Just watch how much the “ideal” body type has changed over 3,000 years

It’s not easy living in a world where beauty is defined in narrow terms and our bodies are scrutinized if they don’t fit into some culturally-prescribed mold. But you know what helps? Remembering that every body is beautiful, and if that doesn’t do it, then remembering that “ideal” body types are totally arbitrary and fleeting in nature.

BuzzFeed just made our day with their video detailing 3,000 years of women’s “ideal bodies” as described by their own societies. Guys, this is some fascinating stuff. Apparently in Ancient Greece, a woman was simply thought of as a “disfigured man.” The Han Dynasty thought that slim-waisted, big-eyed ladies were ideal. And if you travel forward to the Italian Renaissance, women were considered perfect if they had ample bosoms and full hips. Then there’s the willowy, slender gals from the 60s.

What does this tell us? There’s no such thing as the “perfect” body—unless we’re willing to believe whatever society tells us (and where’s the fun in that?). It’s like a beauty rollercoaster, and I, for one, would like to get out of that line.

(Image via Buzzfeed)