For many people, self-acceptance can be a lifelong journey. For the majority of my life, I have battled with my image and trying to love and appreciate the body I see in the mirror as much as the personality who accompanies that body. As a young child I struggled with loving my skin color and my hair texture (both of which I currently embrace to the utmost degree), but my biggest self-image obstacle by far has been my weight. To the people most important to me, my weight does not and never has mattered. But to the teenage girl and later young woman bombarded with images and standards that do not match with who I am, I often find myself on the front line of the battle for self-acceptance.
A few weeks ago, the New York Times published an article called, “Bingeing on Celebrity Weight Battles.” Other than discussing celebrities’ battles with diets that don’t work, the article emphasized how American society stigmatizes people who are not thin, or otherwise called fat. Our society villainizes overweight people and attributes their weight to greediness or lack of motivation to lose weight. Such stigmas normalize discrimination and/or prejudice directed toward overweight people. Even those who have finally come to terms with the fact that they may never be thin can resort to a type of self-loathing and destructive criticism.
While I do support living a healthy lifestlye, I’m sure we’ve all learned in a health class at one point or another that being healthy means more than having a thin body. In actuality, being healthy does not necessarily require or produce a thin body. Sustaining a healthy body calls for developing and nurturing a healthy mindset and a healthy spirit, which can be complicated by societal standards and stigmas along with economic motives of those who profit from our insecurities.
I admit, ignoring media is impossible and futile. However looking at your reflection everyday and recognizing that you are just as beautiful (maybe more) as any starved media icon will open the door to self-acceptance. I want to live a healthier life, and if I lose weight as a result, fine. If not, that’s fine too. Losing weight is not worth losing me because after all the tears, angry diary entries, and edging on the brink of insanity, I do love me.
