media is one of the worst culprits in creating unrealistic and toxic beauty standards and body image stereotypes, especially when it comes to women. but lately, the industry has been trying to address the issues and change the narrative.

let’s look at some movies and shows that have tried to change the industry’s direction over the years:

little miss sunshine (2006)

little miss sunshine is the movie to start with whenever you think of breaking unrealistic beauty stereotypes. this 2006 comedy movie follows the charming olive (abigail breslin) who aspires to be a beauty queen. the movie portrays the world of beauty pageants that are constructed on false standards of body type and beauty.

hairspray (2007)

a fun-filled classic, the 2007 adaptation of hairspray stays authentic while addressing body positivity, racial identity and the struggle to fit in early 1960s Baltimore. shake things up with tracy turnblad (nikki blonsky) who goes after what she wants. she wants to dance and become the miss teenage hairspray. the movie shows that no one can stop you from getting what you want.

glow (2017)

if you are in the mood to watch a show that is diverse, real, and has awesome storytelling, tune in to Netflix for one of the pioneers in the body positivity movement: glow or the gorgeous ladies of wrestling. the show is based on one of the most amazing body-positive wrestling crews of all time. wouldn’t it be great to watch a show highlighting badass women for a change? hell yeah.

dietland (2017)

dietland sounds like a bad reality tv show. but its anything but that. the show follows Plum (Joy Nash), an aspiring writer who embarks on a journey to accept herself as she is. is not easy to love oneself, but once we take that step, everything is possible.

isn’t it romantic (2019)

the awesome rebel Wilson plays natalie in this 2019 musical comedy. natalie struggles with self-esteem issues and has felt invisible all her life until a mugging goes wrong and lands her in a coma. what happens next is not only a fun-filled jab at every romantic comedy trope that doesn’t make sense, but also champions body positivity and self-love.

it is true that the industry is making changes to how it perceives and portrays beauty, but these movies are too far and few in between. the industry still has a long way to go to fully address the toxic beauty standards and replace them with an inclusive culture. till then, we can enjoy what we have and keep loving ourselves.