Arguably, social media has had some amount of positive impact on society, but it definitely comes with costs. On Oct. 17, PEN Talks addressed one of them: how body image is affected by social media.
Pen Talks exists to encourage student connection through conversations about hard-to-talk-about topics like mental health, race, minority groups’ role in society and body image.
Brittany Matus, Daniela Marquez, Jason Nounanounou and Aubryn Ordyna were the four student panelists discussing the topic at the event. Kebo Nguimbi, a BYUSA member, directed the forum. According to Nguimbi, her goal in choosing this topic for the PEN Talks forum was for everyone to appreciate their differences and not let body image be part of a social equation. She emphasized that everyone is a child of God, perfectly made in His image.
According to the National Organization for Women, 53% of American girls are unsatisfied with their bodies. By the time they turn 17, that percentage jumps to 78%. One cause of negative body image is comparison.
Aubryn Ordyna, a BYU student-athlete, shared how she copes with comparison.
"Something that I like to use is thought diffusion," she said.
Ordyna explained how she identifies her thoughts as either positive or negative. For the negative ones, she acknowledges them but refuses to make them her reality by reciting power statements and positive affirmations in her head.
Brittany Matus, a master’s student and a member of the Body Project at BYU, added her piece to the conversation about comparison.
"For me, these last couple weeks, I've been reminding myself that my body looks and is the way it is because it needs to be that way right now to get me through," Matus said.
She emphasized the importance of realizing that our bodies are gifts, serving us in ways only we can benefit from.
Another topic discussed was the positive impact of being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and understanding God’s love for us on people's body image.
"I often think of how Satan wants a body so badly, and it is the one thing that he cannot have. He will do anything in his power to destroy our thoughts about our bodies," Ordyna said.
Jason Nounanounou, a business student and employee at the Sorensen Center for Moral and Ethical Leadership, shared his thoughts on the gospel and body image.
"Something that really encourages me is the truth that we've all been sculpted by the same creator, that we've all been stamped with the same superscription of God," Nounanounou said.
When asked about setting boundaries on social media to protect mental health, Daniela Marquez, a student employee at the Women’s Services and Resources office and a facilitator of the Body Project, shared her insights.
"It can feel very empowering to feel like you can take your social media back," Marquez said. "Just making sure that you have control of your feed is really empowering, and it can help shift your mindset."
Marquez suggested students can do this by following accounts they are genuinely interested in and resharing positive, uplifting posts to influence social media algorithms.
When asked about positive self-talk, Ordyna mentioned using the "I Am" affirmation app to maintain a positive mindset. She also spoke about creating self-love.
"Some positive body affirmations I use are saying to myself, ‘This is a good body.’ I think that can be helpful in learning to truly appreciate your body. The more we practice telling ourselves positive things, the more it becomes our reality," Ordyna said.
Marquez emphasized the power of mentality and how she keeps it positive.
"I like going through and just thanking my body for what it's able to do, breaking it down and being grateful — not because it's something to look at but because it allows me to do the things I love," Marquez said.
Nounanounou said he turns to prayer for positive self-talk.
"I love having this personal dialogue with the Lord because I feel like He sees me and He knows me," he said. "Something that helps me is putting distractions away."
Matus added that it's important to allow ourselves to take care of our bodies to find balance.
"With balancing all the different aspects like physical and mental health, you have to give yourself permission to take care of yourself," Matus said.
The final question posed was a difficult one: How do you reconcile being body-positive with the knowledge that people who are conventionally attractive are treated better in society?
Daniela Marquez offered her perspective.
"As a society, we've been socialized to accept one body type as the perfect person," she said. "The question asks how we can carry body positivity while also knowing that people who look a certain way are treated better. But if we look at it from a different perspective, who is it that’s giving them that treatment?"
Marquez went on to explain even people perceived as perfect are edited and touched up and can never meet society's standards.
"Even they are not meeting the standard because they’re getting touched up and made to be more perfect," Marquez said. "If no one can meet that standard, then why do we have it?"
God made people in His image. He is perfect, and so is everyone in their own way. This PEN Talks forum reiterated that point, teaching attendees how to maintain a positive mindset amid negative body analysis and comparison.
The event concluded by reminding attendees of resources available to help students with issues discussed in the forum including the Body Project, nutrition and wellness consultations, New CHAPTER, and BYU Counseling and Psychological Services.