In America, Park Nicollet Melrose Center says approximately 80% of women don’t like how they look. 34% of men aren’t satisfied with their body either. In high school, we see the same kind of problems.   

An anonymous survey conducted at CTHS shows the same results here:

When it comes to body image, many people are dealing with anxiety over how they look. However, freshman Annelise Soonyadeth doesn’t feel that way. 

“I’m not insecure about it, to be honest,” Annelise said. 

Annelise said she doesn’t feel as though she has time to be insecure about her body. 

 “I just go with the flow,” she said.  

Yet, when she was in middle school, she was insecure about her body. 

“I was in gymnastics, so my shoulders were really wide,” Annelise said. “Gymnastic people are typically shorter, so they could do stunts. I was tall so I was uncomfortable with my height.”  

Annelise credits Charmers for helping her feel much better and more confident in her body than before. 

An anonymous male sophomore also felt confident in their body. 

 “It was a look-good-feel-good situation I have for myself,” he said. “I just feel confident in my body no matter if I was slim, or if I was a bit bigger. I don’t really care.”   

In middle school, though, he said he had close to the same situation as Annelise.  

“I was in athletics, and I was really trying to get slimmer, but compared to now, I don’t really care about what people think about how I look,” the sophomore said. 

When he looks in the mirror now, he says all he sees is perfect imperfections. 

“Those flaws are what makes us different from everyone else,” he said. “So those flaws are our perfect imperfections.”

An anonymous female junior lives on the other side of the spectrum, however. 

 “I don’t think my body is the right shape,” she said. “I don’t like my face.”  

Freshman year to junior year, she acknowledges how she’s grown throughout the years. She says she didn’t know what her definition of beauty was.  

“I feel like I know more about my body now than freshman year; I feel a bit more confident, but at the same time, I still feel like that little girl who doesn’t know,” the junior said. “I felt like I didn’t know much about how to take care of my body.” 

Now, she’s feeling more open minded about her body, and she says she knows that she’s built different, and that it’s okay. 

However, in the mirror, she still sees the extremes by saying she looks either “cute” or “disgusting.”

 “I think I just see myself every day, and I just get so used to it, and I don’t like it,” she said. “I see more things than anyone else ever does.”  

In an entire new view, Felix, a transgender senior, doesn’t enjoy his overall body shape and size.  

“I’ve always felt this way,” he said. “My boyfriend makes me confident, though.”  

With dysphoria, he said it’s hard to see himself in the mirror

“I see a person that’s not me, I guess,” Felix said. “My face shape and chest, and overall femininity makes me hate what I see.” 

 Felix has experienced food/weight loss issues as well because he felt as though that would get rid of his bust and fat or define his jaw more. 

Throughout high school, students learn how to love themselves and be body positive. However, they still have to deal with the anxiety of trying to fit in and be a part of the “society” that is in high school. 

As the anonymous junior said, “I think it just takes time for you to love your body.”