It’s no secret that society pushes beauty standards on kids and teens as soon as they are able to consume content. I’ve come to expect it in places like social media, Hollywood and the fashion industry. These days, I do my best to mitigate its effects with body-positive affirmations and finding more inclusive spaces. But at 17, when a new doctor casually mentioned that he could “fix” my face, there were no affirmations strong enough to rebuild my self-confidence. What had gone wrong? Did this doctor offer an unbiased medical observation? Or was he preying on a teen’s deepest insecurities for financial gain?
