Nowadays, diet culture is everywhere. Advertisements, social media, television, it’s impossible to escape harmful body ideals and toxic fad diets without shutting off the internet for good. One of the largest contributors to toxic internet diet culture is celebrities and influencers, and in light of Kim Kardashian’s recent escapade at the Met Gala, they need to be held responsible for their actions.
Ever since the Met Gala concluded on May 1, the internet has not stopped discussing the fact that Kim Kardashian lost 16 pounds in just three weeks to fit into Marilyn Monroe’s iconic 1962 “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress for the event. There has been much speculation on how she achieved this, thus encouraging people online to overanalyze a person’s body and leading them to believe they have the right to discuss a person’s weight in such detail.
An anonymous SSU student said, “Instead of doing a tribute to Monroe, [Kardashian] contributes to an already toxic diet culture by wearing a dress that was not meant to be worn by her. The Kardashians are constantly promoting diet teas, lipsticks, and shape wear so young girls can try to look like them, as they are fashion influences, but they do not look like them.”
Kardashian was open about her weight loss at the event, which has caused some backlash from fans and other celebrities. She made losing so much weight in such a short time just to fit into a dress seem like an ordinary thing, and some people are ignoring the harmful weight loss and praising her for her looks. This is even more concerning when taking into account the fact that the Kardashians are known for their frequent endorsements of diet teas and treats.
Registered dietitian Elaina Efird told Buzzfeed, “The issues that arise from Kim Kardashian perpetuating a narrative to alter yourself to fit into a garment have many negative implications. Most notably, it perpetuates the narrative that you shouldn’t wear clothes at your current size and that instead you should be changing your body. It perpetuates the narrative that thinner is ‘better.’ It perpetuates the narrative that you have to look a certain way in order to wear nice clothes, which is absolutely NOT true; you can wear nice clothes at ANY size.”
Strange and dangerous diet fads have been around for decades, often being labeled as a way to lose weight fast. Many people do not understand that weight loss takes time and can not be done instantly. For long term weight loss, it is recommended to try and lose one-two pounds a week, with a full, healthy diet and regular exercise.
Social media only makes diet culture more damaging and toxic, with easy access to hundreds of weight loss plans and “thinspiration,” which is images on social media that encourage people to be thin. Seeing these things online can really chip away at someone’s self esteem and cause serious mental health issues and eating disorders.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, eating disorders often begin between 18-21 years of age, when many people are in college. The phrase “freshman 15” might contribute to this, as it can lead to restrictive or unhealthy eating habits for people who fear gaining weight in college. College is stressful as it is and adding on the pressure to be thinner can be very damaging.
Everyone’s body is unique, and no one should ever have to change their looks to fit in. Physical appearances are not as important as health and general-well being.
