I believe that women and men need to see more representations of what real bodies look like in ALL shapes and sizes in every form of media. There is no “right” or “wrong” body type – yet a consumerist culture clamors to make us feel like shit if we don’t look like what is perceived to be best.
Even being “plus-sized” comes with measurement restrictions, height requirements and facial bone structure from Jesus himself if you want to be considered an acceptable plus person.
What is allowed passes in and out with other trends. It just so happens it’s currently “cool” to love yourself – but still – only if you meet specific criteria.
This is wrong. Real bodies have lines, creases, marks, stretched skin, folds and rolls. Being encouraged to love and accept myself is not something I want to do only with the approval from this season’s top designers.
It is a baseline, bottom of my soul, 1000% magical feeling that I want to lavish on myself every single day of my beautiful life.
I’ve been 130lbs and I’ve been 210lbs and I’ve HATED myself at both sizes. Always thinking a little smaller would equal a little better, happier, smarter, richer, more popular…..Here’s a BRAVE TRUTH for you…That’s a huge pile of horse crap.
No matter what my body looked like I was always the same person inside and that nagging feeling of being worthless was simply a learned behavior from growing up with a vagina on planet earth.
Until you can accept yourself for who you are, right f-ing now – You will never be happy. I’m not trying to be dramatic, just leveling with ya.
You are a bright, interesting, beautiful, person who is worthy of love (from yourself and others)- simply by being alive.
And because today I’m dropping so much written truth on you – I also want to lay some visual truth as well.
Thanks to the Reclaim Beauty Project I had the opportunity to be photographed by Blackwater Studios without filters, photoshop or editing of any kind and then interviewed about my relationship with my body image.
This is my real body – captured by camera – and I want you to see it. It was uncomfortable for me to be in front of the camera and not be “working” it – thinking about my best angles, how to stand to look slimmer, mixing up poses to showcase myself.
But this shoot was so important because even though I try to be very authentic on social media – there is still always an element of mediated reality. This is true for ANYONE who has an online presence.
I don’t always look made-up, groomed, dressed well or frankly even awake/hygienic – but that never changes my self-worth.
PLEASE work on loving yourself, showing your body, surrounding yourself with positive people, distancing yourself from media lies, finding the beauty in everything.
True self-love is a journey and I am with you on it, every step of the way.
With Bravery, Brawn, Beauty and Brains –
Katrina
Learn more about the Reclaim Beauty Project here and how you can get involved in the movement.