Introduction to body image and sexual confidence

The term “body image” is something well-known and heavily discussed in any generation, for each one has contended with its ever-changing appearance and meaning at some point in time. Some use the term to describe how their body looks physically and what actions they perform to maintain it. Others use this term to describe the mental and emotional appearance of the physical body, and process the thoughts and emotions they feel about it, both those that are positive and those that are negative. A more comprehensive definition of the term would include the following:

• The physical, mental, and emotional aspects that make up how a person views their body
• The internal and external experiences people have with it
• The thoughts, feelings, and behaviours people have, feel, and do regarding it¹

The term “sexual confidence” may not have had the same recognition and discussions about what it means and how people perceive it. Whether it is due to personal values, religious beliefs, lack of awareness, or for any other reason, not many people feel comfortable about having professional, personal, educational, or other types of discussions on such topics. However, in the context of body image, not including sexual confidence in such conversations would be doing a disservice to you as a reader, and others who are curious about these two topics and the connection they have. What many may not know is that there is a strong correlation between them.¹ The positive and negative internal perception of the body by a person does translate into the physical behaviours they present.

It is important to note that the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours sexually confident people have do not always have to be of a sexual nature. The aim of utilising body image and sexual confidence is to adjust the factors contributing to body image to create an internal state of positive power that would allow people to carry themselves with confidence. When this happens, it becomes similar to a habit in that it comes to people effortlessly. Body image and sexual confidence then help people build self-esteem and forge platonic and romantic relationships with others.¹ With their current knowledge and understanding of body image and sexual confidence, the positive and negative impacts on their overall health and wellness may surprise them. Continue reading below to learn more about body image, its influence on sexual confidence, what can contribute to body image issues, and what may help break negative cycles and start new positive ones.

Understanding body image

Positive body image

Body acceptance, appreciation, respect, and an overall feeling of comfort in your own skin make up the experience of having a positive body image.² However, this type of body image is not usually the first thought people have when they hear that term. As a result, not many people know that they can have both a positive and a negative body image. A positive body image may appear as any or all of the following:

• Having positive opinions and practising positive self-talk about the body and its parts
• Accepting the body and its imperfections, whether it be weight or body shape
• Respecting the body by listening to and meeting its needs
• Practising physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy behaviours
• Self-correcting thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that have the potential to lead to negative body image 
• Reject unrealistic, unhealthy, and inappropriate body images portrayed by the media and other external sources²

Negative body image

The definition of a negative body image has been more closely tied to the definition of body image overall than the positive definition. Having a negative body image appears as body rejection and dissatisfaction, leading to thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that can further impact physical, mental, and emotional health.² Some examples of the behaviours people with negative body images may present include the following:

• Low self-esteem and being self-critical about the body and its parts
• Low body esteem
• Dissatisfaction in internal and external relationships¹
• Unrealistic perceptions of physical body image
  • Underestimation of weight and body shape
  • Overestimation of weight and body shape²

Sources of body image issues

Body image issues fall within the realm of negative body image, since they occur because of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that are not conducive to body acceptance, appreciation, and respect.² Some examples of the sources from which people can develop body image issues include:

• Social media and unrealistic beauty standards
• Movies and TV shows
• Comments from family and friends²
• Bullying, trauma, medical conditions, and other personal experiences³
• Skincare, makeup, and other grooming products and advertisements promoting them⁴

The link between body image and sexual confidence

Body image and sexual confidence go hand-in-hand in bringing about either positive or negative internal and external experiences. Sexual confidence does not always have to describe thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that are sexual in nature. It can be seen in the relationships you have with your family, friends, and even strangers. How you carry yourself in public and interact with your ever-changing environments can change depending on your body image and sexual confidence. However, it is critical that discussions surrounding body image issues and sexual confidence also include subtopics about the study and practice of sexuality.⁵  

Body image and sexual confidence are foundational in perceiving oneself entirely in the context of sexual experiences, either alone, with friends or family, or with a partner. In sexuality, body image and your body are at the centre of these sexual and non-sexual experiences. The impact of thoughts and feelings about how the body looks and feels, especially in this context, can significantly influence the behaviours a person has, which can lead to either positive or negative sexual experiences.⁵

Effects of positive body image

Those with a positive body image and corresponding positive sexual confidence can exhibit the following behaviours:

• Maintenance of effective interpersonal communication throughout these experiences
• Less chance of performing high-risk actions
• Satisfying relationships with family, friends, and partners 
• Satisfying performance of sexual and non-sexual personal activities⁵
• Healthy behavioural changes⁶

Effects of negative body image

Some experiences that those with a negative body image and negative sexual confidence may include:

• Diminished or diminishing interpersonal communication
• Increased anxiety about physical appearance 
• Lower sexual self-esteem⁵
• Dissatisfying relationships with family, friends, and partners
• Uncertainty about their sexual skills and abilities 
• Avoidance of certain activities⁶

Gender and body image

Cultures and societies have long dictated what and how men and women should appear, think, feel, and behave. Their designations for appearances, thoughts, and behaviours contribute to how people in these population groups view themselves in comparison.⁵ 

Women and body image

Women have been found to focus more on the negative aspects of their body image. Therefore, it is expected that they present more negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in the pursuit to meet the standards set. However, these beliefs and behaviours constituting their body image are not always predictive of the level of sexual confidence they exhibit or the satisfaction they get from such activities.⁶ 

Some observations made regarding women and the concepts of body image, sexual confidence, and sexual self-esteem include:

• Feeling greater amounts of anxiety, fear, and depression than men
• Being more likely to have less-than-satisfying first sexual experiences than men
• Being more likely to avoid high-risk behaviours than men
• Perceiving themselves as being more romantic
• Dedicating more time and energy towards appearing as sexually attractive⁵

Men and body image

In comparison, men may also dedicate time and energy towards their appearance, such as following extreme fitness regimens and diets. By doing so, they may be able to measure up to this version of masculinity that may help them attract both platonic and romantic relationships.⁵ However, that is where the similarities with the experiences of women end. Men are more likely to positively view their first sexual experiences because they appear more self-assured about their skills and abilities in this context. However, this way of thinking may be the pipeline towards engaging in more high-risk behaviours than women. Such behaviours allow them to gain more experience and retain their perceptions about their sexual skills and abilities.⁵

The comparisons both men and women make between their own perceptions of their body image and those standards can foster significant amounts of anxiety that a person may not live up to those expectations established. This line of thinking may lead to risky thoughts and feelings, resulting in them performing risky behaviours to possibly conform to those standards.³ There are differences in how men and women perceive body image and the issues that come with it. However, thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of both feed into that cycle of comparison, risk-taking, and its consequences to fit into a physical, mental, emotional, social, and behavioural standard not meant for everyone.

Breaking the cycle

As stated earlier, culture is another aspect of the human experience that plays an important role in body image and sexual confidence. Learning and understanding how different societies and cultures view body image, sexual and non-sexual confidence, and how people perceive both, may lead to you discovering thoughts, feelings, and behaviours from those with similar experiences. This can bring people who once felt isolated and unsure of whether other people had similar experiences closer to groups and communities with whom to share such advice and receive the support they need.³ One of the most effective ways of dismantling beliefs and behaviours contributing to body image issues and improving sexual confidence is talking with family, friends, and other peers about both in environments that allow for clear and honest communication.

Social media plays an important role in spreading information, especially about what is considered the ideal image of a person. As a result, people consuming this media, which may include you, consistently compare themselves and their unique body images to those with a platform. These thoughts, feelings, and behaviours pit multiple and completely different things against each other, resulting in conclusions about your body and sexual confidence that you and others may deem unfair. However, social media does not always portray real life. This is why it is important to understand the underlying messages of these posts on such platforms and challenge the body image standards they promote.³

The goal of breaking cycles involved in body image issues and the fluctuations of sexual confidence is to replace the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours contributing to them.³ The beliefs and behaviours that take their place would help people shift their focus on body image and sexual confidence from a solely physical and performative standpoint. In their place, new cycles would form that celebrate physical, mental, and emotional health, what the human body is capable of, and what sexual confidence feels like in both sexual and non-sexual situations.

Summary

• Terms like “body image” and “sexual confidence” are not new concepts, but they are not as well understood as they should be
• Positive body image occurs when a person accepts, appreciates, and respects their body and its imperfections
• Negative body image occurs when a person does not accept, appreciate, or respect their body and its imperfections
• Body image and sexual confidence go hand-in-hand in bringing about either positive or negative internal and external sexual and non-sexual experiences
• Cultures and societies have long set the standards for what and how men and women should appear, think, feel, and behave
• Having clear and honest conversations, building media literacy, and limiting exposure to media contributing to body image issues are some ways to break the cycle involved in body image issues and replace it with one that prioritises positive body image and positive sexual and non-sexual confidence