Body Image

You know a lot of women have body image issues and I account myself as one of them. Some people would think me crazy because I'm a bean pole but I do.

I've been thinking about this lately due to a blog post by Mm. I was a simple statement but a hurtful one. She mentions much as a lot of people do that a friend of hers looks like a "real" woman. I, like a lot of thin women, hate these comments. Just because I happen to fit the stereotype of beautiful more than you does not make me an less "real" than you are. I'm tired of hearing people say "I'll give you some of mine." and "I wish I had your problem" when I mention not being able to do something do to my small size. I'm tired of being told I'm 12 (although I have been getting 15 recently. Marked improvement I'll say).

But after sitting and thinking as well as reading other blogs, I came to realize that all the ads in the media are to blame. For both sides of hate talk. Admittedly overweight women have it a lot worse but I don't think it's fair to dismiss my complaints just because so stupid fashion designer decided that anorexic was a good look. It's not my total fault I'm thin. I also shouldn't blame all the overweight women picking up the slogan "real women have curves." I applaud the effort to help normal and overweight women feel better which is a good thing but that is hurtful to me. I often feel that I couldn't possibly be attractive enough since I can fit into a size 2-4 and wear an A-cup. But now is the time to end all this. At least for me.

Recently, something just clicked in my head or changed in me...I'm feeling more of the second. I guess it was an epiphany of sorts. I just realized that the media doesn't decide what is beautiful. Nor do those who tell me "Wow, you're SO skinny." as though they feel sorry for me. I personally want to weigh more but now it's for health reasons. Who decides that I am beautiful as God made me is me. No one else. I personally would like to see an end to all this "real" women business. All women are real. Whether we happen to fall in the small percentage of underweight, the growing percentage (around 57% I think) of those classified as overweight, or some where in between, I think we should ignore the media and just support each other realizing that we all have beauty.

I'd also like to say, sometimes I can not understand why some bigger women even want to lose weight. I can think of some people who look gorgeous fitting the label obese. And I personally think that if there are no health problems and they are happy they should be left alone. And vice versa, although, thin people don't face nearly as much ridicule as those on the other end of the spectrum.

Ah, what it must be to not be told "you need to eat more" or "you need to eat less" and just be average. What would the world be like if we heard "you look good!" instead?

self