Filters, stereotypes and what's real

Scroll for a minute and you'll see bodies that look flawless: smooth skin, perfect hair, big muscles, tiny waists. Most of those images aren't real, or at least not the whole story.

How images get changed

Even when you know images are edited, it's normal to still compare yourself. Feeds make this harder: if you look at lots of 'perfect body' posts, the algorithm sends you more.

Look after your body image

Your body is changing, and everyone's changes happen at different times. Try focusing on what your body can do: run, laugh, carry your little cousin, paddle a waka. Unfollow accounts that leave you feeling bad and follow people who look like real people.

Stereotypes

A stereotype is a fixed idea about what a whole group of people are like: 'boys don't dance', 'girls aren't good at rugby', 'people from that place are all the same'. Stereotypes can become norms, which are unwritten rules about how people should act. Most people don't notice the stereotypes they carry.

Stereotypes squash people into boxes. The Black Ferns, the Silver Ferns, male ballet dancers and nurses, and women engineers all show how wrong those boxes can be.

Calling it out

Challenging a stereotype can feel awkward, especially if your friends are the ones saying it. Try: