Love Your Body, Rock Your Body

Hello, my wonderful readers! Do you ever come across a subject that is so controversial that it ruffles your feathers? It happens all the time, right? Well, last week my feathers were heavily ruffled into an unruly mess and I wanted to write about it today.  The subject pertains to this photo.

As many of you may know, this photo has been circulating the Interwebs promoting positivity towards body image.  This photo was accompanied by a whale/mermaid story, which to me sounded so ridiculous it was if it was written by a 5-year-old girl.  If you don't know of the story, let me briefly explain.  A woman wrote in response to a gym ad stating, "would you rather be a whale or a mermaid?" Her response was that she would rather be a whale because they sing and are recorded by humans, are sexually active and raise children with tenderness. What the hell? It was if she was saying that skinny people didn't do any of those things.   All these other facts about whales sounded so far from the real issue. She proceeded to say that mermaids do not exist, but that if they did they would smell fishy, have no sex life and not bear children.  Whaaa??   I know she was trying to make a point, but hot damn, the woman could have come up with so much better than that. 


Regardless of the woman's silly response, I happily shared the photo on Facebook because like a Dove commercial, I think it's important to promote beauty in all sizes.  Skinny or fat, there is beauty in every being. 


But what truly ruffled my feathers wasn't the poor use of language that the woman used to accompany the beautiful photo of French model, Tara Lynn.  What upset me the most was that a long-time friend (who is about the same size as me) posted how sick she was of people promoting fat as being good.  A very opinionated person and Facebook newbie, she has grown accustom to standing on her soap box and preaching her beliefs. 


Her exact words were as follows:  


"The average size in the US for Woman is size 12. You know what else is the average in the US? Being FAT! This whole Mermaid and Whale thing needs to stop. I want to be a Mermaid! I know only one Woman who is happy and comfortable being heavy (she was probably talking about me). Thats it 1! Being heavy is unhealthy and the average Woman isn't happy that way, so stop trying to convince yourself that you are."


This struck an array of responses from both sides. Many thinking she was beautiful, but the majority were negatives. Comments such as "fat is wack" and "nothing tastes as good as being thin" appeared as responses and also struck my other friend to extend some research, finding that 1 in 20 women would rather lose a limb than be fat (according to Obesity magazine).   WHAT THE FUCK?!! You mean, people would rather not have a leg or arm than be 30 lbs overweight?


As everyone is entitled to their opinion, I respected what my friend did and tried not to step too much on her toes, but I could not keep silent and definitely had to fight back.  To a degree, I side with her and think that being obesity is not healthy.  However, I believe that our food industry has a big part in why America is fat and that it's not just because Americans are lazy.  Most of our food now lacks nutrition and is calorie-rich, convincing our stomachs that we are not fully satisfied and thus making us eat more. There is so much more to this, I know. I will not digress but I know that although obesity is unhealthy, that it is possible for thin people to be unhealthy as well.  Thin people have heart attacks all the time.  Being skinny does not always equate to being healthy.


Well, I thought it important to respond to her and tell her that it's not so easy (and she should know since she has struggled with her weight even when she was much thinner in high school) to be skinny  and that it is very hard work to control diet and exercise.  And in light of that, she and we all should love ourselves no matter a size 0 or 22.


While we all should strive to be the healthiest we can be, we should also love ourselves and our bodies at any size.  For me, I know it's hard to lose the weight.  I eat right and exercise as much as I can, but know that I can do so much more.  We can all do so much more.  But in my struggle with weight, I never at one point hated my body.  Perhaps I inherited confidence and self-esteem from my unbelievably confident mother, but I always found a way to make myself feel beautiful and comfortable in my own skin.  To my friend, the thought of this is unbelievable and is a lie.  That I'm lying to myself.  Oh, how silly she is.  And perhaps, how naive am I?


Obviously, my friends thoughts stemmed from her own insecurities. And she did say that most everyone would probably want to be skinny (which may be true).  But the way she brought it up was just rude and mean, especially from someone who is fat herself.  


What I did learn from all this is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. America and most countries find skinny to be beautiful, more aesthetically pleasing. But some cultures believe fat is beautiful.  To my friend, inspiration about positive body image only came from thin images of women.  To me, beauty is found in both.  Skinny or fat (like the women in the old Ruben's paintings- which people in the old days found to be beautiful), women are beautiful in a whole array of sizes.  And I think my friend missed the point. That the photo was not promoting fat or that fat is right, but about promoting loving yourself in any way. 


On that note, here are some photos of myself showing some skin (showin' off my chub chub) as a mild response to my friend and her negative thoughts on fat. 

DIY Demin vest (a recurring item on this blog) made by an old Old Navy Jacket

Black Peplum skirt from Mode Plus

Brown boots by Frye's

 
I was wearing very little as I knew it would be a fun, hot night out dancing at Zanzibar in Santa Monica.  Kudos to KCRW'S DJ Anthony Valadez for your always seemless and impeccable spinning skills. If you're from LA and you don't know about Anthony, now you know! Check him out every Tuesday morning on 89.9FM from midnight to 3am. Cheers to someone who really knows how to spread the love!


I hope you enjoy my chub and I more than hope you enjoy yours too.  Or lack there of.  Whatever your size, Love Your Body and Rock Your Body!


What are your thoughts on this issue?

Boogie Night: Gettin' Down with the Funky Bunch

Two weeks ago, I got down with the funky bunch and dressed up for a friend's themed birthday party.  70s/80s was the name of the game and like any fashionista I was happy to play dress-up, especially since the 70s is my favorite fashion decade. Theme parties, including ones that require a big poofy afro, are always a hit in my book.  Check out my digs. 

Rocked some purple eyeshadow and false lashes.

"Keep on dancin, whoo!" 

Top- Vintage from my mom's closet

Shorts- Mode Plus

Shoes- Gold Seychelles (5 years ago)

I wanted to wear a leather coat that I own that has fur trim. A lovely shade of 70s autumn brown,  it was the perfect vintage piece for this party but it was too hot, so I opted for the disco top and high-wasted shorts instead.  Not the most 70s looking outfit, but it worked when I topped it with my afro and gold shoes.

Speaking of dressing up, I don't think I'm gonna do anything other than wear some funky eyelashes for Halloween. I've got a wedding to take part in, and won't have any time to make a good costume. Any of you guys dressing up? What as? My inquiring mind wants to know! 

Hope you are all fine and dandy. :)