Recently, the Don’t Worry Darling actress Florence Pugh faced the wrath of online trolls for wearing a sheer, hot pink tulle gown at Valentino’s Rome couture show. Most of the misogynistic backlash centred on her being “flat-chested.” And although the Midsommar actress clapped back at the critics, saying she was “happy with all of the ‘flaws,’” the same cannot be said for the majority of women.
What Did Florence Pugh Say?
“[…]What’s been interesting to watch and witness is just how easy it is for men to totally destroy a woman’s body, publicly, proudly, for everyone to see[…].”
“[…]It isn’t the first time and certainly won’t be the last time a woman will hear what’s wrong with her body by a crowd of strangers, what’s worrying is just how vulgar some of you men can be.”
“Thankfully, I’ve come to terms with the intricacies of my body that make me, me. I’m happy with all of the ‘flaws’ that I couldn’t bear to look at when I was 14[…].”
Mocking Instagram’s double standards on nudity guidelines, the actress ended the post with a #fuckingfreethefuckingnipple
Florence’s courageous stand against online bullies who perpetuate the body shaming culture is certainly admirable. And while the Little Women actress says she is “not scared” of her breast size, unfortunately, there are many women who feel insecure about their breasts.
In a study published in the journal Body Image, women’s breast size dissatisfaction was assessed through 18,541 responses to the Breast Size Satisfaction Survey (BSSS) across 40 countries. Researchers found that over 70% of women were not happy with the size of their breasts.
Out of these, almost 48% wanted larger breasts. and 23% wanted smaller breasts. The study also found that the ideal breast size was different in different countries, but women in Brazil, Japan, China, Egypt, and the UK were most dissatisfied with their breasts. Not only could dissatisfaction have an impact on their breast health, but it also affected their self-esteem and happiness.
According to a 2020 survey by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ISAPS), breast augmentation was the most popular surgical procedure around the globe. More than 1.6 million boob jobs were done in that year alone. In our era, the ideal woman is considered to be slim and curvy. And plastic surgery is becoming increasingly popular among women who want to achieve this “ideal” female body shape.
Conclusion
A woman’s body is not a public domain, and we’d like to reiterate what Florence said, “Respect people. Respect bodies. Respect all women. Respect humans.” As long as society does not reach a certain level of intellectual and spiritual development, the size of a woman’s breasts will continue to be a topic of debate and judgement.
