Body confidence is hard in a society that picks apart celebrities for the slightest weight fluctuation, speculates that the very hint of roundness in the belly is pregnancy, and ties attractiveness to thinness. Therefore, even though I'm straight, I still respect and admire the beauty of other women who haven't let society tell them they shouldn't love themselves because they don't have a toned body and a flat tummy.
Yesterday, my fiance and I went to our usual lunch spot. We sit at a table because I'm too big for a bar stool, but we still sit in the bar area. A young woman, maybe 23-25 was at the bar, and I had a direct direct line of sight to her. She would have fit every conventional beauty ideal: long, shiny dark blonde hair, great complexion, slightly golden tan, and she was enjoying herself, laughing and talking to the staff. She was also maybe 30 pounds overweight, which didn't keep her from wearing a sleeveless cropped athletic top and short skirt. She ate her food with gusto.. a buffalo chicken sandwich with tons of fries... And chugged three beers. She literally left nothing on her plate, and her belly was bulging as she ate and drank. I tried not to stare, but at one point, I did see her stand and adjust her skirt, which made her starter gut bulge out even more. She didn't seem the least bit self-conscious, and at one point, she got up to hug someone she knew, and laughed and chatted for a bit. I thought she was absolutely beautiful, not from a sexual perspective, but because she seemed so at home in her body. Later, I asked my fiance if he noticed her. He fully had his back to her, so I believe him when he said he didn't, LOL I commented to him that I hope she never lets anyone try to whittle her down to a size 2, unless it's what she personally wants for herself.
I guess if I had one hope for teenage girls and young women (and really people of all genders), it's the complete belief a size two can be beautiful and a size 26 (or bigger) can be beautiful. It always makes me sad when I hear someone talking about what they will do one day when they reach a certain body goal, that they don't feel like they have the right to do now. My mother has never been overweight, but if she ever felt like she was a few pounds heavier than her usual, she would refuse to take family photos with us. That's terribly sad to me. Wear the dress, put on the bikini, eat the food, take the vacation, jump in the group photo. Body goals (gaining, losing, maintaining) are just fine, but in the meantime, we only live once.
Yesterday, my fiance and I went to our usual lunch spot. We sit at a table because I'm too big for a bar stool, but we still sit in the bar area. A young woman, maybe 23-25 was at the bar, and I had a direct direct line of sight to her. She would have fit every conventional beauty ideal: long, shiny dark blonde hair, great complexion, slightly golden tan, and she was enjoying herself, laughing and talking to the staff. She was also maybe 30 pounds overweight, which didn't keep her from wearing a sleeveless cropped athletic top and short skirt. She ate her food with gusto.. a buffalo chicken sandwich with tons of fries... And chugged three beers. She literally left nothing on her plate, and her belly was bulging as she ate and drank. I tried not to stare, but at one point, I did see her stand and adjust her skirt, which made her starter gut bulge out even more. She didn't seem the least bit self-conscious, and at one point, she got up to hug someone she knew, and laughed and chatted for a bit. I thought she was absolutely beautiful, not from a sexual perspective, but because she seemed so at home in her body. Later, I asked my fiance if he noticed her. He fully had his back to her, so I believe him when he said he didn't, LOL I commented to him that I hope she never lets anyone try to whittle her down to a size 2, unless it's what she personally wants for herself.
I guess if I had one hope for teenage girls and young women (and really people of all genders), it's the complete belief a size two can be beautiful and a size 26 (or bigger) can be beautiful. It always makes me sad when I hear someone talking about what they will do one day when they reach a certain body goal, that they don't feel like they have the right to do now. My mother has never been overweight, but if she ever felt like she was a few pounds heavier than her usual, she would refuse to take family photos with us. That's terribly sad to me. Wear the dress, put on the bikini, eat the food, take the vacation, jump in the group photo. Body goals (gaining, losing, maintaining) are just fine, but in the meantime, we only live once.
2 months