All we are, we are.

These pieces hold so much truth about body image these days. It affects everyone at some point in their lives; too fat, too pale, too ugly…Even I have dealt with my own insecurities in the past few years. Yes, I know I’m not overweight…but that doesn’t stop me from getting up and going to the gym at 5:30 a.m. every day. There is a constant desire to be skinny and in shape in order to be accepted and, as LeBesco writes, ‘high class.’ But should our cultural ranking be based on the number of ribs you can see protruding from our chests? Why are curves or “different” physical features so frowned upon? LeBesco writes, “The more cultured bodies are the ones who are furthest from nature” (58). She is so right…there are numerous television shows, advertisements, and tabloids that are selling the idea of plastic surgery in order to change one’s body for what we have been brainwashed to believe is “better”. The surgeries are expensive, which is why we hear of so many of our celebrity role models investing in different jobs and tucks to create the “perfect” image. Where did this idea of perfect come from? Who said it was skinny, tan and plastic as opposed to what comes naturally?
As I said before, I work out almost every day. I won’t lie…I have been working with a personal trainer for the past month in order to build muscle and get into better shape, but more importantly to help build my endurance so that I can continue to run half marathons. I work out because it gives me energy and helps me to function throughout the day. I don’t go on crash diets, but I enjoy eating healthy foods. I have looked in the mirror and thought that I look out of shape but that doesn’t stop me from eating my daily serving of ice cream. Whenever any of my friends tell me that they think they’re fat and they start doing crazy diets, I ask them whether they would rather be fat and happy or skinny and hungry? LeBesco says, “Fatness marks the individual as a failed citizen” (58). We see fat and we think,”lazy”. We see ugly and we think “unqualified”. We see handicapped and we think “slow”. These ideals need to change before the next generation is corrupted. Little kids start believing at a young age that people who are obese are unacceptable, especially because of the media. My little brother told my mom that she should go on The Biggest Loser television show. He was not trying to be mean, and my mom is nowhere near obese, but she was talking about her workout plan and new diet and he assumed that since it works on TV, she should try it too. Richards writes, “Mention teen magazines, for example, and many young women react viscerally, offering stories of how fat/ugly/ethnic/misfitting/self-hating the magazines made them feel” (198). If it weren’t for the media, would we still have these biases? Richard ends by saying, “The road to a solution is certainly a feminist one. It includes women creating our own beauty standards rather than following those dictated by corporations” (200). This is easier said than done. With any comparison, you’re going to nitpick, especially when they’re so readily available, but all women and men alike should know this: No matter what anyone else says, you’re beautiful if you’re true to yourself. Confidence goes a long way when you’re an original and not a carbon copy. No matter what the girl next to you looks like or says; if you believe it then others will too. “All we are, we are."

The song below is by Kellie Pickler- Don't You Know You're Beautiful. love it (: