We're confused. We've gone from loving plump and curvaceous bodies to labelling them as "fat," now plastering pictures suggesting that only thin women are pretty, desirable, or "model material."
1. Real women have scars.
Mastectomy scars, acne, self-harm, childhood accidents, surgery... any and every type of scar. Real women also have a lack of scars. Maybe this real woman didn't grow up with severe acne; Maybe she never underwent major surgery.
2. Real women have bodies.
Fat, thin, average, curvaceous or curve-less, a body is necessary.
3. Real women have bad skin. Real women have good skin.
Real women have clear skin, acne, eczema, dermatitis, burned skin, untouched skin.
4. Real women have cellulite. Real women do not have cellulite.
Real women have fat. Real women's bodies are not perfect. Women are not airbrushed to look like a model's picture all the time. Real women- including models- have bodily imperfections.
5. Real women have body hair. Real women do not have body hair.
Real women have silken, fine, thick, dark, light, curly, straight, wavy, frizzy, flat and voluminous hair. Real women have long hair and they have short hair. Real women are bald. Real women can be hairy.
6. Real women have confidence. Real women do not have confidence.
Get the point? All women are real women. Why do we insist on preaching things like "real women have curves?" At what point of development is a woman's body considered curvy? Is a woman any less of a woman because of her lack of curves? And is a man less of a man because he is attracted to a woman without curves- is a man's position as a "man" dependent on a woman?
When does "flat" become "curvy" become "fat?" Size 1? 12? 20? Can we individualize what is curvy, then shove all the individuals in the wrong mold?
Am I less of a woman because I wear a size 3? Is my friend less of a woman because she wears a 16? I'm tired of hearing that Victoria's Secret models are both perpetuating impossible standards yet are the "ideal" body shape.
We're not women because we've shamed and hated and badmouthed ourselves into a corner where no one can ever be happy with themselves while simultaneously finding an identical twin stunningly beautiful. We're not women because we hold power of body type over others while secretly hating our own. So, society- choose. Fat shaming? Skinny shaming? Or just hate everyone until we've all turned against each other, until the girl on girl hate moves from ads to looks to outright comments to physical abuse?
