The new stop@buzzed posters are problematic

“Your Body is Not a Group Project” is the new body positivity campaign presented by the Well-Being Center on campus. The whole point is to get people to think and talk about how they talk to themselves and each other. This is ironic considering some of the stop@buzzed posters that were hung up with pride that ridiculed men and women’s bodies right next to the campaign’s information area. The poster in questions compares Sydney Sweeney at the beach in a swimsuit to a heavier-set women in shorts and a T-shirt, leaning against a tree in a trailer park clearly stating that a sober body (Sweeney) is superior to a non-sober body (not looking like Sweeney). Both pictures are quite unflattering due to the appearance of Sweeney being unaware the photo was taken and the other woman clearly being placed in an “undesirable” position according to society’s standards. A male version also exists comparing Jacob Elordi to Bert Kreischer, which is equally as demeaning due to the fact that, despite popular belief, men too, can be harmed by insensitive and callous comments.

I am disgusted and disappointed by the blatant ablism, homophobia, classism and body discrimination not only shown by the individuals who made this poster but also by the school’s stop@buzzed organization for allowing something like this to be displayed in the most important center on campus. The health center on both campuses sees the majority of students throughout the academic year, making it a perfect place to promote the betterment of students. However, this also means that students who are in need of emotional and mental health help are even more susceptible to insensitive and inconsiderate messaging, such as what is displayed in the posters. Hanging posters that actively harm one’s mental well-being and one’s body and self-image is an injustice to students. This kind of act conveys that stop@buzzed doesn’t really care if the student body decreases drinking; this act tells me that they just want to make silly little posters with no consideration of others.

Once again, the CSB+SJU community standards have been violated by an organization meant to promote well-being. Community living is presented to first-years as a key aspect of living on campus and is used as an encouragement for students living on campus. How are students meant to feel comfortable in their community when an organization body shames them in the one place they can go to get confidential help? Do the people who made these posters think that the message conveyed is a positive one? This kind of messaging tells students that CSB+SJU does not want them here if they can’t fit the standard demonstrated in these posters. The only message that I get from these posters is that students must fit the standards set by society, even if those standards cause emotional and mental distress. These posters leave students feeling inadequate, which is doubled when the sign right next to the posters exclaims “Your Body is Not a Group Project.”