Do our bodies shape who we are?

In our recent season of Questions of our Times, where we explore some of today’s big questions in a series of interviews, we talked with Chine McDonald, journalist and author, about body image, the beauty industry, and the impact of social media on the way young people see themselves. The interview was conducted live on Premier Radio, and is now available on video.

Chine has written for The Times and The Financial Times, and is a regular contributor to Thought for the Day and the Daily Service on on BBC Radio Four. She is the Director of Theos, a Christian think-tank, and is the author of the books Am I Beautiful? and God is Not a White Man.

Responding to a question about the impact of social media, Chine said:

’Social media has significantly exacerbated the sense of dissatisfaction people feel about themselves – how they look, the things they have, how their houses and their children look. Social media makes us present a perfect picture of ourselves, and part of that that we get immediate affirmation. People say, you look amazing, you look great. But if we don’t get that affirmation, it makes us think, maybe I’m not OK.’

Watch the full interview above, or on YouTube.

Chine was interviewed by Major Nigel Bovey, former editor of the Salvation Army magazine The War Cry, and the author of several books, including his latest book, Browsing the Bible.

Questions of our Times is produced by the Christian Evidence Society and Premier Christian Radio, and is made possible with the support of the Montgomery Trust.

Photo by Angela Franklin