Sustainability Against Shame
For far too long, advertisements, magazines and social media have been intentionally eroding our concept of body image and worth in order to sell us products and fuel capitalism. Gross.
Marieke Eyskoot teaches us how we can actively recognise and resist the way shaming for profit works — and then how we can work to fight it.
Shame season has been in full swing lately. Not only do we need to measure up with our careers and in our relationships, we also need to work our asses off and pay exorbitant money for the illusive bikini bodies. Don’t forget you need to lose those “corona kilos” too!
Magazines write about how you can use make up to shape your entire body, so as to highlight your good bits and shade away your cellulite thighs, wobbly belly and/or saggy boobs (m/f/x). Imagine how much make up you’d have to buy for that! And let’s not even start about hair. How very dare you show such a natural part of yourself, when there are many creams, razors and even surgical procedures you can purchase to remove it.
These shaming tactics have become the norm in commercial communication. And it’s time to stop this. To stop feeling terrible about ourselves — and treating the planet terribly at the same time. Time to unite: this is #SustainabilityAgainstShame.
Sustainability and shame are linked
There’s no way around it — we are being shamed into buying products. We’re made to feel like we are not good enough, like we don’t belong, so we will spend money on the items that’ll solve this. At the same time, we are aware that people and the planet are in trouble, and that we need to change our consuming behaviour to get us out of this climate and social crisis. So how come we have such a hard time actually doing this?
Well, partly because of the shaming system. Because we are being brainwashed — kept hostage almost — by these norms and taboos, that teach us time and again we’re not okay until we buy more (and more and more and more). We need to actively recognise and resist the way shaming for profit works, to not only save ourselves, but the world too. Which is why I am launching the #SustainabilityAgainstShame movement. And I can’t do it without your help.
Image by Nina Olsson: Natural light and unretouched pictures of Marieke (wearing lipstick only)
How shaming for profit works
We are all perfect, just the way we are. There is nothing to be ashamed of. We are all human, we all have a shape, a colour, and we all have flaws. Nothing we buy can increase our self-worth and self-love. That is entirely ours. However generally, the fashion, accessories, beauty, gadgets, sports and diet industries beg to differ — as does much of the media.
We are not good enough. You are not beautiful enough. Your skin isn't smooth enough or the right shade. You are not skinny or fit enough. You don't wear the right clothes or are not on trend. The ideal we have to live up to in the lifestyle business is ridiculously limited. In fact, much of this messaging is specifically intended to make us feel bad about ourselves, so that then only they can offer the solution: their products.
So we’re talked into having a problem, which in turn pushes entire generations to develop negative self-image. And we’re tricked into incessantly buying more and more, which makes it nearly impossible to become truly sustainable. Businesses are getting rich thanks to our low self-esteem, doubts and insecurities, and the world suffers.
This commercialisation of our body and soul lies at the heart of our struggle to change our behaviour. As long as you don’t like yourself, it’s okay, because then you remain vulnerable for the idea that you can fix this by shopping. The pressure on our looks doesn’t only affect our happiness, and our mental wellbeing, but also how sustainably we can act.
What #SustainabilityAgainstShame is about
The time has come to change, and move towards a new system. A system where we are all celebrated, included and where sustainable products that make us feel good about ourselves, are easily accessible.
#SustainabilityAgainstShame addresses, but is not limited to:
Our bodies: size, shape, colour, wrinkles/cellulite, sweat, body hair, hair colour or loss, skin condition, discolouration/freckles, acne, ability, menstruation etc.
Our looks: not on-trend/in-season, not like everyone else or the celebs, not right for your body, not gender-conforming, too sexy/modest etc.
Our lifestyle: what we eat, how we work out, who we fall in love with, how we identify ourselves, etc.
And there is so much more!
Image: a non-binary femme using a make-up brush – part of The Gender Spectrum Collection
How you can get involved to stop this cycle of shame
Use the hashtag #SustainabilityAgainstShame — as well as tagging me @mariekeeyskoot — to share:
examples of shaming advertisements or magazine articles on social media
pictures of yourself defying these tactics — bring on the gorgeous body hair, wrinkles, cellulite and all you want to free!
examples of positive, inclusive ads or communication, so we can jointly learn to be better
Urge companies and media to sign the #SustainabilityAgainstShame pledge, which you can find on my website — so far, amongst others Lush NL, Global Fashion Exchange and Conscious Citizen Co have subscribed
And be very conscious of this sneaky way of communicating, resisting the message and spreading the word.
This way, we will put the link between shame and sustainability on the map and stop the stigmas. I look forward to learning loads together, to normalising our bodies and working to change the world.
Want more?
Read more on Intersectionality
Read more from the author of this piece, Marieke Eyskoot
