On Monday 28th September the Sixth Form welcomed their first speaker of the lecture series this term, Dr Aric Sigman. The subject of Dr Sigman’s talk was body image and the pressures of physical appearance. Lower Sixth pupil, Camille B said:

“He began his talk by comparing different cultural perceptions of the ‘ideal’ body. He explained that only western cultures obsess over a toxic and unattainable beauty standard and that many other countries seemed to celebrate and even show off their natural figures. Unsurprisingly, the increase in exposure to social media is the main contributor to this unhealthy expectation with an overwhelming number of airbrushed images. The age at which children are becoming affected by this is beginning much earlier – detrimental not only to their physical wellbeing but also their mental healthdevelopment. Dr Sigman also reminded us that it’s essential for us as women to have areas of fat on our bodies as it helps us to live longer! Dr Sigman reminded us that men are just as likely to be influenced by these pressures and manipulated by the sellers of commercial products as women. 

I am very grateful to have listened to Dr Sigman’s talk. It educated me on how important it is to not let my confidence be knocked by what I see online and that boys too are adversely influenced by the media’s unhealthy obsession with the ‘perfect’ body.”

[Camille B, LVI]