From the moment an individual is capable of distinguishing body structures and the diversity of the human form, they are exposed to the social constructs of society. They are bombarded by words meant to apply to one body type and other words that apply to the “ideal” body type. The word “fat” is one of those concepts that is associated with a body type that one shouldn’t strive for because it is unattractive, grotesque, and unflattering. Children are raised to believe the word “fat” is associated with a negative connotation. The word “skinny” is epitomized as the golden state of being where all the glories of life are awarded to those who maintain a slim physique. This blatant disrespect for the diversity of the human body irks me to no end.
I have never been slim. Since I was a young child, I was the chunky girl and it used to bother to no end. Shy and unhappy, I would sit down and instead choose to watch my lanky peers fit through tight spaces found throughout the plastic playground. Now as I remember those feelings, I wish I could go back and erase the negativity clouding my thoughts. I would tell my younger self that the slim body type those girls shared was made for them and I should appreciate the variation of beauty presented before me. As a result, I wasted several years worrying about how I appeared to others and how I could change my physical appearance. It is difficult to admit but there were times where I crash dieted and starved myself in the hopes of achieving a slender figure, but even as I shed pounds I was never skinny. My body was not made to be that way and now I appreciate the way I am formed. I urge you to appreciate how you were created. As Lady Gaga once said, “I was born this way baby.”
Through years of rewiring the mentality that the media and majority of the population have instilled into me, I have realized that “fat” does not mean something negative. It is simply an adjective. No two bodies are identical. Bodies are fat, skinny, long, short, wide, narrow, and the list goes on. It’s time for the world to stop imposing negativity based on body type. I have not completely eradicated negative thoughts concerning my body (there is still some pesky negativity lurking around), but I am comfortable in my skin at a level I have never accomplished before.
The message is simple: there is no perfect body type.
Together we can tear down the toxic social constructs that plague individuals worldwide. No one should feel the desire to pursue harmful practices in order to lose weight or gain weight. Feed your body and mind without an image of how you think you should look. Let your body do its thing, you’ll be amazed by how liberated you feel when you let go of what society implants into our minds through gossip magazine and photoshopped images.
