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You are what you make yourself to be…

I watched the Miss Representation trailer and really wanted to talk about it. I watched the full 8:52 second one, but will link you to the 2:42 second one in hopes that you will watch it.
Women, stop playing into what the media tells you to look like and act like. We do not need to play dumb to get a man. We do not need our boobs pushed up. We do not need to run for hours on a treadmill and punish ourselves if we don’t. We don’t need to hate ourselves for eating a cookie. We don’t need to teach the younger female generation that their worth is based on how they look.

You can’t teach your children this if you don’t believe it yourself! Ladies you are wonderful just as you are.

I’m smart. I have several degrees (not that I think this makes a person smart) both graduate and undergraduate in things my mother can’t pronounce, no really, I used to have to write it on a card for her. I got grants for all my graduate degrees and not because of lack of money but because of my brain (go brain!). I went to school to learn, simply because I loved learning. I make some pretty awesome food and my bread pudding is to die for. I am quick witted. I am funny. I am blunt yet semi tactful while doing it. I will tell you when something is in your teeth or if you are getting a little too orange from the spray tan. I entertain people or so they keep telling me. I am kind hearted, will have your back, and I am the friend who will come get you at 3 am if you are drunk somewhere and can’t get home.

I’m five foot six on a good day (meaning when I bother to have good posture). I wear a size 12/14 depending on who makes it. I have a thick rib cage and waist (think tree trunk) but freakishly small hips (at least that is what the wedding dress lady once told me). I’m all stomach, I drink water and it sticks out another inch I swear. I have small boobs (which I am more than happy with I don’t know how women with big boobs can play sports). I have hair that frizzes up when the rain wants to come out. I have stubby fingers that rings don’t look that good on. I’m allergic to way too many things. My spelling and grammar is horrid. Sometimes I burp. Sometimes I fart, which the dog actually enjoys (yes, she needs help).

I have stunning eyes (men’s words not mine…but they are nice) with eyelashes that are so long that I can’t wear sunglasses if I have mascara on because they hit the lens. For reference I’m not wearing mascara (or any make up in the photo). A firm butt (backwards skating can do that). I’m usually always smiling/and our laughing. I refuse to continually bleach my teeth because I just think that can’t be good for them, but have a lovely smile all the same. Same with tanning, I refuse to do that. I happily accept my pasty white self…but that pasty white skin is soft. I have nails that grow like weeds (my mother is most jealous of this). I like to do more “guy” things than girl things, though most of my teacher clothing is all bows and ruffles. I get my 5 servings of fruits and veggies in a day. All of my medical numbers are good, and my cholesterol is beyond low (they told me to stop eating egg whites).

I am me. I accept myself for who I am. Please accept yourself for who you are so that you can start teaching your daughters the same. And if you have sons teach them that as well. Teach them that a woman’s worth has nothing to do with how she looks. And if they want to be happy for the rest of their life they will find a woman that will challenge them intellectually and that they have things in common with. Not that she looks good next to them and the guys at the office love that he has a trophy wife. And if you don’t have kids, just reject what the media tells you who you have to be and just start being who you want to be.

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Comments

  7. Such a well written post.
    And so true!
    I think I might try to write something like this about myself for times when I need a little encouragement.

    Reply

  10. AMEN, and we love you for you and what you are!!! One thing I keep thinking about after losing my beautiful daughter 11 months ago, sure wish you had helped yourself to that piece of cake!!!

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  15. I love it. Women with big boobs can play sports. We just have to strap the girls down ;). However, I can’t tell you the number of times I got called for a net violation when I played volleyball because of my damn boobs.

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  18. Thank you for telling people this. I think how a mother views herself does a lot for how their daughters view themselves. I have seen this over and over again. I’m glad you said it.

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  20. So nice to hear someone echoing my thoughts. I had a lady tell me yesterday to get my eyebrows and hair done for my husband. She couldn’t believe he liked me as I was, let alone being married. My daughters think I am beautiful and I let them know they are. And yes, I have size 12 shirt and 14 waist and size 8 hips – freakishly small. We are women and we are great as we are.

    Reply

  26. Great post! I’m a shop teacher and it took me a while to find a guy who wasn’t intimidated. I didn’t mean to out-man anyone, I was just chasing my dreams! No regrets, I love my well-rounded life, and my husband loves that I can help him fix the house 🙂 Here’s to being non-traditional and loving it!

    Reply

  27. Truth on the college thing. After 4-year college being built upon a pedestal by every educator, I was expecting to learn and grow as a person. So wrong. College is a bunch of bullshit, but I need it to get my teaching degree. How’s that for irony?

    Reply

  32. Indeed, you ARE lovely…..but you look all of 17!!!

    Yep, find the thing that makes you ‘you’ and CELEBRATE IT! My daughter was intimidated by her brother’s ability to draw…but she beamed when I told her that he couldn’t use color the way SHE could! (I miss those younger days!) It just gets so tough for the kids in this stupid commercial world these days…..

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    • @Chris- you are my new best friend. 🙂 Ha, not 17…try 39. But being on the plump side keeps the skin plump too. 😛

      Reply

  34. Looks like a lot of people were cheered and encouraged/supported by this. Good going, Peabody! The world needs more supportive and confident people.
    A lot of girls get pretty mean about this looking good/catching a man business…or even in the office or academic settings. It’s flak, though, it can’t hurt you. Don’t put people down, feel good about yourself. Don’t be afraid to disagree with your friends or what women look like in vodka ads on the bus stop wall.
    People who are open about their fears/flaws and even laugh about them with you are superior to those who put you down about yours–they have confidence and kindness, too.

    Reply

  35. Wonderful post. Thank you.

    I couldn’t find the longer trailer. I’d love to watch it if you wouldn’t mind posting the link.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  37. Fantastic post. Not much more to say other than those issues of self image affect men as well, though we are typically not lambasted as much as women are. It’s important that parents explain something similar, only reversed, to their sons too :).

    Reply

  39. Great post. I’m pretty sure that I married a woman who will role model that. But, I’ll do my best to reinforce!

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  41. Thankyou for these thoughtful words. These words are what I need to tell myself. I believe it’s challenging for any women to have to deal with what the media says about what the ‘ideal’ woman is. I still have a hard time with my body, and trying to accept that. I may not understand everything (such as economics or politics), but at least I am aware of myself.

    Reply

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