Whatever happened to female idols such as Marilyn Monroe? A UK size 14 and one of the sexiest women in history. What I want to know is when did it become “cool” to be skinny? Corsets were made to accentuate curves and old film stars had a lot of them. Did it happen overnight? Over the course of years or a decade? If so, when, why and how did we ever let it happen.
Pick up any female orientated magazine and I can guarantee they’ll be talking about body image. From ‘she’s too fat’ to ‘she’s too skinny’ to raving about how bad it is other magazines do it and how people should love themselves. That last one is all well and good, however, how about we just shut up about it? Granted, being unhealthily overweight is bad but do we really need to be told time and time again that the cream doughnut you’re about to eat has a billion calories and that you’re at risk of diabetes by eating it? No. Because we’re not idiots.
Whilst I was growing up, I found myself very depressed about my body image. I tried to lose weight but I never stuck with it. When I got older, I sat back and thought about why I’ve been trying to lose the pounds. And you know what? It was never for myself. First, it was to stop the bullying at school, then it was to please guys I fancied. I like to think I was never sucked into the media hype on being a size zero, but how can you not be even slightly influenced when it’s shoved into your face day in day out. I worry for the future generations.
For example, I looked around the clothes shop I was in the other day and noticed one young plus size girl hiding the tags on her clothes – not very discreetly I might add. I wanted to tell her that the skinny sniggering girls with their stomachs on full display lingering in the shoe section have got nothing on her and that she should hold her head high. It broke my heart to see the same abuse inflicted upon me onto her. No one deserves to be made feel inferior. But you also can’t let them either.
Returning to my original question on curvy or fat, there is a line we should draw between unhealthy and healthy, however, I personally feel there should be less attention fixated on body image. It’s not only hurting people’s feelings, it’s crushing young self-esteems and putting them in the wrong mindset. We are taught to ‘love ourselves’ and ‘be proud of who you are’, but how can we in a body image obsessed society?
We can never completely change everyone’s opinions and I wouldn’t want to either; everyone has the right to their freedom of speech. I think it’s more about changing people’s opinions about themselves.
Forget everyone else for a moment. I want you to think about you. Stand in front of a mirror and tell yourself what you don’t like about you, physically. I’ve found that by doing this every morning you begin to realise that you don’t actually hate your arms or your ears. In fact, the more you stare at yourself you begin to realise you actually like your hair or your legs. Sounds a little backwards – you’re supposed to stand and tell yourself things you like, but I’ve found this works better. Start with the negative and pull in the positive.
You, we, need to change our attitudes towards ourselves. If we can start doing that, loving the way we are, there would be no need to put all that hate onto someone else. Forget what those magazines say about What’s Her Face and the cellulite on her legs. It’s you that matters. You.
I’m not religious but I do believe that you are how God made you. You weren’t put on this earth to look like someone else, you’re you. Your own person. It’s the courage of being able to smile at yourself in the mirror everytime no matter how many spots are upon your cheeks or if you have love-handles or if you think your legs are too short. Smile because you can.Your inner confidence needs to be released.
