# data[].attributes.headline
Song of the Prettybird—Shay Alexie Stewart

# data[].attributes.subject
Song of the Prettybird—Shay Alexie Stewart

# data[].attributes.body
This spoken word poem exposes the hypocritical nature of beauty expectations forced on women. Stewart notes how women are molded into an ideal image of what a woman should be and then told by those same people that they are not enough.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Shay Alexi Stewart - Song of the Prettybird

# data[].attributes.headline
Old Spice—The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

# data[].attributes.subject
Old Spice—The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

# data[].attributes.body
This ad is one of many examples in which the media promotes unrealistic body image standards for men. Old Spice uses men's body insecurities as a way to market their deodorant. While you may never be able to look like this actor, at least you'll be able to smell like him—and that's enough, right?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Old Spice | The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

# data[].attributes.body
This film follows a woman with low self esteem and body positivity issues. After hitting her head during spin class, she suddenly believes she has an entirely new and beautiful body. Her relationships with others begin to blossom as a result of her newfound confidence. Yet, little does she know; her looks had nothing to do with it.

# data[].attributes.body
Tally has been long awaiting her sixteenth birthday which will mark the day she changes from a repulsive "ugly" to a desirable "pretty." This transformation will be the beginning of a new life for her, a life of doing nothing but having fun.  However, after discovering that her best friend has run away, Tally has to decide what is more important, friendship or beauty.

# data[].attributes.body
Who gets to decide what it means to be "beautiful" or "attractive"?

# data[].attributes.headline
Muscle Dysmorphia—The Male Eating Disorder 

# data[].attributes.subject
Muscle Dysmorphia—The Male Eating Disorder 

# data[].attributes.body
This talk explores the commonly ignored male body image disorder that causes men and boys to have an unhealthy obsession with gaining muscle. The speaker explains many important components of this  disorder including the way in which society pays different attention to disorders prevalent among both men and women.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Muscle Dysmorphia – The Male Eating Disorder | Scott Griffiths | TEDxSydney

# data[].attributes.body
Willowdean Dickson (Dumplin') takes pride in her body though it may stray from the societal standard of beauty. However, things quickly change when she finds herself crushing on local private school boy and jock, Bo. Dumplin' starts to doubt herself and her beauty. In an effort, to reclaim her confidence; she decides to do something crazy—enter the local beauty pageant! She has a lot to prove to herself and to those who'd argue that she doesn't belong.

# data[].attributes.body
A model uses her privilege as a platform to reveal the truth behind her profession. In her speech, she reveals what it means to be a "sexy girl" within the beauty industry and how this impacts those who stray from these ideals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a model. | Cameron Russell | TED

# data[].attributes.body
How is the media contributing to or combating the perpetuation of unrealistic beauty standards?

# data[].attributes.body
This song communicates the basic message that "haters gonna hate" and who you are will never please everyone. So, never change who you are in an attempt to make others like you.

# data[].attributes.body
In this dystopian novel, women exist to pleasure men and conform to the societal definition of beauty. "Eves," as they are known, are bred within special schools that train them from birth in the art of pleasing men. Those who excel get the privilege of living with their husbands; those who don't are forced to survive as concubines or teachers. This book follows Isabel and Freida as they near the very moment that will change their lives forever—selection day.

# data[].attributes.body
This book preaches body positivity and loving the skin you are in. While it may be a picture book intended for younger children; it is essential that we analyze the importance of race and skin color as a part of our identity and what makes us beautiful/unique— especially at a young age.

# data[].attributes.body
Troy Billings is 17 years old, nearly 300 pounds, and is contemplating suicide. When confronted by homeless former student, Curt MacCrae; Troy redirects his energy from self-loathing to starting a band. Together, Curt and Troy support one another as they face their demons and learn to build up their self confidence.

# data[].attributes.headline
What Makes Someone 'Most Beautiful' is Changing—NBC News

# data[].attributes.subject
What Makes Someone 'Most Beautiful' is Changing—NBC News

# data[].attributes.body
Over the past twenty years, our societal definition of beauty has changed drastically. Today, our definition has expanded to include individuals ranging in age, varying skin tones, and unconventional body types.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In 1990, I was just a little kid, but my ideas of physical beauty were already beginning to take shape. I knew my mother, an Hispanic woman who then was about 40, was the most beautiful woman alive; my father, a short 50-year-old Jewish guy, was the most handsome man. But they were stark exceptions; I mainly idealized younger, blonde and perky-nosed celebrities like Michelle Pfeiffer, who graced the cover People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People In The World" issue that year.

Twenty-seven years later, People's curious tradition of ranking celebrity beauty continues, but as new research from JAMA Dermatology shows, the mag's criteria for its annual feature appears to have changed over time. 2017's edition of "The World's Most Beautiful" is an improvement on 1990's issue in that it is more diverse, allotting more coverage to people of color and to folks over 35 years old.

Here's a comparative breakdown:

In 1990, the percentage of white people featured: 76 percent. In 2017, this number was at 60 percent.

In 1990, people between the ages of 45 and 54 represented four percent of the list; in 2017, this age group accounted for 19.3 percent.

In 1990, 88 percent the skin tones featured were predominantly of the lightest shades, falling between type I and type II on the Fitzpatrick scale (a numerological system doctors use to determine how susceptible skin is to UV rays; type 1 is the fairest and most likely to burn); types IV through VI (moderate brown to darkest brown) accounted for a wimpy 12 percent. In 2017, these darker shades made up 29.6 percent.

The differences between 1990 and today were not ones that the paper's co-author, Dr. Neelam Vashi, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine was anticipating. In fact, when she and her team embarked on the research, they were working with the hypothesis that beauty standards had not much changed.

"I thought it would be static - that diversity and aging would not be embraced much more now than then," says Vashi. "Perhaps because I run a cosmetic center, I just thought that things would have been relatively the same."

Vashi added that her team elected People magazine to run their hypothesis because of its mass appeal.

"Reportedly People has the largest audience of any American magazine and its annual 'Most Beautiful' spread has been published for almost three decades," says Vashi." People did not return our request for comment.

One major reason we may be seeing more nonwhite or "other" races (the study's word, not ours) on People's lists is because of the "exposure effect," Dr. Frank Niles, a social scientist, explains.

Get the better newsletter.

"The exposure effect is a basic psychological idea: The more we are exposed to something, the more attracted to it we may become," says Dr. Niles. "As a society, we have become more aware of the need and the value of diversity, and I think it is safe to say there are more people of color in positions of cultural visibility across a wider range of platforms."

To be clear, it's not like people of color (POC) haven't been here and beautiful for the past bajillion years; it's that only recently is Hollywood recognizing POC in a significant way, and transmitting that recognition to the public. In 1990, American women with brown skin such as my mother (still a loyal People subscriber!) had very little representation. And I can see now how that must not have been easy for her. I remember when I was a teenager, she'd study my hands, marvel at my fair skin and tell me I looked like Winona Ryder.

Gabriela Garcia, an editor with ModernBrownGirl.com, poignantly recalls the feeling of looking nothing like the celebrities she grew up idolizing in the '90s.

"When I was a teenager, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy were the women I emulated," said Garcia, now 39-years-old. "They were tall, lithe and had long flowing hair. I looked nothing like them. I was short, brown and hairy, with an overabundance of curves."

Garcia points to Jennifer Lopez as a notable catalyst (Lopez, by the way, was named People Magazine's 'most beautiful woman' in 2011).

"The rise of Jennifer Lopez was really important for young Latinas in the U.S," says Garcia. "For the first time, a brown girl with curves was popular and mainstream. She didn't shy away from her Latina-ness. I think she paved the way for other types of beauty. It wasn't until the media started to show women of different colors, sizes, and cultures that I began to realize that I was beautiful. And as silly as it sounds, women like J-Lo and Kim Kardashian have really helped promote body confidence for women who are not tall, blonde, and white."

If we're to look at People's "Most Beautiful" lists as a mirror of what the mainstream media accepts and promotes as beautiful, then it's clear we've made some progress. But as Dr. Catherine Kerrison, a professor of history, and of gender and women's studies at Villanova University notes, "This isn't cause for celebration." Why not? Well, let's have a look at those numbers again.

In 2017, People magazine featured 135 people in its "most beautiful" issue. That's 85 more than were included in 1990. That alone signifies that this is in part a numbers game. In other words, of course more types of people are included, there's more than double the amount of people being shown. But that's not what really concerns Dr. Kerrison. She's thinking about this number right here: In 1990, men made up nearly half (48 percent) of People's list; in 2017 they made up 11.9 percent. So, out of 135 people, only 16 were dudes.

This is concerning because it suggests that women, no matter how talented, successful, influential, powerful, and so on, it's her beauty that stands out.

"There are clearly many more women operating in visible and awesome ways in public life today than there were 30 years ago," says Kerrison. "Yet in spite of women's advances, beauty is being constituted primarily as female. As any woman in the public eye knows, it's crucial to her acceptance, her success that she present herself in ways that are acceptable to this standard. I can't say I am surprised, but the bottom line is: Women will be evaluated by standards of beauty and though those standards are expanding they are still critical to our success."

Arguably, the message being sent is that yes, ladies, there are more ways to be beautiful, but you've still got be beautiful.

Dr. Anna Yusim, a psychiatrist and the author of "Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life", points out that one reason women could be highlighted more than men is because the word "beautiful" has an effeminate association, whereas men typically lean toward the word "handsome." But, still glorifying the success of women by emphasizing their appearance only adds to the insane pressures women may be feeling, notes Yusim.

And so, it's important to remember that these constructs of beauty, whether you meet them or not, whether you even care about them or not: they aren't set in stone. Conventions of beauty change, just look at old Renaissance paintings that depict generous bellies and undulating curves as the quintessence of elegance.

What's more, with the advent of social media, we are able to set our own bars, start our own trends and flaunt our own ideas of and experiments in beauty. And even if today we are enthralled by caterpillar-thick brows and middle-parted hairdos, we tend not to forget where beauty really lies: on the inside. It's corny, but it's true, and that beauty doesn't come and go, it grows.

Want more tips like these? NBC News BETTER is obsessed with finding easier, healthier and smarter ways to live. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Who we consider beautiful are older and more diverse than 1990, study says

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 1990, I was just a little kid, but my ideas of physical beauty were already beginning to take shape. I knew my mother, an Hispanic woman who then was about 40, was the most beautiful woman alive; my father, a short 50-year-old Jewish guy, was the most handsome man.

# data[].attributes.body
Dove's ad campaign is centralized around the idea of natural, raw beauty. This particular video reveals the way in which we see ourselves as compared to the way in which we are seen by others. The results are shocking!

# data[].attributes.body
Girls 6-18 describe how body image plays a role in their lives and influences their relationships with their own bodies. They explain how they combat these insecurities and why they are worth so much more than how they look.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Girls Ages 6-18 Talk About Body Image | Allure

# data[].attributes.body
Western beauty paves the road for the rest of the world. The result? Everyone begins to look the same. Fair skin, small nose, blonde hair—this documentary reveals the power and danger behind conforming to this image.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Body Image Documentary: THE ILLUSIONISTS – on the globalization of beauty

# data[].attributes.body
Sixteen year old Elizabeth is on a mission to lose weight, and while she may have already lost 40 pounds, she also lost her boyfriend. After being admitted to a treatment center, Elizabeth is determined to get back home and resume her unhealthy habits.  However, things quickly become more complicated when she starts receiving mysterious packages from an unknown sender...

# data[].attributes.headline
Self Esteem and Body Image—That's What He Said

# data[].attributes.subject
Self Esteem and Body Image—That's What He Said

# data[].attributes.body
Tall, dark, and handsome—this is the image men are expected to live up to. These men discuss what it's like living in a world where social media dictates what it means to be a man today. Men face self-esteem and body image insecurities, too!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Self Esteem and Body Image | That’s What He Said

# data[].attributes.body
How do we combat the normalization of the unhealthy effects of preaching unrealistic beauty standards, such as eating disorders?

# data[].attributes.body
Why do we place more concern on the unrealistic physical standards set for women as opposed to men?

# data[].attributes.headline
What Superheros Would Look Like With Realistic Bodies

# data[].attributes.subject
What Superheros Would Look Like With Realistic Bodies

# data[].attributes.body
One of the ways in which children are exposed to unrealistic body standards is through popular/idolized characters within the media. This article reveals what popular superheros would look like if they had realistic bodies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What's one thing almost everysuperhero has in common? A "perfect" body made up of toned muscles and zero fat.

Recovery.org, an organization that offers resources for people with mental health and/or substance abuse issues, is making those "perfect" bodies a little more realistic by "reverse photoshopping" illustrations of some of the most iconic superheroes. According to Recovery.org, "reverse photoshop" simply means reimagining what superheroes would look like "if their bodies matched the body of the average viewer" in the U.S.

The project features 10 illustrations of comic book superheroes such as Superman, Spiderman, Gamora, the Black Widow, Aquaman and the Black Panther. Each illustration includes a before and after of the character. The image on the left is what the superhero usually looks like: for male superheroes that means six-pack abs and massive biceps; and for women that means an illogically tiny waist, perfectly-feminine muscles and, of course, huge breasts. The image on the right looks similar to the original character, but a bit more realistic.

A spokesperson for Recovery.org told HuffPost that the organization focused on superheroes because they are role models for so many young kids.

"With new releases every summer, we can see how these films positively affect their younger audiences. But, it's hard to have such positive takeaways when the bodies represented on film don't mirror what a typical body looks like," the spokesperson told HuffPost. "This especially rings true for a younger audience considering research has found that some children are struggling with body image by the time they reach kindergarten. We conducted this project to see how our favorite heroes might change if their bodies were a bit more realistic, and hopefully more relatable."

Scroll below to see 10 superheroes who look a little more like, well, normal people.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
This Is What Superheroes Would Look Like With Realistic Bodies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What's one thing almost everysuperhero has in common? A "perfect" body made up of toned muscles and zero fat. Recovery.org, an organization that offers resources for people with mental health and/or substance abuse issues, is making those "perfect" bodies a little more realistic by "reverse photoshopping" illustrations of some of the most iconic superheroes.

# data[].attributes.body
The Dear World initiative captures empowering storytelling through words and images unique to each subject. This is a great way to preach body positivity and share a message about something important!

# data[].attributes.body
One woman sent her picture to 22 countries around the world with one request—"Make me beautiful." What they did is truly fascinating.

# data[].attributes.body
This article provides 21 different definitions of what it means to be beautiful from people who understand that there is more to beauty than what is summarized by society. Thus, it proves that there is no one true definition of beauty.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
" Beautiful is a woman who has a distinctive personality; one who can laugh at anything, including themselves, and one who is especially kind and caring to others. She is a woman, who above all else, knows the value of having fun, and not taking life too seriously. She is a woman that you can trust and count on to brighten your day. She is a woman who can inexplicably make you feel really good just by being around her, and yet brings such great sadness when she is gone.

She is a woman who I will never really get to know."

- Your friend forever

"Her smile makes her pretty.
Her body makes her sexy.
Only her mind makes her beautiful."

"A beautiful woman is a woman who can be herself. A woman who smiles all the time and never cares about what others think. A woman who is dying inside but is strong enough to let go of the pain and create a happy atmosphere for everyone. A woman who is not exactly sexually attractive but her face and personality can make your heart melt. A woman who is talented, smart and so different from every other girl."

- ASMARTMANWHOKNOWSWHATSREAL

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
21 Definitions Of What It Means To Be A 'Beautiful Woman'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
" Beautiful is a woman who has a distinctive personality; one who can laugh at anything, including themselves, and one who is especially kind and caring to others. She is a woman, who above all else, knows the value of having fun, and not taking life too seriously.

# data[].attributes.body
Libby Strout, once dubbed "America's fatest teen," is seldom acknowledged beyond her weight. Following the death of her mother, Libby tries to put the pieces of her life back together, alongside her heartbroken father, as she prepares for her first year of high school.