Body shaming is a phenomenon that is hardly new, especially to women, who continue to be more significantly targeted than men. Women have for much longer been haunted by body shaming since they have constantly been inflicted upon derogatory remarks about their looks and appearances. Worst still, in the last few years, with the rise of social media, body shaming has gained much in importance inducing more damages.

Everyone can be body shamed, whoever it is. However, facts and statistics show that women are more likely to be affected. According to a study provided by FITRATED on over 1,000 American men and women surveyed about their experiences with body shaming and the people in their lives, 92.7 percent of women reported to have already been body-shamed against 86.5 percent of men. Similarly, with 94 percent of teenage girls and 64 percent of boys reporting some level of ridicule for the way they look, body shaming by gender is undoubtedly blatant.

It is a matter of fact that body shaming – commonly referred to as the act of mocking a person’s physical appearance – has already existed before it made a giant leap forward with social media platforms. Whether we accept it or not, social media has hugely shaped our outlook on things. The more we are stepping into a newer innovative era where technology prevails, the more we are falling into the trap of misusing its products. It is important, however, to note that everything having inextricably link with belittling, deriding, and harassment online is all considered cyberbullying.

Now, taking into account how some people use social media for evil-driven intentions, it is not unfair to say that many lives are wiped out, hopes are shattered. Social media has now seemed to be used to sell and consume body images – the perfect ones – and to display a new culture based on the perfect life. Indeed, it influences a lot on how people see themselves, because of the beauty standards priorly and repeatedly imposed on. It negatively affects their concept of beauty. The truth is, many people are, nowadays, found increasingly to struggle with the ideal body image. They are targeted by unpleasing comments based upon their appearance, making them lose their self-esteem. In point of fact, body shaming is not only limited to fat-shaming or skinny shaming, height-shaming, and shaming of hairiness or lack thereof, it may mainly include shaming of tattoos and piercings, or people’s disabilities.

Facts and statistics on body shaming are to be shared to help people know more about this phenomenon and that they could overcome it. Just because body shaming rose very quickly to a high level due to social media does not necessarily mean social media platforms are all defective. Instead, it can positively impact body image in many ways.

It can convey body positivity and empower social media users as many researchers discovered and proved. Sarah Gervais, a psychologist and Associate Professor in the Social and Cognitive Psychology and the Law-Psychology programs, highlighted that Instagram is a more appropriate tool because the platform has adjusted its system settings by excluding from the search engine some specific keywords and hashtags related to eating and fitness issues. This has been made so to help people focus on healthier representations of their bodies on social media.

Sources: healthline / King University Online

In the Malagasy culture, a fady is a system of prohibition implemented by ancestors or locals to protect, for example, a long-standing custom and/or tradition or a particular site or area.

It is no doubt that Madagascar has considerable natural resources and is famous for having a unique and rich biodiversity. Home to thousands of plants and animal species found nowhere else in the world, the island’s endemism may increase the rate of threat of its resources and may make its species even more endangered. This is why conservation and protection systems must be set up, highly strengthened and enforced. In some remote areas of Madagascar, locals appeal for social norms and restriction barriers to protect and manage their lands and natural riches. They put some taboos or fady that they believe will operate if anyone else attempts to rob their natural deposits or disrespect what is forbidden, commonly known as sacrilege. The concept of fady or taboo traces its roots back to the Merina kingdoms. Skeptical people consider the fady as only fussy stories, whereas many Malagasy traditionalists have long counted on it, reckoning its importance as a shield and a fail-proof protection system.

The fady varies according to villages’ customs and each region may have their own taboos or fady. These fady are set as rules that may govern the village and stand as perpetrated traditions. In the Malagasy culture, a fady may concern objects, places, animals, plants, or even a certain behavior. There are regions that may deprive you, for instance, from eating certain foods when visiting the place. This is the case of a tribe located in the west of Madagascar named “Zanakantitra”, who does not consume onion and makes it a fady. There are also different places considered sacred on which it is banned to build a foundation. Sometimes these places were once graves, and for Malagasy people, graves are sacred since it has a direct link with ancestors. Yet, the respect of the ancestors means a lot to Malagasy people. Pointing a finger at graves is also considered fady by many but sounds like just a legend to others. In some traditions, the fady can involve animals as well, the “Indris”, for example. These are lemur species acknowledged as sacred animals because of the several myths that surround them. It is believed that the spirits of the ancestors live in these lemurs.

The list of the fady is a long one, but these are only a few examples seen in different regions of the island. For so long, taboos and social norms have largely contributed to the evolution of today’s Malagasy society. Similarly, they have played an important conservation role regarding Madagascar’s riches.

Sources: “Les Fady ou Tabous à Madagascar”, Bertin Razafimpahanana / “Taboos, social norms and conservation in the eastern rainforests of Madagascar”, Julia P G Jones et al., 2007

While the world is constantly changing, so do the society and technology. They are shifting so fast that everything now seems easier and accessible. Who could imagine that anybody would be able to reach the sky today? For several decades after the first incredible experience of humans flying aboard a spacecraft to land on planetary body, currently even non-astronauts can enjoy such a memorable journey once in their lifetime.

Today, the space tourism industry is evolving. Three outstanding space companies are now competing on launching their first tourist spacecraft. This is to grant everyone the possibility to fly to space. These companies include Blue Origin founded by Jeff Bezos, Space X of Elon Musk and Virgin Galactic created by Richard Branson.

Very recently, the man behind Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos, the known richest man in the world and also founder and CEO of the multinational technology company Amazon has announced his spaceflight plans. On July 20th, Jeff Bezos will be flying aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft and will be joined by five other people including his brother. For the first time in 60 years in American history since Alan Shepard became the first American astronaut to travel in space, spaceflights for tourists are now available. Besides the new Shepard, Elon Musk is also promoting Space X “Dragon” for tourists, the space shuttle which has already completed its first successful crewed flight on the Crew Dragon modules in August 2020.

Get ready for your unforgettable journey on space!

Getting into space is now made possible for those who are desirous of joining the space crew, and for those who have the means! These days, it has become more of a reality for non-astronauts to seize that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put themselves in the shoes of astronauts. This is just a dream come true!

Since private companies are all rushing to carry passengers into space, they also prepare them for the flight. Going to space is not something that should be taken for granted. Not only do you attempt to wander the universe, which may be a scary thing; but also you ignore how you will cope with such an experience totally new to you. Therefore, you need to get well-prepared for it and be willing to follow the training.

Generally, trainings depend on each space company. Blue Origin, for example, is convinced that passengers will be able to learn what it takes in space only the day before their flight. This means, it only comes to a one-day training. However, there is not denying that it can take up to two years of training to become a fully qualified astronaut and understand the basics around the spaceflight. This may be ironical, but it is true to say that today, anybody can be an astronaut in only one day. At any rate, who would not want to reach the stars and experience zero gravity? So, take your chance because as Space Training Academy rightly says: “The sky is not your limit anymore!" Get your money ready, the space is waiting for you!

Sources: The Washington Post/BBC Sky at Night Magazine/ Blue Origin

We are increasingly heading towards a more virtually-fueled world. We inevitably must cope with the 21st-century digital era. Although this is a revolutionary era aiming to make life easier, we cannot ignore its downsides, especially for our kids. How could we explain to them that this is how their future will look like?

Recently, an idea has emerged from Silicon Valley informing that Facebook plans to launch a new version of Instagram for kids aside Messenger Kids – a popular texting app for children aged 6 to 12. The idea caused a real controversy among users, parents, and some grassroots organizations, leading them to raise petitions. They claimed that Instagram is not suitable for kids, because even teen and adult users already struggle using it. By getting signatures, these organizations expected from Facebook to give up that idea.

More than 180,000 people have signed the petitions. This figure shows that many still refuse the idea of involving kids in digital and social media marketing. Kids are thought not to be ready yet to get confronted with the dangerous pressure and influence of technology. At any rate, this is not only all about Instagram and other social networking platforms, the simple fact of surfing the internet also represents a huge risk for young children. That is why calling for parents’ involvement in watching over their kids’online activities should be the focus of much attention. Parents need to teach their children to use technology and internet correctly.

Here are two parenting guideline tips to guarantee children’s tech use safety:

• Parents must aim for balance. Parents should adopt a balanced approach regarding the use of technology by their younger children. Technology may admittedly be useful for their kids’ fulfillment; but parents should also keep in mind its harmful effects. Parents should know when their kids use technological tools and go online. Their kids may get access to inappropriate content online, and that is why parents should intervene. Warning signs of unhealthy tech usage must be taken seriously, when kids feel bad when deprived of their device for example. Most importantly, parents should set screen time balance for their kids and prioritize offline activities.

• Parents should always be a role-model for their children. Children notice and imitate their parents. If you are that kind of parent who spends much of your time sticking to and connecting on your devices for work, know that your child is more likely to do the same. Parents must set an example and set a balance of work time and family time. It is always advised that parents unplug from any devices when they spend quality time with their children.

We clearly can no longer live without technology since it has become an essential part of human life and evolution. All the same, it is up to each one of us, parents or not, to protect children from the misuse of technology.

Sources: USA Today / The New York Times

Generation Z has emerged as a population that increasingly instills much attention because their life experience has been shaped by a different world compared to other generations. Born after 1996, Generation Z population differs from previous generations – Generation Y, also known as the Millennials and Generation X – in attitudes, tendencies, and outlook.

Some statistics show that the global Gen Z population has already reached 2.56 billion people in 2020. Generation Z is expected to represent 80 million of US consumers by 2026 and will become the largest generation in American history. Today, they are worth 27 percent of the US population. The oldest members of this group are in their early 20s, and some of them are moving towards America’s education system. According to Pew Research Center, Generation Z students are more likely to pursue college compared to previous generations. Data show that generation Z students aged 18-21 were no longer at high schools in 2018 and that 57 percent enrolled in a two- or four-year college program. Lower statistics – 52 percent for members of Generation Y in 2003 and 43 percent for those of Generation X – were previously recorded. Gen Z students are thought to value higher education because their parents have also been better educated. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KID COUNT Data Center, in 2005, 35 percent of kids nationwide were growing up in a household led by someone with a college degree; and that by 2018, the percentage reached 44 percent.

Gen Z-ers are extremely goal-oriented and career-focused students, setting ambitious financial and personal goals. Moreover, they are seen as an optimistic generation, always eager to deepen their knowledge as much as they can. They remain highly motivated, and that makes them unique as a generation.

Gen-Z has gone through hard times these last years and has witnessed economic crisis and financial struggles – during the great recession for instance. These events came to change their worldview. As a result, they have become more concerned and vigilant regarding their future.

These Generation Z students are compassionate and very committed when it comes to changing the world. They are “racially and ethnically diverse, progressive and pro-government"  according to Pew Research Center. Gen Z shows a strong desire to largely contribute to the world, to create a more equitable society, and to help and act for the benefit of the community.

Another special feature of Generation Z students is that they are digital natives. They grew up with technology and are significantly more comfortable with the internet compared to Millennials. Statistics reveal that 98 percent of Generation Z members own a smartphone. They can spend up to three hours a day on the internet and another three hours a day using social media. They are tech savvy, and the digital world has no more secret for them.

All generations have each their core characteristics and specificities – Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z, and so will the emerging demographic cohort called Generation Alpha.

Sources: Pew Research Center/ Psychology Today/ The Annie E. Casey Foundation

It is clear that what inspires people most in exercising is either to keep fit or to build a toned body based upon their body ideal perception. Some may simply want to stay healthy or feel better by practicing sport. However, it is not always easy to stay on track and stay motivated everytime. Therefore, engaging in a physical activity sometimes requires having a powerful motivator.

These days, digital exercise has emerged as a trend among workout communities. Many sites and social media platforms are now promoting collective exercise sessions, which include online fitness classes. This was partly popularized by Kayla Itsines, an Australian personal trainer-turned influencer known for having inspired many women through digital exercise community. This thirty-year young woman trainer has 12.9 million Instagram followers and 30 million others on the Sweat app. She is known for her ability to harness social media to promote her brand. Today, she has her own social media followership branded as the Sweat with Kayla community – formerly BBG community. Kayla’s goal was to create a unique online exercise community for women where she could share her insight on exercising well. In fact, she focuses more on “how people feel rather than how they look”. That is why the program she offers aims at building a strong sisterhood where followers encourage and support each other to motivate and inspire all users to exercise.

A study made by two researchers named Kim Toffoletti and Holly Thorpe, while following closely Kayla and analyzing 155 women within the BBG community, shows that these women are proud and satisfied. They post their photos with happy and smiling faces on Instagram with hashtags #BBG, #thekaylamovement, #kaylasarmy, and #bbggirls to portray their sense of pleasure and pride. For these exercisers living in different places, belonging to the same encouraging community makes them more motivated in their workout journey.

Currently, online fitness community has gained much importance and has become a powerful motivator for fitness lovers. People feel both the need to keep fit and interact with others. Practicing collective exercises have always been of a huge benefit and power; in a way that it allows exercisers to share the same feeling towards attaining similar goals. Similarly, it can create a sense of belonging, commitment, support, and teamwork. There is no better feeling than sharing camaraderie while working hard along one’s weight loss journey. The pandemic has increased the need to connect digitally, fostering virtual workout community. Being in a community, whether it is in-person or digital, can always help motivate members and make positive changes to their health and fitness. The virtual support network is highly valuable and powerful especially in creating an environment of support.

An online community of fitness enthusiasts not only does help people to feel less lonely or depressed, but also to support them in reaching their shared fitness goals.

Sources: Psychology Today/ Today

Life on earth is inextricably linked to the oceans. The oceans can affect our health in a variety of ways. That is why every year on June 8 – the day designated by the United Nations to celebrate World Oceans Day – we recall the importance of the ocean in humans’ life by calling for awareness towards its protection.

The air we breathe comes largely from the ocean which produces over half of the world’s oxygen and stores 50 times more carbon dioxide than our atmosphere. It contributes also in regulating our climate by covering 70 percent of the earth’s surface through transporting heat from the equator to the poles. Similarly, oceans are a source of overall well-being by providing the water and medications we need. In short, oceans can be considered as one of the main foundations of human life.

Nevertheless, human action damages the nature, and we fail to restore what we have destroyed. We expose the world’s waterways to an increasing variety of pollutants – plastic, debris, chemical runoff, crude oil and more. As a result, statistics show that 100 million marine animals die each year from plastic waste alone; 100,000 marine animals die from getting interwoven in plastic yearly and one in three mammal species get found entangled in litter.

Data also show that 90 percent of ocean debris worldwide comes from 10 rivers alone. 80 percent of global marine pollution comes from agriculture overflow, untreated sewage, discharge of nutrients and pesticides. Similarly, 80 percent of pollution comes from land-based sources. In fact, 70 percent of our debris sinks into the ocean’s ecosystem, 15 percent floats and 15 percent lands on our beaches. These facts and statistics are so appalling that it should make us fully aware of what the future of the ocean’s ecosystem will hold and react accordingly. Some studies conducted over the last few decades reveal that by 2050, if humans’ actions prevail, our environment would be under imminent peril making plastics outnumbering fish.

The United Nations World Oceans Day – celebrated on June 8 every year – has been set up to remind us of the vital role of oceans, our planet’s lungs. This year, the second fully virtual celebration of UN World Oceans Day will highlight the theme of The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods. The celebration will feature 40 visionary leaders across the world, which include celebrities, institutional partners, community voices, entrepreneurs, and experts.

World Environment Day 2021 theme goes perfectly along with the “Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development” proclaimed by the United Nations which will run from 2021 to 2030. Through the decade, the UN aims to support and strengthen international cooperation to develop scientific research and innovative technologies that can connect science with the needs of society.

Sources: United Nations / Oceanic Global/ Condor Ferries

In Madagascar, Western culture prevails and continues to profoundly affect today’s Malagasy society. This is partly due to the increasing globalization process that can pressure some countries to forgo their cultural identity and values to go with the mainstream. Maintaining their own cultural values, nowadays, may seem rather out of the ordinary. However, what differs from one country to another is its cultural identity which is wrapped up in the country’s history.

In Madagascar, since the time of first inhabitants, a custom which consists in respecting elders and ancestors within the Malagasy society has come to exist. Historically speaking, the Malagasy society has had a hierarchical social structure based on kinship groups that are ranked according to their respective social status, either superior or inferior. Individuals in the group are then ranked according to their age, gender and descent. This social division following a hierarchical structure in the Malagasy society explains why elders and ancestors are of great significance and worth. The traditional Malagasy worldview is shaped by values that emphasize solidarity, which means “Fihavanana” in Malagasy, and “hasina”, which is known as a sacred life force. Ancestors or razana, who are highly venerated by Malagasy people are perceived as the source of “hasina”. For their “hasina”, ancestors are respected and are believed to be able to oversee, to protect and to influence events on earth. To honor their ancestors, Malagasy people organize a big funeral celebration and practice the “Famadihana” or exhumation.

It is also through that life-given power that many individuals and family groups are distributed. Back to the royal time, sovereigns and nobles were endowed with a greater level of hasina than others because they had higher social status and ruled over a territory allowing them to be more respected. Similarly, within family groups of any rank, elder people possess also greater hasina than the younger generations thanks both to their virtue in maturity and the Malagasy belief that these elders are close to the dead and thus share in part their power. Showing respect to the elders and ancestors in society has then become an essential part of the Malagasy culture, customs, and even education. Children, at their early age, are already taught and prepared to take their place in a social hierarchy dominated by community elders and the ancestors. In this system, the failure to honor the hierarchy may be considered a fady – something which is forbidden – or a punishable custom violation. For instance, in Malagasy households, it is forbidden for children to eat before their elders. The youngest must always be the last served.

Malagasy people have always been conservative towards honoring social values and perpetrating traditions. Holding onto these values made it easier for them to hierarchically organize their social system. However, with the world which is constantly evolving and many changes operating, holding a traditional perception may no longer be of a great help. Anyway, keeping one’s customs and cultural identity while following the flow of change remain the best solution.

Sources: Wild Madagascar / EDBM / World Nomads

The degradation of the Earth’s ecosystems stem from humans’ demanding actions on nature. For too long, we have exploited and damaged our planet home.

The Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years ago, and modern humans have existed only for about 315,000 years. Yet, we, humans, are destroying our only safe refuge. According to WWF, more than a third of Earth’s natural resources have been destroyed in just thirty years. We consume and overuse planet Earth‘s natural resources to support our way of life and to supply us more than the biosphere can regenerate itself. As a result, we face what is called “ecological overshoot” now that we find ourselves living beyond the ecological capacity of the planet. Since 1970, an “Earth Overshoot Day” has been dedicated to mark the phenomenon. Last year, the day was observed on August 22.

If we keep on consuming our planet exceedingly, we will need to anticipate the disastrous consequences of our actions. Many of these are already happening now and the ecological footprint has been already traced. Some shocking environmental facts and statistics revealed that since 2016, an average of 28 million hectares have been cut down every year. Over 20 percent of species are at critical risk of extinction due to wildlife destruction. If no action is taken to tackle greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, global temperatures could increase by a massive five degrees Celsius by 2100. The rate of groundwater pollution doubled between 1960 and 2000 and is now over 280 square kilometers per year. The world could run out of rainforests by 2100, food by 2050, fish by 2048, and water by 2040.

Focus on ecosystem restoration.

Since we have used one third of the Earth’s resources and increased our consumption over these last decades, we encounter serious ecosystem loss which could get worse in the years to come and become even more disastrous. However, there is still a chance to restore our beloved planet. That is why every year, we have a special day dedicated to reminding the world of the importance of nature and of maintaining it alive. Every 5th of June, we celebrate World Environment Day, an occasion to heal the ecosystem. Under the theme “Reimagine. Recreate. Restore”, World Environment Day 2021 will focus more on ecosystem restoration which consists in preventing, halting and reversing the degradation of ecosystems worldwide. On this occasion, World Environment Day launches the “UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration” (2021-2030), a rallying call for protection and revival of ecosystems around the world, for the benefit of people and nature. The year 2030 is known as the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and the deadline that scientists have identified as the last chance to prevent catastrophic climate change (decadeonrestoration.org). A decade-long action plan has been set up following the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on the 1st of March 2019. The resolution includes recalling the outcome document of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 20-22, 2012, entitled “The future we want”, in which the role of ecosystem restoration in achieving sustainable development was highlighted. The resolution also includes emphasizing that forests, wetlands, drylands, and other natural ecosystems are essential for sustainable development, poverty alleviation and improved human well-being.

By the way, the official celebrations of World Environment Day 2021 take place in Pakistan.

Sources: United Nations/ United Nations General Assembly/ The World Counts

When you are an international student and that you plan to pursue your study in the US – apart from getting to know about American’s culture and people’s way of living – you most importantly need to learn about how US education works as well.

In fact, the US remains among the best countries providing top-quality education according to the 2018 Education rankings of Global Partnership for Education. Similarly, the US is at the number one spot in terms of education across the world, according to the 2020 Best Countries Report. These explain the increase in number of international students pouring into the United States. It has even been showed that the US has the world’s largest international student population, with more than one million students choosing to broaden their education in the US and dwell in.

Before deciding to enroll in any US colleges, international students need to know first that there is what is called “standardized test” which is mandatory, unless it is not among the requirements of the college they apply for – as it really depends on colleges’ admission requirements. Yet most of the time, US colleges, especially prestigious ones, demand a standardized testing as the first entrance examination, which is not only meant for international students but also for American students. A standardized test in US education is a test that is given to students and is scored in a consistent or “standard” manner. The test questions, the conditions of administering, and the scoring procedures are consistent or the same for all students. In some US primary schools, pupils have already taken standardized tests; but once they finish high school and attend college or university, they are free to choose whether they want to take college-admissions tests or not. By contrast, for an international student to be selected and be able to enroll in a college program, he or she is required to take the admission tests and needs to be assessed if he/she meets the requirements.

Indeed, apart from the College-admissions tests, there are other different types of standardized tests which include:

• The Achievement tests, consisting of measuring the knowledge and skills students learn at school or to determine the academic performance throughout the learning process.
• The Aptitude tests, when evaluating a student’s ability to succeed in an intellectual or physical field or another specific one, like assessing mathematical ability or language proficiency for instance.
• The International-comparison tests which are about monitoring achievement trends in individual countries through comparing educational performance across countries. An example of international-comparison tests is the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
• The Psychological tests – IQ tests – are tests sometimes used to identify students with learning disabilities to measure their cognitive and mental abilities, as well as their emotional, developmental, and social features.

Some of the College-admissions tests in the US

There are different tests required to be admitted in some US colleges:

• SAT, which stands for Scholastic Assessment Test and originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, is a standardized test intended to assess student’s readiness for college.
• ACT, originally an abbreviation for American College Testing, is a standardized test with the purpose to evaluate high school students’ general knowledge of specific skills areas like English, mathematics, social studies, and natural sciences which were renamed later the Science Reasoning test. Both SAT and ACT are designed to assess students’ academic readiness for higher education.
• Graduate Record Examinations or GRE, a standardized test for graduate school that aims to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning or mathematics, analytical writing and critical thinking skills.
• Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized test which consists of four sections to assess graduate students who especially enroll in a graduate management program such as an MBA program. The four sections include Verbal Reasoning skill, Quantitative Reasoning skill, Integrated Reasoning skill and Analytical Writing skill.

Sources: Study in the USA / The glossary of Education Reform