problem of people treating such things as ‘trendy’. “I do come across a lot of people who over compliment or claim that they wish they had it,” Evie says, “it’s a genetic skin condition, caused by an autoimmune disease, not a handbag!”

It’s no secret that people tend to want what they can’t have. However, when it comes down to people wanting something without understanding the lengths others may have had to go through in order to love that part of themselves, it becomes a very degrading compliment to offer someone. Evie says, “the body positive movement has proved very powerful, for those who have had far more of a struggle with vitiligo than I have. I have light skin anyway and live in a privileged country, where it is not as deeply stigmatised. I’m so happy to see careers furthered and profiles lifted with the inclusivity that the body positivity wave has induced.”

The world needs there to be more recognition of one’s own privilege. Being in a privileged position is not necessarily a bad thing but people who are, should be more aware of the gratitude that others don’t get the opportunity to feel. Instead of trying to deny these privileges we should be using our positions to create a society with more equal opportunity and equal representation.

That being said, unfortunately we can find harsh scrutiny and snide comments everywhere. On her vitiligo, Evie says, “due to my family being pretty neutral about the whole thing, I’ve grown up without giving it much thought. I have it in easily concealable places, so it’s never been glaringly obvious to bullies. I’ve still been asked some odd questions about it though, like, ‘is it leprosy?’ or ‘was your mum a cow?’ but I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in a time where people are more fascinated than disgusted.”

While relentless badgering for a better society is absolutely necessary, the one thing that can often get left behind is learning self-acceptance. Afterall, if everyone learned to embrace who they are on their own, that in itself could attack and solve these global issues. Human beings have always come in different shapes, sizes and colours and that isn’t about to change. The big reason as to why we get so collectively miserable is because we’re constantly trying to alter all the wrong things. Instead of trying so hard to modify our bodies for a mould nobody can realistically fit into, why don’t we try putting all that energy into our mindset? Imagine what amazing things could happen if we did so. Granted it is all easier said than done, but if we don’t start now, when will we ever?