As you scroll through TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat, you have probably encountered a beauty filter. These filters can alter your face to conform to whatever standard or ideal you desire. They can be exciting; you can get rid of that pimple on your forehead or change the color of your eyes, but they also hold a much deeper and darker secret. 

While your intentions may be benign, these filters stand to push the idea that people need to conform to the unrealistic Eurocentric beauty standards and homogeneity. Now you may be wondering, “What are Eurocentric beauty standards?” Well, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, Eurocentrism refers to “the perspective of viewing things from the point of view of Europe or European people, and considering Europe or Europeans as the most important.”

The Eurocentric beauty standard emphasizes characteristics such as a slender nose, light skin, long lashes, straight hair, and light-colored eyes. These standards originated from European imperialism and were forced onto the peoples that were colonized, and were inherently eugenic in nature. These ideals have been perpetuated throughout society, through the media, television, and social norms. 

The Western Beauty standard, which is based on Eurocentric beauty ideals, has undergone numerous transformations. It is heavily influenced by factors such as capitalism, mass media, social media, beauty filters, and editing tools. Western beauty is the dominant standard globally due to the significant influence of Western pop culture and media. It has been globalized through social media, spreading a homogenized beauty standard worldwide.

Today, these ideals are heavily pushed through the use of filters and editing software on social media. These beauty filters create a sense of pressure to fit into unrealistic expectations and erase diverse features. These filters promote a specific aesthetic and reinforce a narrow, Eurocentric view of beauty. In the process, these filters create unattainable beauty standards, develop feelings of inadequacy, and heighten social comparison.

These homogenized standards are incredibly harmful to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) people, often othering more ethnic features. Beginning with the Age of Imperialism through to today, an individual’s proximity to the white European beauty standard has defined their social rank and worth. Colonization has resulted in the viewing of European features as the pinnacle of beauty, and those who possess deviating features will face prejudice, such as colorism, featurism, and texturism.

Colorism is a bigotry or discrimination against one’s ethnic or racial group, favoring people with lighter skin. Another prejudice experienced is featurism, which is discrimination of one’s facial features that deviate from the Eurocentric beauty ideal. And finally, texturism, which is a discrimination of individuals who have textured, tightly coiled, or kinky hair. These biases and others that uphold the idea of Eurocentric beauty play a significant role in systemic racism.

For instance, those with textured hair often face discrimination in the workplace if they keep their hair natural due to the ingrained idea that it is unprofessional. According to a 2023 CROWN workplace research study, Black women’s hair is 2.5 times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. Black women have a higher rate of suffering from body image issues and eating disorders due to racism, colorism, and the media portraying black women as either hypersexual or invisible.

According to the Center For Discovery, a nationwide survey found rates of bulimia in Black adult Americans are 1.5%, higher than the national average of 1.0%. This push for individuals to completely match the ideal creates the perfect conditions for the development of a multitude of mental illnesses and raises the risk for social isolation, but the risk is not just social-emotional; there are also physical hazards, such as the damage caused by the chemicals from bleaching one’s skin or dying or straightening hair or the mental and physical effects of an eating disorder. 

So, how does one fight back against deeply rooted societal standards that have caused harm to so many? Well, the first crucial step is to educate about the system of Eurocentric beauty,  learn its harmful effects, and how certain people benefit from the system. Secondly, finding culturally diverse support groups where you can talk about different experiences or issues. These groups can help you realize you are not alone, and these issues impact numerous individuals.

Another important way is speaking out against the Eurocentric standard of beauty. Whether you write a song and publish it on social media or write a poem and perform it at your local library, these steps can help you speak up and fight against harmful standards.

Finally, embrace who you are and your features. You can do this through self-affirmations, taking a break from social media, or exploring what it means to be you without the outside pressures of societal norms. While the system of Eurocentric Beauty is not going away, make sure you play a part in defying arbitrary standards.