Taylor Giavasis Pushes Back Against Social Media's Unattainable Beauty Standards

I was an early bloomer who experienced the dawn of puberty around eight or nine, and her period at age 10. Looking back, I’m struck by how young I was when navigating through such significant changes. 

At a young age, having an intense period meant learning more about the things I put in and on my body, which took a long time to explore. I was fascinated by womanhood, but I was still a child. I wish I could tell my younger self there’s no need to rush growth. 

Newly sprouted body hair left me feeling self conscious — I shaved it all off, not knowing any other way. The lack of representation — both around me and in the media — surrounding these normal changes we go through had a profound impact on my self-perception.  

As an adult, I shave only if I want to but still, at times, feel uncomfortable about extra hair under my arms or legs — even when it’s an active choice. Though I know others’ opinions don’t matter, the discomfort can still seep in. 

The effects of being bullied for my body hair, height, and size as a child still reverberate today. As a young person, these comments had the power to crush my world and make me feel incredibly alone. 

At nine years old, I found myself searching online forums to see if my body was normal. Inverted nipples? Boob shapes? Vaginas? I would stumble upon images of nude bodies, placing unrealistic expectations of beauty into my young brain. 

Entering high school and experiencing the maturation of my body led to its sexualization, providing a slight boost in confidence. I still carried these insecurities, however, and often wondered whether these vulnerabilities would have ever crossed my mind if we didn’t live in a world that places so much value in women’s appearances.

The pressures imposed by society burden so many women — ones that are so deeply rooted that I’m still working to detach myself from them. 

Since those childhood and teenage growing pains, it’s incredible to see how far we've come in terms of body acceptance. Social media, however, has also ushered in new challenges of comparison and novel standards of unattainable beauty.

I noticed that where my friend’s saw their flaws, all I saw was beauty. It made me want to create an online safe haven where women could share their insecurities and celebrate what they loved about themselves.

This desire culminated in an Instagram page — @thenakediaries — and space for people to bare their stretch marks, cellulite, body hair, and other insecurities in order to normalize experiences of our bodies, subvert social expectations, and celebrate imperfections. 

It’s a space nine year old me, on the precipice of womanhood at such a young age, would have loved. 

As I continue to age, I've come to realize that body-love is just one aspect of existence. I’ve let go of the desire to be in love with every part of my body. 

I’ve shifted my focus instead to appreciating it for all it does for me and allows me to do. I’m so much more than my outer appearance, which constantly shifts and changes.

I’ve gone through many cycles of letting go of expectations and personal beliefs about beauty. Motherhood has brought about significant changes, involving a continuous process of learning, unlearning, growth, and transformation. 

The birth of my son filled me with a mix of emotions. I became pregnant with him after experiencing a miscarriage, causing deep anxiety and forcing me to confront repressed emotions and traumas. As he was born, I also felt reborn. 

My new world involved navigating breastfeeding, parenting in a pandemic, and my identity as a parent. Just as I believe society places pressure and scrutiny on women’s bodies, I also believe mothers are among the most judged groups of individuals. 

From pressures to “bounce-back” physically to judgment faced by women for continuing to lead independent lives, there’s an abundance of expectations coupled with an utter lack of resources for young mothers. 

The expectation to do it all and have it all together, while feeling foreign in our bodies and caring for another, has the capacity to break you. While postpartum I felt overwhelmed, mourning all the pain women go through. 

In sharing our experiences, challenges, and triumphs, we can create a supportive community that celebrates the beauty and strength of our bodies and minds. At times, I feel like I overshare on social media, but I know my openness is in service of helping others accept the unusual, difficult, and beautiful parts of themselves.

By shifting our focus towards accepting and appreciating our bodies for their functionality and inherent worth, we can cultivate a healthier relationship with ourselves.

As a mother, I have the opportunity to impart these values onto my children, providing them with a solid foundation to navigate through life's challenges with a sense of self-love. 

Social pressures can get in the way of finding your own sense of self-love, but don’t allow it to cloud your divine right: to find tenderness and comfort in your body, to ground yourself in the embrace of your true self.