MONTREAL, June 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The arrival of the summer season and sunny days often reignites the pressure to look your best. Formerly known as the No makeup daycountryside To be beyond appearance, which takes place from June 10 to 14, 2024, invites us to become aware of the omnipresence and impacts of pressures to conform to social standards of “beauty”. Strategies are also proposed to learn to gradually free yourself from these unrealistic standards. The idea of questioning the importance given to appearance does not mean that we do not give it importance or that we point the finger at the people who care. Appearance is part of who we are, but is one element among a multitude of other facets that define us much better.
Invisible costs
There are many pressures related to appearance (well-groomed hair, fashionable clothes, white and straight teeth, young and smooth-looking skin, etc.) and influence our individual and collective conception of what beauty is. According to a Léger survey1 commissioned by ÉquiLibre, 76% of people agree with the fact that the beauty standards conveyed in the media are unrealistic. Yet nearly one in three (29%) adults aged 18 to 34 often or always feel pressure to look like “beauty” standards.
When appearance becomes overly important, the resulting costs far exceed the dollars spent, although those are not insignificant. The time and energy spent meeting these unattainable standards can truly hinder a person’s life.
“The pressure to conform to these ideals of “perfection” can harm our well-being, our self-esteem, our personal accomplishments, the development of our potential in other areas of our lives, our relationships with others and to the appreciation of our true value. », explains Andrée-Ann Dufour Bouchard, nutritionist and project manager at ÉquiLibre.
By giving less importance, time and energy to our appearance, we free up space for other areas of our lives and can flourish in different areas. This allows you to cultivate diverse self-esteem and establish more authentic relationships with others and with yourself.
“The mental space that appearance occupies can potentially ruin beautiful moments, whether during an activity, a trip or with our loved ones. By freeing up this space, we can flourish in our activities and our projects in addition to fostering self-esteem based on our qualities and our passions. », Underlines Marie Soleil Dion, spokesperson for ÉquiLibre.
For concrete strategies to gradually free yourself from appearance-related pressures, you can listen to episode 12 of the podcast Beyond the Mirror: Reflections on Body Image entitled “Betting on being rather than appearing: yes, but how? “. Our guests, actress and host Marie Soleil Dion and psychologist DD Janick Coutu (Dose de psy), share their perspectives.
New name, same mission
Although the No makeup day had enjoyed excellent outreach in recent years, it became necessary to change the name since it did not reflect all of the campaign’s objectives. The latter does not position itself for or against makeup, but rather invites individual and collective reflection on the place that appearance occupies in society and in our lives.
“Appearance pressures are not limited to makeup; they also include weight control, the cult of youth, fashionable clothes, cosmetic surgeries, the use of digital filters and many other aspects. Thus, the new name To be beyond appearance encompasses a broader and inclusive view of challenges related to beauty standards. Ultimately, the impact we want to leave with this campaign is to get people to question the place they give to appearance in their lives and to remind people that the value of a person goes well beyond the image it projects. », Mentions Andrée-Ann Dufour Bouchard, nutritionist and project manager at ÉquiLibre.
About‘Be beyond appearance
This campaign invites us to question, individually and collectively, the importance given to appearance in everyday life. It encourages the population to become aware of the potential impact of social standards of “beauty” on health and well-being as well as to adopt an attitude that values being beyond appearance.
About ÉquiLibre
ÉquiLibre’s mission is to promote the development of a positive body image among individuals and to create inclusive environments that promote body diversity, through awareness-raising actions and support for change in practices. The organization offers, among other things, a multitude of awareness and intervention tools, conferences, continuing training and more.
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1 Lightweight on behalf of ÉquiLibre. Report: Concerns about weight, diet and physical activity. Survey of Quebecers aged 14 and over. 2023.
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