The Influence of Body Challenges Online

Body challenges are increasing online!

The digital transformation led to the creation of many and many challenges to show how thin you are or how far you can go with your body, more stupid than each other.

On the internet, showing yourself has become normal and has become a sort of “competition”. “Who’s going to be the more…?”.

The first I can talk about is “A4 Waist Challenge”: If you can hold a piece of 8.5×11 standard printer paper up in front of you in front of a mirror, and your tummy does not stick out behind it, you are not yet considered thin and beautiful according to Chinese standards. They are calling it the “A4 Waist Challenge” and it’s exactly what it sounds like. An A4 piece of paper is not 8.5 inches wide, but only 8 inches wide and some women pose behind this piece of paper to show that their waistlines are narrower than that.

The second challenge I’m going to talk about is also about being thinner and thinner… We are going to call it “Hide and knees”. Some trends happen over and over again, like 30-day do this-stupid-exercise-to-get-immediate-results-when-you-won’t-actually-see-any-difference or 45 day drink-only-water-and-eat-only-one-raw-carrot-a-day-while-you-try-not-to-die weight loss trends. Women in China are using their iPhone 6 to show off the fact that they have socially acceptable skinny legs. If your iPhone covers your knees, you’re skinny, congrats!

Oh, I’ve got another great challenge!

Do you have a beautiful, desirable, one of a kind, completely stunning, like no other… collarbone? This one was also invented in China and has women stacking quarters or nickels on their collarbones. The more coins you can fit, the more pronounced the gap and the more beautiful you are. The 2.0 challenge? Try to make them all stand up straight. Some girl could hold 80 using both collarbones combined and is the winner… of what? No one really knows.

Breasts are over-sexualized online

Breasts are commonly over-sexualized on the Internet. However, can you hold a pen, an eyeliner or even a knitting needle under your boob? Apparently, on Instagram in 2016 it was decided that if you could hold something under there, you have nice and firm breasts… This challenge is a wonderful idea to show that each body is beautiful in its way.

Next challenge is “Show your hairy underarms!”. Women taking pictures of their body hair, sometimes dyed in beautiful colors. Seems like there is a negative stigma surrounding body hair and it basically is stated unattractive by men. Shave. Don’t shave. It’s up to you. It’s okay to have a lazy day.

The “Kylie Jenner Lips Challenge” is one of the most as stupid as a famous challenge. Indeed, this young girl is known for her perfect plastic, such as her beautiful and big lips. Things you can try to be like the “amazing Kylie” :

First, you can Inject something chemical into your lips (mmh botox). Otherwise, the internet suggests you to suck on a plastic bottle or shot glass to create a vacuum effect that will plump your lips. Unfortunately, this one can cause damage to the skin like bruising, pain or even broken blood vessels. I don’t think this is worth it.

All of these challenges attract young girls (or boys, depending on the challenge), that’s why it is becoming dangerous for health. Therefore, please stop trying to be just like everyone else or even better than each other because no one needs to be skinny or to have big lips to be beautiful.