Advocacy Proposal

Issue: Body Image Issues Among College Students at UIUC

Introduction:

For my proposal, I want to address body image issues among college students at UIUC. This problem is of great concern because body dissatisfaction is a significant risk factor for eating disorders and is linked to depression and low self-esteem. For many college students, school, work, and social life are all responsibilities that one must balance. For some, worrying about physical appearance is an added burden that can negatively impact an individual's lifestyle. Why is this issue important? This issue is important because negative body images affect both men and women in college. It often leads individuals to engage in unhealthy behaviors and creates an unrealistic ideal to "fit in." To help college students overcome this body image challenge, more needs to be done to promote ways to feel good in one's own skin. This could be advertised through the UIUC Counseling Center and by implementing "positive body" programs targeting body image-related issues.

The scope of my project defines why advocating for positive body images on the UIUC campus is essential. Through my project, I wish to bring awareness to the problem on our campus and brainstorm ways that UIUC can do better for its diverse and large student population. This excludes writing a persuasive essay on why UIUC should make a change but instead use visual representations to illustrate the importance and benefits of utilizing my advocacy campaign ideas on campus. The primary message of my advocacy campaign is that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and that the UIUC campus needs to do more for its student body. Once this occurs, it will benefit all students who suffer from body image issues and make the university a much more supportive place.

Background:

To understand why body image issues are a problem for many people at UIUC, we must look at its causes. Social media plays a significant role in promoting false body standards and expectations. What most people see on social media does not represent real bodies. Instead, they are bodies that have been retouched, reshaped, and redone to manufacture an unrealistic perception of "beauty." In addition, many college students look up ways for dieting and health promotion while dealing with stress from class workloads and exams. These tips generated from the internet often promote destructive habits that lead individuals down the dangerous path of disordered eating and excessive exercise. While dieting and exercising are suitable for people, too much can be very harmful. A significant presence of Greek life here at the University of Illinois can also play a role in shaping an individual's perception of their body image, whether they are a part of a fraternity or sorority. Many times, people will do what they can to "fit in" with a particular group. In this process, self-esteem may be affected, leading to a person wanting to change how they look to feel better about themselves. While these are just a few examples, social media and the pressure to "fit in" are two significant factors that lead to body image issues here on campus.

Now, the question is, what does this lead to? When a person has a negative body image about themselves, it can lead to depression, eating disorders and affect their performance in school. Why is this issue not brought up more by UIUC? Should the adverse effects of this issue go unnoticed? The answer is no. The university should acknowledge that many students are affected by negative body issues that can impact their physical and mental health. They can provide better services at the Counseling Center and refer students to seek groups for support. They can also design programs that students can attend explicitly designed for body empowerment, just like stress and time management workshops. If nothing is done, students' physical and intellectual health will continue to be negatively impacted. Change needs to start now.

As I was researching what the university has done for this issue, I saw a tab on the counseling website for body image issues. It includes information about body image issues and what factors influence them. However, I did not know this website existed for this issue until I looked it up. As a sophomore (soon to be junior), this is the first time knowing that the Counseling Center provides this service. The problem is that it is not advertised as much as it should be. Many people are too embarrassed to seek help or do not know where to find assistance if they need it. This needs to change. I also saw a Women's Resources Center program that talks about body image/body politics. As I have mentioned before, body image issues are not just a problem for women. It affects men too. There should be workshops for men as readily available for women.

Audience:

I wish to reach both students who suffer from body image issues and school administrators to try to push for more accessible resources for my audience. For one of my objects, I will create a digital poster for students affected by body image issues at UIUC. It will include ways that students can create a positive body image for themselves. Additionally, I will also make a campaign ad to hang around campus and a checklist that targets school administrators at UIUC to improve their existing resources and develop new ones for their students. This will focus on body image issues and create programs that can aid ALL students, not just certain groups. The best audiences to take effective action are us, UIUC students, to call for improvement and change. This will then promote those in "higher power" to hear our voices and hopefully take action.