The idea of what a perfect physique is, fuelled by social media and societal pressure has distorted individual’s perspec­tives.

Body image stigma is one of the most debilitating issues that has led a lot of people into distorted views of reality, unhealthy behaviours, and self-doubt. Most people, par­ticularly individuals with slender physique, are judged by their looks, making them feel inferior and not good enough.

The focus on physical appearance often makes them miss out on what really matters. Being slender offers a lot of opportunities beyond the physical appearance. However, most people do not realise this. They seek for other alternatives for external validation.

A slender physique is often asso­ciated to lean or slim physiques. Some people may view individuals with this figure as weak or fragile, lacking in energy or being skinny.

In a conversation with Miss Gifty Djarnie, a Level 200 student at the University of Media, Arts and Communication – Institute of Jour­nalism (UniMAC-IJ), she shared her thoughts on being slender and how it has impacted her life.

According to her, being skinny or slim is normal and an identity.

“I used to be mocked because of my figure and size,” she revealed. “But as time went on, I acknowl­edged the fact that I am skinny, and now I am used to it. The stereo­types sort of gave me some confi­dence that hey, you are unique.

This is your identity and nothing can change your physique even if as time goes on, you increase in weight. It will still be in my records that I used to be skinny. So that’s an identity. One must embrace it wholeheartedly. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.”

Gifty has acknowledged that being slender is part of her identity so she has learned to accept and embrace it. She also acknowledged that societal stereotypes can have profound impact on one’s self-per­ception but ultimately, it’s up to the individual to define their own identity.

Miss Patience Bumbom, a profes­sional model and beauty queen, who tells me about the opportu­nities of having such figure, talks about how they are highly paid compared to plus-sized ladies, and how she gets endorsement deals from clothing brands like Damson Vogue, to advertise their products.

She encouraged slender ladies to know their worth and embrace their body shape. She recounted how her colleagues used to call her “Alan­gadwoa, and Sugarcane”, making her feel bad.

Such derogatory names, she disclosed compels individuals with this physique to resort to the use of body enhancement pills to artifi­cially put on a bit more flesh to appear more attractive.

That is not to suggest that having more flesh necessarily makes one attractive. Attraction would not come by just putting on weight but more about how one presents him or herself.

Sadly, that societal pressure has increased the demand for the body enhancing products, especially in the capital, Accra.

This was confirmed by Auntie Esi, a vendor of these products. In an interaction with her, she stated that body enhancement pills, sili­con butts lifters and hip pads were in very high demand by the young ladies.

“They purchase these products to boost their body parts to look attractive.”

These drugs, she explained come in various forms such as liquid, po­made and powder.

“They also come with various side effects,” she revealed. “For some, it makes them feel sleepy; others would feel like responding to nature’s call. Despite all of these, they have absolute faith in their ability to transform the physiques.”

Aunty Esi also revealed that some ladies prefer to purchase the silicon butt and hip pads rather than go under the knife for a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) surgery due to its risks. “This has been my source of income for many years and I’m not going to stop. If I stop, how would I feed my children?” she queried.

Mr Godfred Arko Osei, a coun­sellor at UniMAC-IJ, shared his perspectives on the challenges faced by slender ladies and strongly advised against the use of enhance­ment products.

“It is all about your mindset,” he emphasized. “If you are able to cultivate a positive mindset about yourself and your appearance, it will boost your self-esteem, and other opinions won’t affect you at all. However, if you already have a negative perception about your looks, you’re already affected be­fore anybody uses that against you. I wouldn’t encourage it because you don’t need artificial means to look good; it’s not a reflection of your true self.”

Without a doctor’s prescription, these drugs when taken, can be detrimental to the health of users. Is it worth it at the end especially when they lose their lives? What measures is the Food and Drugs Au­thority (FDA) taking to keep these products off the market?

Stricter regulations and public education are crucial to curb the dangers of these unprescribed drugs. FDA can work with the law enforcement agencies to enact strict measures to arrest persons who sell these products to serve as deterrent to others.

Hospitals can also collaborate with institutions such as universities to educate on the importance of self-esteem and the adverse effect of such unprescribed drugs, ulti­mately safeguarding public health.

*The Author (jbanfro56@gmail. com) is a Level 300 Student Jour­nalist at UniMAC-IJ

 By Banfro Josephine