The Generation of Body Diversity

As a girl growing up in a society where being beautiful is often defined as being tall and thin, I have often found it hard to accept myself. While many search for entertainment in magazines and television, I couldn’t always find the same enjoyment others did. I didn’t see curvy girls as often as I saw thin girls, and this has the potential to affect young girl’s in ways we don’t realize. Often, eating disorders can stem from the vision of being “perfect”, when in reality there is no such thing as perfection.

Many girls aspire to be as thin as the models they see in their favorite magazines, but what they don’t realize is these dreams are unrealistic. Often these models are photoshopped – the idea of a girl chasing after make-believe standards is upsetting and unhealthy. It’s one thing to have health goals, but aspiring to get your body a certain way through less than ideal manners is not the way. I never had the role model I needed when I needed it, so let me be honest when I say the best you is when you are yourself. Be thick. Be thin. It doesn’t matter, because you’re beautiful either way and if your friends/peers don’t accept you for who you are, then maybe it’s best if you kick them to the curb and trade them for some more accepting pals. If you’re worried about a guy caring if you have a thigh gap, let me tell you: he won’t.

When I was thirteen, I stumbled across an Instagram page that belonged to Calgary’s own Honor Curves, a 6’1” self love advocate who preaches body positivity to her growing audience of 111k followers. As a girl who struggled with self-love and was used to seeing thin models in mainstream entertainment, I quickly tapped on the Follow button as this was just what I needed: a role model who wasn’t perfect, but working towards their goals and encouraging others along the way. Honorine encourages her followers to snap a picture with the hashtag #honormycurves and share their story. To this day, I still follow her and I’ve always dreamt of meeting her because her unwavering positivity is inspiring to not only me, but hundreds of thousands of people. I’ve always wanted to share how big of an effect she’s had on my life, and hopefully she can inspire you too now.

Seeing plus-sized models in magazines is becoming increasingly more common these days which is very exciting for those of us who’ve never had someone of similar body type to look up to. Earlier this year, Ashley Graham made headlines for being the first plus size model featured in Sports Illustrated. As well, Tess Holliday was declared “World’s First Size 22 Supermodel” on the May 22nd issue of People magazine, and inspiring young curvy models such as Barbara Ferreira are finding success in the modelling industry as well, proving that beauty does not only exist in a size 00. This trend of curvy women in media is a trend I’m here for and will always backup. In the word’s of Honor Curves, “We can create our own reality, and I believe that self-love is never gonna be a story that gets old.”, which I agree with.

In reality, it doesn’t matter about the size. As a fifteen year old girl who has known the struggle of not feeling accepted for their body, I will continue to spread positivity to all the girls who are struggling with self acceptance and I hope you do the same. It’s important to remember a girl is beautiful no matter what they look like and the fact that many girls don’t realize the fact that they are so beautiful is disheartening. I’ve never had anyone to look up to until recently, and it took lots of work to overcome the negative thoughts in my head that told me I wasn’t beautiful. I continually struggle with self-acceptance, but I will admit I have come a long way and I am proud of myself. Wherever you are on your body positivity journey, I support you. To quote Ashley Graham, “Be you. Be real. Be authentic. Be your favorite kind of woman. And remember, this is the generation of body diversity.”

Here are some tips I’ve come up with to be happy and confident this summer

1. Go for a run or walk.

Color Me Rad runner being “color bombed” Source

Studies have shown that exercising increases endorphins, which lower the rate of depression. You’ll feel happier and get fit at the same time, so why not? A good way to have fun and run is participating in Calgary’s Color Me Rad Marathon, which is on June 27th 2015.

2. Surround yourself with friends and family

Friends [Source]

Often in the summer, I can get pretty down. I’ve learned staying inside does nothing to boost my happiness so this summer I am dedicated to making it the best one yet, surrounded by my friends and family. After all, studies show they can add to your happiness.

3. “Treat yo self”

A scene from “Community” [Source]

Now is the best time to treat yourself and not let anyone, or anything stand in the way of you being happy. Wanna eat the last piece of cake? Treat yo self!