It’s hard growing up as a young girl. It feels like a constant battle between who we are and who we should be. In today’s age of social media, it’s easy to feel compelled to look a certain way. Fitness celebrities on Instagram make it seem impossible to reach their so-called “fitness goals.” American Eagle’s loungewear brand Aerie decided to take a stance against these cookie-cutter images a young girl constantly sees. The brand decided to stop retouching their models and started the #aeriereal campaign.

I commend Aerie for taking such a stance. It’s hard enough to grow up feeling comfortable in your own skin. Images of Victoria’s Secret models only add to this difficulty. I don’t think anyone can recreate those overly sexy beach poses. If only their bikinis came with the ability to go to the beach, pose like that, and leave without a trace of sand in the wrong places.

I think the important thing to note is that women’s bodies are not cookie-cutter. We’re all unique and we should be celebrating those differences, not repressing them. Aerie uses models of all body types. Some of these models even have scars or beauty marks that aren’t photo shopped. There’s something empowering about looking at their advertisements and seeing pieces of yourself in their models.

The reality is that there is no “perfect body.” We should be encouraging girls to be healthy and comfortable with their bodies. Scars, stretch marks, and freckles are all physical characteristics that make us beautiful. It’s taken me time to see this with my own body. Spending hours in the gym obsessing over having the “perfect body” isn’t a great mindset to have.

My friends are all beautiful in their own way and shouldn't be defined by their body types. Two of my friends and I went to the beach in our new Aerie bikinis and reminded ourselves that it was okay we didn't have perfectly tanned "beach bodies." We encouraged each other to be confident and embrace our natural imperfections.

I’ve made the change to start thinking about what will make my body and I remain healthy. I now focus on working out as a way of stress relief and something that will make me happy. I think it is time we start teaching girls that their bodies are beautiful. Our imperfections make us human and give us a reason to embrace our differences.

Thank you, Aerie, for reminding us that our bodies are not only real, but that they are beautiful.