She removed it and posted a blog. She was accused of bashing skinny girls and apologized for the offense. Ok.... fine... I see how someone could be offended by it. However, the last time I checked, young girls weren't killing themselves to look like the top picture.
I spent years in the dance community watching girls starve themselves to be skinnier so they can fit into a mold. I saw an exceedingly skinny woman regularly walk into the store I worked at just to ask the skinny girl I worked with if she thought she looked good. She would also ask her how much she ate to look like that. I witnessed a gorgeous girl with an amazing body compare herself to an image in a fitness magazine and heard her say "I want to look like this woman."
Lets make it clear that I have no problems with women who are naturally skinny (and I feel that the middle woman might have been photo shopped). I have friends who are just thin by nature. I would never call someone a derogatory name because I feel they are too skinny, which is something a reader on Cyn's blog said was happening to her daughter (which pisses me off as much as when a chubby girl gets made fun of). I have no problem with women who want to be skinny. I do have a problem with society's definition of what is sexy and the pressures that are put on women to look a certain way especially when they take unhealthy means to live up to those expectations. I have an even bigger problem when an 8 year old girl is bulimic because she's trying to look like the girl she saw on the cover of Teen Vogue. What that young girl doesn't know is that the image was probably re-touched to look that perfect. (and I do understand that eating disorders aren't all about weight and body image. That's not what this post is about so I won't go into those details.)
This picture isn't bashing skinny girls. It's putting it out there that curvy girls, who are often made to feel fat, are sexy too. There is the argument that two wrongs don't make a right... However, you could argue that the picture is an opinion and we're all entitled to our opinion. I'm sure there are people out there who would disagree with the statement in that picture. I'm sure there are people who would prefer a super skinny lady. To each his own. Beauty is relative.
As I get older, I'm learning to love myself the way I am and realizing that I am sexy regardless of what society tells me (thanks in part to my skinny friends who say they love my voluptuousness). I'm going to be 32 next month... Why did I have to spend over half my life feeling insecure about my body? There is room in this world for all body types. I just wish that the media would give us equal representation. Would it hurt Victoria's Secret to have an ad with a size 12 woman in it? Or even better, have a size 12 Angel walking down the runway in their televised fashion show. We don't need to change. Society needs to change and realize that we're all beautiful in our own way regardless of what we look like. Why do we feel the need to judge people because of their outward appearance?
As for her removing her post, that was her decision. I support that. She's a wonderful woman who doesn't want to offend people. However, I have more of a "screw you" attitude. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, and if I offend you, that's your problem. I'm not easily offended. If I find that I don't want to be bombarded with someone's opinion, I just unfollow, unfriend, or simply don't read what they post. Or if you want to, you can comment on how offended you are. Better yet... you can post a valid, respectful argument. I might consider your feelings... Maybe apologize for offending you... Or just say that it wasn't my intention, and leave it at that. If you're disrespectful, I can simply delete your comment. This is my world and you can choose if you want to be in it or not.
If the media has a right to bash Kim Kardashian and Jessica Simpson for how fat they are, then I have a right to say "eff you! They're pregnant! Have some compassion you heartless ass!" Thankfully freedom of speech is my constitutional right, and I won't shy away because one person or a hundred people are offended by what I have to say.
So... I'll end my rant or ramblings there. If you made it to the end, thanks for reading. If you didn't make it this far, thanks for trying (though you won't see it. : D)
Love you all! I hope you have a wonderful Friday, and a fantastic weekend.
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