Skinny Wrists, Skinny Hips: WTF

My beautiful fudgies,

Can I just ask the gods of thinspo where they come up with these ridiculous ideas?
Because it seems as though their nutrient-deprived following churns out these abhorrent goals every other day.

Today's pick? The motto "Skinny Wrists, Skinny Hips".
I'm 1000% serious, go on Tumblr and find it.
You know what, please don't. You might get sucked into the blackhole that is the thinspiration tag, and I would never forgive myself.

The meaning: If your hand can hold your opposite arm's wrists, and your fingers touch, wrapping themselves completely around your wrists, then you are adequately thin, hence the "skinny hips" add-on.

The logic: That's funny. There is none.

The ILLOGIC: 

1. Firstly, this mentality doesn't take into consideration the size of one's hands. I have dumpy, 3rd grader-sized fingers, so I can assure you, even if I lost 189 pounds, my hand could not wrap around my wrist.

2. Secondly, here is some basic human anatomy. Wrists? Bones. Hips? Bones. Booooooooooones. It's very simple: no matter how much weight you lose, your wrists and hips will not shrink. If you have unusually large wrists, the only way you can shave off some inches is to literally shave them off with a saw.
And I'd also like to ask in what scientific journal these young girls found the correlation between wrist and hip size, because as far as I'm concerned, skinny wrists equals genetics. Period.

3. Finally, but most importantly, this has nothing to do with wrists or hips. Girls and boys who suffer from extreme self-esteem problems will find flaws within themselves that don't exist, such as "fat wrists". Sure, I can come on here and rant about these weird obsessions, but that won't fix the problem.
There is no such thing as "skinny enough" for these sufferers, no matter how many times you tell them their hips are perfectly skinny enough.

All you can do is be there. Let them know, in person or even on their Tumblr ask, that you are there to listen. When they find the strength to admit their problem, then you can be of help. Because often times, these girls in their skinny wrists worlds suffer in skinny lips silence. Send them love, pray, and go on with your bad self:)

xoxo

Gabby

The Perfect Bikini Body

Hello my sweets!

Not too long ago, I got an email from a diet and fitness company, which will remain nameless, asking me if I wanted to try out their new diet milkshake and review it for the blog. "Perfect for that bikini body", they said.
...Wat

Awn. Someone probably got fired, because as you probably know, that is the absolute LAST THING I would do on this wonderful piece of internet self-love this blog has become.

And what is the perfect bikini body anyway?
Is it this idea that we have of a tan, Victoria's Secret Angel strutting around in heels (in sand? really? I would sprain my ankle in 3.4 seconds), with legs that go on for days with, wait for it, a freaking thigh gap?
Is it the way our body looks when we pinch in our fat in "all the right places"?
Is it your friend's body, or your cousin's, or your mom's (if so, good for your mom)?

I'm so damn sick of this perfect bikini body bullshit. Here's why:

1. Perfect Bikini Body

I started this blog in 2012, as a dumb sophomore in high school, but if there was one thing I knew back then that still sticks to this day, is that perfection is stupid.

Here is Girl A, who hates her A-cups and loathes the way her hips jut out of her one piece. She's standing next to Girl B, who has an ass that won't quit and a soft squishy stomach.
And Girl A would kill to have that perfect bikini body.

But Girl B? She's self-conscious about her thicker arms, and she despises her wide hips. She's looking at Girl A, and thinking that she would kill to have that perfect bikini body.

...Do we see the problem here ladies?
Perfect is perspective, it's subjective, and if you don't believe that perfection is in you, no matter how many sit ups you do, you never will. 

 2. Perfect Bikini Body

I understand why bikini season makes some girls nauseous with anxiety.
It's the littlest bit of cloth, exposing everything you love, but also everything you hate about that lovely body of yours.

But loving your body is a process, and it may not happen overnight.
If the body in the bikini is not your ideal, make sure the bikini on your body is. 

Every girl needs a killer bikini in her beauty arsenal: one that defines your style, that makes you feel beautiful, that pushes and pulls and tightens and loosens all that "needs" to be.
Alternatives include: killer glasses, killer sundress, killer tan (safe please), killer tattoo or piercing (dont tell your mom I said that).

Whatever makes you forget about your silly bodily insecurities is a-okay with moi:)

3. Perfect Bikini Body

If you're going to sit in the shade covered in towels because your body isn't "perfect", stahp.
Distract yourself from that imperfect body of yours by putting it to good use.

Swimming, sand castle building, volleyball, frisbee, watergun fight, whatever takes your mind off the fact that half your butt is popping out of that cloth.

That's why you have a body, god dammit: not to fret over scars and cellulite, but to move and be active and do the things you love!

----------
According to Fitness Magazine, if Justin Timberlake invited them to a beach party, 36% of women would turn him down because they don't feel they are in good enough shape. 
And that is simply unacceptable.
Never let your body get in the way of your life, especially not JT!

You want the short answer to a perfect bikini body?
Put a freaking bikini on your freaking perfect body.
Done.
You are ever so welcome.

xoxo

gabby

I Don't Give A Single Fudge

Hello my darling angels,

Let me tell you, boys and girls and non binaries, the Lord hath tested me as of late.

I am 18 years old, and as a result, I feel I am more comfortable with my identity than when I was 14.
I know who I am, what I want, what I like, and, as these past few weeks have proven, I am old enough not to give a single ounce of a fudge if the aforementioned don't comply to other people's tastes.

But no matter how old I get, it's hard sometimes to not let other people's opinions get inside your , and it's not everyday I feel like a ball busting finger snapping diva.

Example Number 1: My High Tops

About 2 months ago, I had a wonderful Etsy shop by the name of KaylaStojek make me a pair of custom designed, glitter monster, psychedelic, Jimmy Hendrix Experience-looking high tops.
When I got them in the mail, I. Was. Stoked.

Unfortunately, many a'folk did not share my fond sentiments towards my shoes.
Some told me they looked great,
Some kept quiet if they didn't particularly adore them (hello, manners!)
but some...well, let's just say some were less quiet.

I literally had people insulting my shoes as I walked past them in the hall. Snickering, pointing, and telling me to my face that I had one tacky pair of shoes.

To be fair, I go to school in a living, breathing J. Crew catalogue, so I expected a bit of attention, but I thought that my fellow classmates had reached a point in their lives where differing tastes and styles were celebrated and accepted.

At first, I must say, I was heartbroken.
*Cue High School Musical's "Stick To The Status Quo"
"I should have bought something more conservative, that would blend in with the crowd."
Why couldn't I just like what everyone else likes?!

But when I wore my shoes alone in my house, I felt happy.
These high tops made me happy.
I felt like myself, like a piece of my identity was being reflected out into the universe.

So why should I let beautiful inner feeling of pride in who I am wither away with the voices of strangers? 
----

Example 2: Industrial

Another example is my industrial.
Yes, I got an industrial piercing (pictured left, with filter because it is still very bruised).
I have wanted this damn hanger through my ear for yeaaaaars.
But I never got it.

It wasn't the pain, or the money, or my school's dress code that stood in my way.
It was me.

I thought people would call me a poseur, an amateur, a fake.
I thought it wasn't "my style", but that's a lie. Your style is what you like, plain and simple.
I was afraid if wasn't the style that other people perceive me to have, and that bubble of conformity and security was difficult to burst.

But here's the thing. I did not have a needle pumped through my cartilage for them.
I got it for me.

I did not watch my friend (shoutout to my gurl Lubear) almost pass out from watching me get pierced so that I could pretend to be someone I'm not, no.
I got it for me.

And I freaking love it.
Oh I'm going to get some comments, no doubt, I already have.

But everyday, as I peel away the layer of skin that doesn't belong to me, that belongs to others and what they think of me, I grow stronger.
I look into the eyes of the judgement's beholder, and I smile.
Because I could not give less of a fudge.

----------------------------
Some may say this conversation is superficial.
But to me, it's not about the shoes, or the piercing, or the jeans, or the headband, or the haircut.
It's about being happy.

Because you know you shouldn't care what others think about you.
But God, the people who say that don't what it's like to walk through the cut throat hallways of school.
Sometimes it's just easier to blend in.

But the easier route doesn't make you happy.
It would be easier to not study hard for that test, but you want that 4.0 GPA
It would be easier to lay back and watch TV, but you still train for that marathon.
It would be easier to twiddle your thumbs all day, but you pursue your passions anyway.

So yeah, it would be easier to blend in. To let the shining star of individuality inside you fade to black. 
But don't you want to be happy?
To be proud of who you are, to reflect your inner being into the universe and watch it inspire others?

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference". -Robert Frost

Have a lovely day
xoxo

Gabby

Men and Eating Disorders: A Hidden Truth

Hello my beautiful fudgies!

I wrote an article for ANEB Quebec in french about men and eating disorders, which you can find here: http://www.anebquebec.com/blogue/2013/09/25/le-sexe-cache-des-troubles-alimentaires/ 
It's a very important social issue to me, so I translated it for you all to read. Enjoy:)


When the media addresses the topic of eating disorders, they tend to insinuate that it is a problem for young girls or women, reinforcing the societal myth that only females can suffer from an eating disorder, when in fact this psychological disorder excludes no race, gender, or age.

Indeed, studies estimate that 10 to 15 % of people who suffer from anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, and close to 50% of those who suffer from binge eating disorder, are men.
But where does this lie come from, and what are its impacts? 

"A Real Man?" 

For centuries, and even millenniums, men "worked", whether that be hunting or farming, while women bore and took care of children; that was just the way it was, no questions asked. This rather sexist mentality considered women to be beauty objects and proprieties, it was therefor normal for them to worry about their appearance, whereas her husband did not.
The 1960s brought the feminist movement to the forefront, which reconstructed many aspects of the expected societal gender roles, but regarding male looks and grooming, very little has changed. We are still being taught that men do not worry about their weight or physical appearance, it is therefor impossible for them to suffer from an eating disorder. 

Beauty Ideals? 

Although there is a stigma surrounding men and eating disorders, they are pressured into a standard of male "beauty" that is just as unrealistic and destructive as its female counterpart. Young men sporting enormous defined muscles star in countless Hollywood movies and TV shows, or cover billboards and magazines in popular ads for brands such as Axe.
Ken is just as perfect as Barbie, so why wouldn't men be influenced by the unhealthy representations around them? 

Fear, Shame, and a Dirty Little Secret

But why is it so important that this myth be debunked? First of all, because eating disorders are considered by much of the population to be a feminine problem, men usually feel ashamed of their difficulties, and rarely or never seek help. Eating disorders are the mental illness with the highest mortality rate, therefor this issue shouldn't be taken lightly. Moreover, this erroneous belief makes identifying and diagnosing EDs in men that much more difficult, since medical health professionals aren't looking our for the signs and symptoms.

--------
Luckily, more and more courageous men are opening up about their straddles, but many more suffer in silence, and it is for them that we must continue to educate as many people as possible on the subject. 

sources: http://www.nedic.ca/resources/documents/MaleBodyImageandEatingDisorder-IncreasingConcern.pdf

http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics 

Have a lovely day, my loves
xoxo

Gabby

3 Body Positive Things You Should Do With A Child

Hello my beautiful fudgies!

Oh, kids! (i love talking about children like i am an elder with my 17 and 11 months of life experience)

The values they are taught and the people they grow up to be will not only affect their own futur, but the ones of those around them. 

So we know how important it is to set a good example and bla bla bla. Nevertheless, we also know that we are not perfect beings, and sometimes we are not conscious of the messages we are sending the younger generation. How do you raise, mentor, teach, tutor, or babysit a child in a body positive environment? 

  I have worked with kids a lot, both for the FP and on my own time, so I have learned a few concrete steps that you can take to properly educate your young friend on the right and wrong ways to treat their body, both physically and psychologically. 

1. Food is a friend, not a foe

It is probably no shock for you to hear that environments where diets, food guilt and fat shaming are present on a regular basis have been proven to be the building blocks of an unhealthy relationship with food. Instead of treating meals and snacks like the enemy you have to suppress, hide, and feel ashamed of, speak of their nutritious value as the charger that keeps your energy battery up and running. Food makes you grow strong and tall and healthy, and that's all it should be. So instead of constantly hammering on about the amount of calories certain items contain, focus on their source of protein, vitamin and calcium. And don't forget to mention that not all fats or carbs should be avoided like the plague, because like all things in life, it's about moderation. 

2. Coping Strategies


It's a very common, yet unhealthy stereotype for women to drown their tears in a pit of Ben n Jerrys. 
And while I am definitively pro-ice cream, these aren't the coping mechanisms we want to instil in young kids. By teaching kids that food can be a healer, you change to way they visualize food, and often that healer will turn into a self harm weapon, by restriction, binging or purging. It it therefor vital to redirect feelings of overwhelming stress, sadness, anger, etc. towards a releasing activity. For quiet, more focused kids, visual arts, writing and music are some key examples, or for the more active child, accessible physical activity of any kind, like running, kick boxing, karate or other self-defense classes, the list goes on.  Kids pick up habits and reflexes quicker than adults, and if the pattern sticks, they can stay with them for the entirety of their lives. By teaching them that food is not the answer to their problems, you also teach them to respect their bodies, because the relationship between emotional eating behaviours and eating disorders in a Venn diagram is often a circle. 

3. The Talk 

One of our greatest shortcomings, in my opinion, regarding kids, is how frequently we assume. We assume that they know about the media, unrepresentative and manipulated images and the psychology behind marketing. We assume that because we tell them they are beautiful they automatically believe it. We assume that they understand that bodies come in all different shapes and sizes, and that one size does not fit all. But the reality of the situation is that we often assume wrong. Sure, they hear snippets of wisdom from their older sister or their soccer coach, but how many adults actually sit them down with a magazine and explain why those people look that way? How many adults explain what really makes someone beautiful, and with the help of a mirror point out all the wonderfully imperfect things about the  child that make him or her beautiful? How many adults explain bone structure, the relationship between weight, height, and muscle mass, and the reasons why everyone's body should be respected? My guess is very few. And it's a shame, because if the ones who see the world in its complexity cannot open the innocent eyes of today's youth, who will? 

----

I hope you all have a wonderful week:)

xoxo

Gabby

Is "Fat" an Insult?

Hello my beautiful fudgies:)



I recently watched a Laci Green video, link on your right or click right here, in which she discusses fat shame. One of the ideas she proposed to diminish or eradicate fat shaming is to simply call fat by its name: FAT. Not fluff, or pudge, or any other childish name to "soften" the blow of what society has made its most devious insult. Yes indeed, the way we avoid mentioning the word "fat" is oh-so telling about the way it is portrayed in the 21st century. So is fat an insult, but most importantly, SHOULD it be?
I dish out my personal opinion on the topic.

The Times, They Are A-Changing

As Laci mentions, the way we view fat as a society has not always been so negative. While it is true that throughout the Middle Ages the dominant Catholic church in Occident shunned gluttony, one of the 7 deadly sins, which can be associated with overeating, it's important to point out that finding enough to eat was still a daily struggle for most of the population. Appearing opulent was something only the privileged could afford, and it was regarded as noble, attractive, and, contrary to where we stand nowadays, healthy!

When crop growing and agriculture technology boomed during the Renaissance, the disparity in food supply between rich and poor slowly decreased, creating a shift in the "fat"mentality. It was no longer a sign of wealth, but of lack of self control. Of course, different societies, such as the Chinese Dynasties, have had a different evolution, but most share a fat-loving era in their history.

With the continuous transformation of "fat" and its implications throughout the ages, in the occidental society, as well as its various meanings across the globe , how can we collectively label the word as an insult? 

Warped Images

Ever since Antiquity, painters, sculptors, and artists alike have been slaving over the accuracy of their portrayal of the human body. The exact, realistic proportions were all the rage. So when did we get so accustomed to untruthful representations?
Well, many art historians would claim that many representations of power figures, such as royalty and political leaders, dating back many centuries ago, were embellished by the artist to please their boss.

However, the main perpetrators and arguably the most influential originators of the warped image era we currently live in are clothing brands.

Fuelled by the arrival of fashion magazines and catalogues in the late 19th century such as Vogue, these brands now had a platform for their ads, in which their models could look as beautiful and thin/curvy/flat/wide hipped as the period's beauty expectation required. Whether it was a specific instruction to their campaign artist who sketched the clothes by hand or a lengthy Photoshop transformation on the computer, their eye was and still is on the money, no matter what kind of societal consequences their ads may lead to.

We live in a time that fat just doesn't sell the way thin does. So if we choose to use "fat" as an insult, aren't we just perpetrating an idea we are being sold?

-----------------

Most importantly (again, as Laci said, but she's amazing i cannot HELP but paraphrase her every word!), fat shouldn't be an insult, because it isn't a trait that denotes any negative characteristics. 
It doesn't imply in its pure, unadulterated  mean, or stupid, or even lazy. It's just a loose connective tissue composed mostly of adipocytes (wikipedia knows what's up). 

Therefor no, my answer is it should not be an insult. So don't let it be one. 

have a fantastic week my loves!

xoxo

Gabby

Can YOU Define Beauty?

Hello my lovely fudgies :)

I wrote an article for Groupe Equilibre, which you can find here, and i translated it for you:)

Since the dawn of time, humans have been naturally preoccupied with definitions. 

A fire's a fire. A rock's a rock. Simple, right?

Alas, our need to label everything has proven itself to be limited. Let's try, for example to define beauty. 

Anna Hoyt monologue "The Definition of Beauty" unleashed a tsunami of reactions and reflections in my little blogger neurones. 

First of all, how can we define something that is constantly changing? 

From the prehistoric times, through antiquity, 'til the modern ages, our beauty ideals have been in constant evolution. 

During the Renaissance, the epitome of beauty was none other than a woman's opulent curves, unlike the 1920s, during which the most sought after fashion designs were those who could completely eliminate the appearance of feminine roundness. 

Even when try to define ourselves in relation to beauty, it seems to be a roller coaster of opinions.

On Mondays we can be on the tippity-top of the ride, flashing a confident smile as we sashay like a supermodel down school hallways, while on Thursday we find ourselves in the very bottom pit of the slope, hunched over by insecurities, avoiding eye contact at all costs, in fear that someone else might catch a glimpse of our atrocity. 

And let's not forget our good friends The Media whose job is to sell an idea of beauty to benefit their wallets and massacre our self esteems. Their definition of beauty is thus not exactly reliable either, since it just keeps raising the bar where unrealistic standards are concerned. "I mean, you're kinda ugly like that, but you could really like fierce if (insert product placement here)."

So if it obvious no one can accurately define beauty for us, why don't we take back that power? 

Look at your life with a new set of eyes and decide. 

Decide, for example, that the complete giggle fit breakdowns you and your friends share, your grandma's wisdom-filled grey hair, the unique outline of your body and your soccer trophies, are your definition of beauty. And who can tell you otherwise?

So next time you catch your reflection in a mirror and your brain goes into nasty comment mode, decide that no,  you won't belittle yourself because the forces of the universe are trying to shove an illogical, unobtainable and frankly boring definition of beauty down your throat. 

Decide that you are beautiful, because you said so. 

xoxo

Gabby

check out equilibre's blog! http://www.derrierelemiroir.ca/on-blogue/ 

Plastic Surgery Addiction?!

Hello my gorgeous fudgies :)


I have often been prompted to talk about the ever so controversial topic of PLASTIC SURGERY! 

Indeed, you are all apparently dying to hear my thoughts on this growing epidemic known as the cosmetic surgery fad. I do stress the use of the word cosmetic:  used or done superficially to make something look better, more attractive, or more impressive (dictionary.com), because the opinion I am about to promulgate is solely based on cosmetic, superficial alterations, therefore excluding procedures for burn or severe accident victims. 

Now. Let's dig in. 

Many people automatically assume I am staunchly opposed to plastic surgery, because I advocate self-acceptance, healthy body image and body positivity. And while I'm not exactly out on the streets preaching its benefits, I am not against it either. I happen to be incredibly liberal about these sorts of things: Doesn't affect me? Knock yourself out. 

The same theory applies to this particular subject, yet I still want to examine the causes behind this decision a little more closely, especially in relation to this idea of a plastic surgery addiction. 

I don't doubt that there are people who undergo these surgeries who are in it for all the right, healthy reasons: They are not getting it because:

1. They have been teased, bullied or pressured into it by peers

2. They think they can finally achieve perfection (LOL)

3. They think life will simply get easier (career, relationship, and self-esteem problems? POOF ALL GONE)

These people are likely to get the surgery, be content, and then that's that. 

But there is also an alarming percentage of cosmetic surgery undertakers for whom the outcome is completely different than the one formerly mentioned. 

Sure, they are happy with the surgery. For a while. 

But then it's not enough. They need something else fixed, plucked, smoothed, boosted, and plumped.

And then another, and another, until they are knee deep in silicone and debt. 

But the problem is not the surgeries themselves, we know they don't have to be that way.

What's really going on here?

The problem is not the crooked nose, or the flat chest. If they were, their alterations would have set the other person free.

The real problem is inside the person's head. It's a fixation he or she has created, constantly obsessing over this infinitely tiny portion of their whole. 

The obsession has nothing to do with the "flaw" itself. It is just a sublimation of the individual's deeply troubled body image and self-esteem. 

Completely unaware of this, he or she goes and gets the miracle surgery that will fix EVERYTHING. 

Right? As we know all too well, wrong, because it will satisfy them for a while, but the poor self esteem will creep back in, and find something else to be consumed by. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Those are my thoughts on the subject.
If you want to undergo a cosmetic surgery, I won't stand in your way. But think long and hard about your motives, and your relationship with yourself.

Personally, I wouldn't get one, because I know for a fact I won't ever be perfect, so why bother with fancy expensive surgeries when I can be perfectly happy with what I got?
Also, needles and scalps and chainsaws? (okay, maybe not the last one) DON'T THINK SO.

Whew that was a long one, but I was in need of a long scientific ramble.
Have a fantastic week my loves <3

xoxo
Gabby

3 Easy Tips To Feel More Confident

Good morning fudgies! It's been a while since I wrote an article for all of you (what have I been doing, you ask? this ad campaign video: 

If we could just wake up every morning feeling like Grecian goddesses, the world would be very
boring indeed. What would we complain about?!

Yet there are some days where we just need to feel a little sexier, so here are 3 easy tricks to boost up your confidence instantly.

1. Find, Focus, and Flaunt

Not unlike my holy grail to better self-esteem trick, I challenge you to go on a personal treasure hunt: identify your favorite feature, whether it's your piercing green eyes or your so-toned-they-could-be-baseball-bats calves,  and focus for just a few seconds on this quality. Memorize it, and when you are out and about, imagine it is all other people see. Let it radiate from you, put it at the forefront, and flaunt it like nobody's business. Distracting others from your flaws as well as yourself? Way to kill 2 insecurity-chirping birds with one stone.

2. Bust out your Beyoncé 

Yay feminine strength!
(dont mind the complete lack of muscle, my girl power is purely metaphorical)

The negative voices in our heads seem to be loudest when we’re feeling down, so why
not drown them out? Having a playlist on your iPod packed with girl-power anthems by strong, feminine role models such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, or Pink can be a great way to recharge your self-esteem battery as those whiny voices grow quiet. And if you dare, dance along a little bit, wherever you are, although this may not be ideal if you like to enjoy your music on the subway during rush hour. :)

3. Fake it ‘till you make it

If all else fails, painting on a cool smile while confidently strutting the scary, judgemental
streets can fool most anybody, including yourself. Repeating phrases like I can totally do this, I matter or I belong here can help brainwash your thoughts, morphing from theatre performance to real life beliefs. While you’re busy convincing your coworkers, family or friends that you are sure of yourself, you won’t have time to knitpick every single one of your dips and bumps, and before you know it, that confident act will no longer be a facade; it will just be you.



I hope you can use at least one of these tricks when you’re feeling a little blah, but please realize we all, as humans, have flaws and although you may want to erase them, the people who care for you embrace them.



Xoxo

Gabby

What An Eating Disorder Looks Like

The first question the ANEB Quebec speaker asked during one of the workshops I attended in Montreal

was the following:

She showed dozens of faces. Young, old, white, Asian, men, women, dark hair, freckles, you get the drill.
She then asked the audience: who in these pictures has an eating disorder?

No one answered. And no one CAN answer such a question. As I have repeated time and time again, eating disorders are a purely psychological
illness.

Obviously there can be physical consequences, but the source of the problem, thus the key to treatment, is all up in that crazy hormonal brain of ours.

The picture shown on my right speaks volumes of the way the media sometimes treats EDs.

Emaciated girls are used in about 85% of ED booklets, prevention campaigns, or entertainment (talking to you, dr phil), and while I understand that these are mostly used to create an impact, a lasting impression, it also creates a social construct that people who are suffering from a MENTAL disorder must have specific BODY attributes.

Wait, what?


There are so many people out there suffering from eating disorders, but because of their physical nature, their gender, their age, what have you, they could never imagine that THEY are suffering from a "skinny bitch" illness.

Even worse, some people feel ashamed to get help because they feel their bodies do not look like those in the prevention campaigns, which is depressingly ironic.


What you need to know is that you are entitled to help, support, and understanding, no matter how you look or how people may judge you. Pain is pain, size 0 or 16.

You also need to know that I love you, just 'cause. :)

Xoxo

Gabby

The Thigh Gap: WTF

My darling fudgies,
I am returning from vacation with this post about «THE GAP».

The store, you may wonder?
I wish that was it, dear fudgies, for this subject is far more enfuriating than preppy clothes.

I cannot remember in what blog article, video or tumblr post I first heard about the Gap.
However, I do remember taking my computer on a wild trip, flying right out of my window.
I kid, of course... (in a completely unrelated subject matter, I am writing this post on my iPhone)
:P

For all the lucky girls who have yet to hear about the Gap, here is the definition:
the amount of space between ones thighs, aka the Gap. 

...
How about no.

As you can imagine, the tumblr thinspo crowd loooooooves to talk about their lack of gap, also the lack of food they eat to achieve this gap.
Sometimes, Tumblr, you let me down.

Here are my top 3 (top, because there are about 1000 reasons why this is inherently wrong) reasons why this whole Gap talk needs to Go.

1. Genetics
This presumptious gap is actually due to something like 80% genetics, DNA, what your parents gave you. Whether you have wide or narrow hips, your metabolism, your bone structure, these are ALL REASONS WHY GIRLS CAN HAVE THIS GAP AND WHY SOME GIRLS, TRY THEY MAY, CANNOT. 

2. Objectification
I, in my life, have actually heard a guy say to his equally stupid friend: I love yoga pants, you can totally see if a girl has the gap. 
Well, dear gentleman, those words surely showed me you ALSO have a gap, IT IS THE EMPTY SPACE BETWEEN YOUR EARS.
If this leg gap, or lack thereof, has become a reason to date someone, I don't want to live on this earth anymore.

3. WHO CAREEEEESSSS
The distance between your thighs is, under no circomstance, a prerequisite for beauty.
You should never let something you can  barely control yourself affect your confidence.
The right people will not love or hate you for the gap. «the right people» should also include yourself.
Stop worrying so much about the Gap.
Fudge the Gap.

As GG would say, STAY GORGEOUS
xoxoxoxoxo
Gabby