Body Image

So earlier this week I reblogged an article about body image and the song “All About the Bass”. In summary this article claimed the song was “skinny chick bashing” (to paraphrase). Reading through the article I had to agree that this artist was taking a swing at skinny girls.

I used to be one of them. One of the skinny girls. Size 0 jeans. Extra small tops. I could shop in the junior’s department at 19. I wasn’t huge in the chest but I was young, petite, proportioned, and perky.

Then I had two kids.

Yeah, I’ve dropped the weight, mostly, but I’m no size 0 anymore. To add to my “body angst” the shifting in my body proportions makes me look flatter in the chest than I used to be.

I’m happy with who I am and happy enough with how I look. Yeah, I would change a few things, like toning my joey pouch and fixing my crooked teeth, but overall, I think I look good.

Am I a “stick-figure, silicone Barbie doll”? Look at the picture. Am I a Barbie doll?

Am I a skinny bitch?

I have never once shamed a person about their weight. In fact the only person I discuss their weight with is my sister, and that’s more to let her vent than to lecture her or fix her. Yes, I believe junk food is evil and yes, I ate half a bag of chips yesterday while out with my husband. I also had cheese and crackers for lunch. I’m not perfect, I admit that. I’m not a gym-goer. I don’t exercise enough. Too many lazy days and I’ll start packing on pounds and I know it. I’m one slipped will-power day away from gaining back all the baby weight.

I know there are people who hate me because I’m skinny, but did you know I was threatened with an intervention once? My friends told me outright that if my weight ever dropped into the double digits they’d duck tape me to a chair and force feed me lasagna smoothies. Did you know my 74 year old grandmother wears the same size jeans as me? This is genetics, people, I didn’t starve myself to be here.

Yes, I know I’m blessed that my genetics allow me an easier time of maintaining a “popular body image” but that doesn’t stop me from feeling like I’m ugly. I have stretch marks on my thighs and hips and ass. My stomach looks like cottage cheese it’s so wrinkly from having kids. My teeth are awful, my hair is staticky and unruly and an awfully plain mouse brown colour.

I admire women who are confident in their bodies because a lot of the time I am not. Positive body image has NOTHING to do with weight and everything to do with how we see ourselves.

I am fortunate that my husband loves me and helps me see my worth and my beauty. He even makes me feel sexy. But I don’t think beautiful or sexy has anything to do with weight either.

So to all you curvy women out there, go out an rock those curves. You are beautiful because you are a human of immense value with so much potential. Same goes for the skinny girls, and the ones in between and the ones who don’t fit the molds, and the ones who don’t fit the stereotypes. Go out there and be bold and beautiful and sexy by being you.

We don’t need significant others to be sexy. We don’t need to be a certain weight or dress a certain way to be sexy.

Last thing I want to say: Let’s start building each other up. Y’all are gorgeous.