It's taking me more than it should to post this photo. That's because I'm a) wearing a bra and trackies, and I haven't had a photo taken of me in a bra for a very long time, let alone take one myself; and b) because there's that little line by my belly button which, come to think of it, only actually proves I'm human. Even the skinniest people get folds.
The thing with photos, body image, and (almost) therefore how happy a girl is with herself is that the people in magazines may as well be barbie dolls - literally. They are adjusted and edited until they basically aren't themselves any more; their face shape changes and figure changes and imperfections are obliterated. It's difficult to live up to if you don't realise or register it. But it's one of the most important stepping stones, so to speak, that I've ever encountered and mastered. By no means am I always happy with my body. In no way is there nothing that I would change, but nowadays, I can just look at myself and think "yeah, I'm alright". The hardest thing is keeping that opinion. Don't bother listening to what other people say; "I'm so fat" when they're smaller than you? You know that they're wrong, and you know that they're just worried. Pressured.
I still, when I'm getting ready for a night out as I just have been, look at myself not entirely satisfied with what I see. I see the slight bump I have at my belly (which, as far as I can tell, every woman has) and wish it wasn't there; I look at my makeup and don't think it suits me. But I'm getting there, and I think that more people should try to - believe that they can. If my life changes dramatically and I end up running a magazine, I want it to have beautiful women in it. That is, beautiful women who are not photoshopped, who are happy to be who they are.
That said, the last time I attempted anything like that was in an IT project in year 11 and the IT teacher proceeded to take the piss out of the calves of the girl I had photographed. It annoyed me. But also made me think; how many people would believe that one magazine that says "it's ok, you can be human sized"? Because as far as I can tell, it's all gone too far to be easily stopped.
One of the things that I say to my friends most is that I don't care how anyone dresses, I just think that they should dress to suit themselves and their body. And so many people say it, yet so few people do it. It seems almost as if people have begun to become blind to what is staring straight at them, whether it's with regard to facts of life and which friends are trustworthy, or whether it's how beautiful they are. Everyone has something that they can show off. People should be taken into a room and shouldn't emerge until they feel good - like in We Will Rock You, the musical, Scaramoush (no idea how it's spelt) is sent off stage to change her clothes and is not allowed back "until you feel gooood about yo-self".
It's something that should be encouraged and should be looked into more; people should dress so that they're happy and they're flattering themselves. And if they don't like their weight or whatever: get off their butts and do something.
Now, this post was meant to be slightly different, I think, but I can't fully remember because I started it last night and was paying more attention then.
Just be beautiful. You are. xo
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