Happy Wednesday, loves.
Right now - my big chapter that I am working on has to do with self image and self confidence. Myself, I am a bigger girl. I always have been and in the past year have really been working hard to change my outlook on food. Food used to be my comfort. If I had a bad day, I ate. If I had a good day, I ate. This is no longer the case but I understand that there are many women who still associate food with feelings. My main motivation behind this book is that I would like to encourage girls who don't fit under the mold that America puts on women to be a certain weight, a certain size and overall a certain type of woman.
This doesn't apply to women who sign up to be models, or in a career like acting that you have to maintain a certain shape or health level. These women are you and me. We're wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and at the end of the day - women who all have feelings and emotions.
This is something I am writing about in a current chapter but not something I have blogged about.
When I was in college, I actually spent time researching this because in my opinion, it continues to get out of hand whether its a celebrity or just an average Jane. There are quite a few things that I have noticed that have started to happen.
1) Little girls are starting to become more insecure early: I can relate because when I was in third grade, I started wearing a training bra. My body developed really, really early. When I was little like that, it was a curse but God had His reasons when He created me the way He did. Little girls start feeling self conscious and feel the need to experiment with makeup way too early and it doesn't help that little girls are just way meaner these days.
2) Teenagers feel this pressure on a minute to minute basis (in my opinion). My teen years were hard. I cannot imagine being a teen in our society today. I pray for these girls hourly. Girls are just plain mean and we hear alot more about bullying whether online or in person with the amount of girls who commit suicide over comments or boys. Secondly, teens feel the need to starve themselves to fit into these clothes or for the popularity factor & be considered cool.
I am a big One Tree Hill fan. Season 7, Sophia Bush's character, Brooke Davis who runs a clothing store on the show 'Clothes over Bros' and in their fashion show made the 'Zero is not a size' campaign. Luckily, this didn't just stay on TV - Sophia made a point of this and how important it is that we don't have to be a size zero to be beautiful. Aeropostale had been making shirts for girls/women to encourage starvation and I am so glad there are actors like Sophia Bush out there. I miss seeing her on OTH but women are beautiful and size has nothing to do with it. This whole case will be written more in my book but if you'd like to read more about it - click here.
3) College ladies or adult women feel this pressure also minute to minute. Makeup, perfect bodies, and the extremes that they go to - plastic surgery, eating disorders, being obsessed to be thin instead of fit and healthy. I mean look at the magazine covers with the constant use of Photoshop - the desire for perfection and not having any blemishes shown to the public just makes you look less human. I have dark circles, a few pimples here and there but overall I don't feel like I need to change my body to be a perfect woman.
If you have experience in any of this, and would like the opportunity to possibly be included in my book, feel free to email me directly at jessica_whitney@hotmail.com. We can make it anonymous or you can get your story out there in this chapter. Whether its your feelings about this topic, your firsthand experience or how your perspective has changed your mindset. All women are beautiful and deserve to feel this way all the time despite their weight, size or hair color.
What a heavy topic, but one that SO DESPERATELY needs to be talked about. I didn't know you were writing a book-- that is awesome!! You are going to encourage so many women through that. Thanks for sharing and linking up, as always!
ReplyDeleteSO cool that you are writing a book! Also super cool that you are willing to tackle this tough topic! I think it all boils down to people just kind of worrying about themselves. I have seen that a lot of people fighting against "plus size shamers" will sometimes shame skinny people in their fight, and vice versa! It's a deadly spiral and people need to just stop!! I think all of these trends are really true and prominent in our society! Great points! Thanks for linking up again!
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