| GemmaClarke |
08-09-2013 10:27 PM |
I Believed That Only Skinny People Could Wear Bikinis
While waiting in line at the grocery store this weekend, I was glancing at the magazine rack when I saw a tabloid cover celebrating its annual "Best And Worst Bikini Bodies" list. I'm sad to know that, by this magazine's standards, my own body would surely earn a high ranking on the "worst" list.
And I'm fed up with the glorious season of summer being completely taken over by the ridiculous notion that you aren't allowed to enjoy it unless you look a certain way. I'm gonna lay down some heavy truth for you right now. Are you ready? Every body is a bikini body. Want to know how to get a "bikini body" in two minutes or less? You are allowed to wear a bikini this summer even if you haven't lost any weight to prepare for the momentous occasion. You are allowed to wear whatever makes you feel comfortable and confident, and any person, magazine, or diet plan that tells you otherwise is dead wrong. No matter what magazines try to tell you, the only person who will ever have Jessica Alba's legs is Jessica Alba. My best friend Katelyn is naturally tall and thin; I'm short and curvy. That's kind of beautiful, I think. There's power in knowing that. Stretch marks are also a completely natural occurrence that may result from any of the following very human experiences: gaining weight, losing weight, being pregnant, or teenage growth spurts. Flip through any tabloid magazine and you'll see a picture of someone in a bikini titled "How I Got My Body Back." Seriously, what does that even mean?
Whether you've gained weight, lost weight, had a baby, or been through a serious illness or injury, never disown your body. That picture was probably a product of frustration with the lack of body diversity in the media, and that's a very valid concern, but demonizing one body type isn't the way to drum up acceptance for another.
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