Self Confidence
More generally, consider the broader issue that underlies this controversy. Undoubtedly, as we have also learned through several other readings in this segment, people – and especially women – have felt pressured for decades to measure up to some perfect body ideal, which has led to numerous physical and mental health problems, including depression, anxiety and anorexia just to name a few. Moreover, the longstanding practice of “fat shaming” those who are overweight is clearly and incontrovertibly just wrong. On the other hand, according to the website Healthline, “In the United States, 36.5 percent of adults are obese. Another 32.5 percent of American adults are overweight. In all, more than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese.” With all of this in mind, put together a persuasive essay that discusses how we, as a nation, can balance these two seemingly competing issues. How can we succeed at simultaneously dealing with what is clearly an obesity crisis while still working toward eliminating pressures to conform to unrealistic body images?
