r-e-s-p-e-c-t
Thinspiration. Love your curves. Eat yourself skinny. You deserve an indulgence.
They’re everywhere—messages to women telling them what they should be or should do or should look like. Often perpetuated by other women.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be something better. I’m a big fan of being healthy, but staring at pictures of emaciated women? Not healthy, and certainly not practical.
On the flip side, I’m a big fan of loving yourself, of being comfortable in your own skin. But celebrating obesity isn’t healthy either. Love your curves, by all means, but don’t pretend your eating habits aren’t going to lead to diabetes or heart problems or joint problems.
It’s a tough balance. But that’s no surprise. Being a woman isn’t easy. Society is always going to have expectations for you. There will always be a specific concept of beauty (it’ll change, like it has in the past, but there will always be one look that’s popular at a time). There will always be pressure to change, to become more or less of something.
Ladyhood ain’t easy, my friends. And it has nothing to do with that number on your jeans. It’s about respecting yourself enough to take care of your body. It’s also about respecting yourself enough not to force yourself into a mold. You deserve better than two extremes.
There’s a middle ground, a small strip of land between the two extremes where you deserve to live. A place where you love yourself but still push yourself to do better, to be better. Build your home there, ladies. Build your home there and let society watch in wonder.
Beth Pensinger
Dec 06, 2012 @ 10:57:02
So you’re telling me diet-by-starvation isn’t a good plan? 😉
halee
Dec 06, 2012 @ 20:04:45
Um, well… 😉 I’ve seen too many women practically killing themselves to go down a pant size. And others practically killing themselves by overeating in an attempt to feel good. Sad stuff. Somebody had to speak up. Let’s teach women how to be well-adjusted ladies, Beth.
Beth Pensinger
Dec 14, 2012 @ 11:09:42
🙂