Controversy on ‘Are You Beach Body Ready?’

When I turned on the news and heard about this ad showing this perfect model as the mascot, I immediately thought: ‘oh no…here we go again once summer comes around.’ I cannot fathom on how much emphasis society puts on how girls are supposed to appear and what body type is considered acceptable in the eyes of society. We see this more than enough in Disney movies such as Cinderella, Snow White, and Beauty and the Beast. Young girls are taught at a young age what is an acceptable and desirable body type to men. I don’t care if companies put these ads and portray women to encourage women to be more self-conscious of their appearances or setting standards. I just know that every woman no matter of what shape or size they are, are beautiful in someone’s eyes.

 I loved how so many voices of women sparked up across social media platforms and posted pictures of them in bikinis and being proud of how their bodies were. The phrase in the ad itself was highly offensive. It isn’t much different than being told that you have an ugly body and it’s time to get into shape before hitting the beach. Are these marketing, graphic designers, and communications professionals just big idiots? That is sexist and discriminating.  Anyone can go to the beach. I’ve seen seniors go to the beach to sunbathe and enjoying the beach as much as anyone in their swimsuits. Are they considered not beach ready? The beach is opened to everyone regardless of race, sex, or body type. I hate how the ad is trying to label women into being either ready or not, overweight or having unattractive body parts. Yes, maybe they never intended the ad or the phrase to have that effect on the public but it did.

What companies don’t realize or underestimate is that when you put out ads and commercials that attack women’s sexuality, physical attractiveness is that you are probably causing depression and putting people down. You are causing people to choose to go on crazy workouts and diets in order to slim down to what society is willing to accept. In other words, these ads are scaring unconfident women to take off their clothes and put on a bikini or even a sundress to show their body in the summer. However, to those women who aren’t lacking in confidence will show their sexuality and their bodies without any fear of how they look or give a single ounce of care to what are society’s standards.

Go girls! Stand up and be proud of the body you have and don’t be afraid to show it off to the world during the summer on the beach!