Do you know that she diets everyday
Fights everyday, is hungry everyday,
So that one day she can burn her size blank dress
And wear a bikini to the beach,
Do you know?
No, you don't.
You think she eats candy day,
lays all day, is full all day,
So that one day she can rely on the government
To take care of her diabetes-ridden size blank dress
Do you know?
Do you know she clutches her fat in the mirror
Cries in the mirror, smashes the mirror
So that maybe the reflection will change right before her eyes
And she can finally see beauty smiling back at her
Do you know?
No, you don't.
You think she's never seen a damn mirror
Doesn't know her size, doesn't know she has fat
So you have to remind her every day,
And watch her smile fade away.
Do you know?
Do you know that one day she'll be done
Done hating her body, done hating herself,
So that she'll break out of societal chains
And scream Fuck You, I'm beautiful
Do you know?
No, you don't.
You don't think she deserves that.
Deserve self-respect, deserve any respect at all.
So next time you call her ugly and she whips around
choking you out with her size blank dress,
Then you'll know.
Showing posts with label size. Show all posts
Showing posts with label size. Show all posts
11/19/14
6/26/14
How To: Body Positive Shopping
Hello my angels!
Men can say what they want, but shopping is a sport.
If not physical (walk for 4 hours in flats that were made to stop your feet's circulation, then you'll see), then surely emotional.
There are many ways to do the whole shopping experience wrong, to go in to just have fun and walk out with blisters on your feet and holes in your self-esteem.
Listen up, ladies and gents, this is how you shop body positively.
http://karinashappiness.tumblr.com/ inspired this post. go say hi:)
1. Do Not Go When You're Feeling Low
You wake up on a Saturday morning, and you're feeling kind of blah.
But hey, today's the day you planned on going shoe shopping!
You walk into a mall and you're bombarded by models and mirrors, a dangerous combination.
Your self-esteem shrinks, your wallet shrinks.
You walk out and lay down on the parking lot cement and die.
Okay, so that last part might be a tad exaggerated, but when you're feeling down on yourself, you are more likely to spend money on items you otherwise wouldn't to make yourself feel better, to compensate for your low self-esteem. Why do you think they put those pore-magnifying mirrors in Sephora?!
Your life sucks, you suck, the world sucks, but these shoes will make it all better, said Jimmy Satan Choo.
Go when you're emotionally ready to be hit by a ton of size 0s. Otherwise, Netflix it is.
2. Buy Your Size
You walk into (enter favorite store) and try on some clothes.
Cool, you're a size 6!
Then you move on to the next store, and while trying on some other pieces,
NIGHTMARE! SIZE 6 IS TIGHT!
The dream hath crumbled, you're a hippo, it's over.
STOP, child.
There is a reason why one store fit and the other one didn't.
Sizes aren't universal, they are approximate.
Certain stores have admitted to shifting sizes up (a normal 4 is labeled a 6) to make women feel better and buy their clothes just for the size tag! Don't be a fool, wear the size for you.
Newsflash: no one will stop you in the street to check what size your shirt is in.
But if you buy the right size, and you look amazing and feel comfortable, someone might stop you in the street to ask where you got that fierce shirt.
Just saying, I'm basically making you famous.
3. Plan Ahead
You've been walking around for a while.
Your shoes are tight, and they are sucking the life out of you.
You just had Thai food, and you feel bloated and dehydrated.
You're starting to get cranky.
UGH this shirt is disgusting.
"I'm disgusting".
You call your mom crying from the changing room while the saleslady awkwardly pretends not to hear you (14 year old me, everyone).
To stay focused, happy and energized, hence to have a productive body positive shopping experience, you have to plan ahead.
Wear comfy shoes. Limping is not in this season, my loves.
Bring a water bottle. Staying hydrated will prevent migraines and nervous breakdowns. Science.
Eat light to avoid a cramp or a bloated "omg I look 9 months pregnant"stomach.
I promise you'll be feeling a lot less "disgusting".
------
That's all for me today loves
Stay strong <3
xoxo
Gabby
Men can say what they want, but shopping is a sport.
If not physical (walk for 4 hours in flats that were made to stop your feet's circulation, then you'll see), then surely emotional.
There are many ways to do the whole shopping experience wrong, to go in to just have fun and walk out with blisters on your feet and holes in your self-esteem.
Listen up, ladies and gents, this is how you shop body positively.
http://karinashappiness.tumblr.com/ inspired this post. go say hi:)
1. Do Not Go When You're Feeling Low
You wake up on a Saturday morning, and you're feeling kind of blah.
But hey, today's the day you planned on going shoe shopping!
You walk into a mall and you're bombarded by models and mirrors, a dangerous combination.
Your self-esteem shrinks, your wallet shrinks.
You walk out and lay down on the parking lot cement and die.
Okay, so that last part might be a tad exaggerated, but when you're feeling down on yourself, you are more likely to spend money on items you otherwise wouldn't to make yourself feel better, to compensate for your low self-esteem. Why do you think they put those pore-magnifying mirrors in Sephora?!
Your life sucks, you suck, the world sucks, but these shoes will make it all better, said Jimmy Satan Choo.
Go when you're emotionally ready to be hit by a ton of size 0s. Otherwise, Netflix it is.
2. Buy Your Size
You walk into (enter favorite store) and try on some clothes.
Cool, you're a size 6!
Then you move on to the next store, and while trying on some other pieces,
NIGHTMARE! SIZE 6 IS TIGHT!
The dream hath crumbled, you're a hippo, it's over.
STOP, child.
There is a reason why one store fit and the other one didn't.
Sizes aren't universal, they are approximate.
Certain stores have admitted to shifting sizes up (a normal 4 is labeled a 6) to make women feel better and buy their clothes just for the size tag! Don't be a fool, wear the size for you.
Newsflash: no one will stop you in the street to check what size your shirt is in.
But if you buy the right size, and you look amazing and feel comfortable, someone might stop you in the street to ask where you got that fierce shirt.
Just saying, I'm basically making you famous.
3. Plan Ahead
You've been walking around for a while.
Your shoes are tight, and they are sucking the life out of you.
You just had Thai food, and you feel bloated and dehydrated.
You're starting to get cranky.
UGH this shirt is disgusting.
"I'm disgusting".
You call your mom crying from the changing room while the saleslady awkwardly pretends not to hear you (14 year old me, everyone).
To stay focused, happy and energized, hence to have a productive body positive shopping experience, you have to plan ahead.
Wear comfy shoes. Limping is not in this season, my loves.
Bring a water bottle. Staying hydrated will prevent migraines and nervous breakdowns. Science.
Eat light to avoid a cramp or a bloated "omg I look 9 months pregnant"stomach.
I promise you'll be feeling a lot less "disgusting".
------
That's all for me today loves
Stay strong <3
xoxo
Gabby
2/28/14
Barbie: Skinny Bitch Or Surprising Feminist?
Hello my angels!
A few weeks ago, I had to give a persuasive speech to my public speaking class, and I had the brilliant idea to argue the disgusting and unhealthy effects Barbie dolls can have on young girls. As an adamant body image activist, I thought to myself: pshhtttt, piece of cake.
Then I started to do some research about Barbie herself and the story of how she came to be.
I read some things, found some information, looked at some pictures that made me go...
"Well, so she has done one good thing..."
"Okay, that's pretty cool, but..."
"I mean, yeah, that's really inspiring, and all..."
until I found myself completely confused.
Who is this Barbie?
Is she the raging disproportionate tyrant I imagined her to be?
Or is there something going on beneath the plastic?
Compare and Contrast
Lord knows the first thing anyone will bring up when Barbie, body image, and young girls are put together in a sentence: but Barbie is so thiiiiiiin, so disproportional, how could you even say that she's the best doll on the market?!!!!
Now lookie here. I'm not saying Barbie's size is a natural, realistic depiction of a woman's body. Mathematically speaking, that would be a lie, and there's plenty of research on the topic that you can find on the interwebs.
However, Charlotte Alter mentioned in her piece for Times Ideas something that changed the game for me: how about the other dolls on the market?
If people are arguing that Barbie is too skinny to have a place on the doll market, then who should replace her?
Barbie's current competitors include Monster High Dolls (left) and Bratz dolls (right).
You wanna talk proportions, let's: Look at the waists, thighs, arms...
You cannot seriously argue that these dolls are in any way, shape, or form better body image role models than Mrs Mattel herself!
Besides, Bratz dolls look fundamentally constipated. Pouty mouth, huge judging eyes; she may be pretty, but that mean gleam is enough to make me put down the doll and run for my life. Barbie, on the other hand; smiling like there's no tomorrow. Heaven forbid that's the kind of role model your daughter looks up to!
Let's not forget those outfits. While the Pale Prostitute "Monster High" Dolls are busy tearing up their fishnet tights and sucking blood from their high school classmates, Barbie's busy with her career, her goals and service to society.
Speaking of Barbie's career....
I'm writing this today, in 2014; let's all take a moment to remember that America has yet to elect a female president!!
This may seem like an insignificant detail to some, but having pride in your origins, in the uniqueness and complexity of your pigment, is a wonderful, inspiring idea that is often overlooked by many other competitors.
-----------------------------------------
Barbie's not perfect, I'll give you that.
But jesus christ who is?!
I'll leave you with this simple question:
What's more important to YOU?
1. That your daughter plays with a doll that fits your idea of a healthy size and proportion (if you can find one, please let me know)?
or
2. That your daughter plays with a doll that teaches her that her life is in her own hands?
That because Barbie can be a CEO, an athlete and a stay-at-home mom, than so can she?
That's up to you, future parents.
But when you're walking up and down the aisles of a toy store in 10, 15, 20 years, and you see a Barbie in the corner of your eye, I hope you know what's more important.
Have a wonderful day my loves!
xoxo
Gabby
Links:
A few weeks ago, I had to give a persuasive speech to my public speaking class, and I had the brilliant idea to argue the disgusting and unhealthy effects Barbie dolls can have on young girls. As an adamant body image activist, I thought to myself: pshhtttt, piece of cake.
Then I started to do some research about Barbie herself and the story of how she came to be.
I read some things, found some information, looked at some pictures that made me go...
"Well, so she has done one good thing..."
"Okay, that's pretty cool, but..."
"I mean, yeah, that's really inspiring, and all..."
until I found myself completely confused.
Who is this Barbie?
Is she the raging disproportionate tyrant I imagined her to be?
Or is there something going on beneath the plastic?
Compare and Contrast
Lord knows the first thing anyone will bring up when Barbie, body image, and young girls are put together in a sentence: but Barbie is so thiiiiiiin, so disproportional, how could you even say that she's the best doll on the market?!!!!
Now lookie here. I'm not saying Barbie's size is a natural, realistic depiction of a woman's body. Mathematically speaking, that would be a lie, and there's plenty of research on the topic that you can find on the interwebs.
However, Charlotte Alter mentioned in her piece for Times Ideas something that changed the game for me: how about the other dolls on the market?
 |
Barbie's current competitors include Monster High Dolls (left) and Bratz dolls (right).
You wanna talk proportions, let's: Look at the waists, thighs, arms...
You cannot seriously argue that these dolls are in any way, shape, or form better body image role models than Mrs Mattel herself!
Besides, Bratz dolls look fundamentally constipated. Pouty mouth, huge judging eyes; she may be pretty, but that mean gleam is enough to make me put down the doll and run for my life. Barbie, on the other hand; smiling like there's no tomorrow. Heaven forbid that's the kind of role model your daughter looks up to!Let's not forget those outfits. While the Pale Prostitute "Monster High" Dolls are busy tearing up their fishnet tights and sucking blood from their high school classmates, Barbie's busy with her career, her goals and service to society.
Speaking of Barbie's career....
I Ain't No Wifey
Barbie was founded by the Mattel toy company in 1959. Within the first years, careers, such as nurse and schoolteacher, became available for purchase. A pretty girl with her own career? Shocking!
Ken, her metrosexual boyfriend, didn't come along until 1961, which means that Barbie wasn't founded on the idea of being someone's wife, someone's accessory, NO. She was an independent woman, with an independent career, and you had better step aside before her fuchsia stilettos walked all over you.
And even when Ken did come along, this didn't stop for one second the absolute explosion of careers Barbie has undertaken these past 50+ years.
Barbie has her own convertible, her own dream house, her own freaking tour bus, without needing no man: if that's not a strong, empowered, feminist role model, I don't what is.
psst: Did you notice that I said Ken her boyfrand, not husband? That's right: Barbie and Ken, unmarried man and woman, lived together in 1961. Barbz, your progressivism rocks.
Ahead of The Curve
A fantastic example of Barbie being way ahead of the curve in terms of woman's rights and opportunities is 1965 Astronaut Barbie. Yes indeed, in 1965, Mattel released an Astronaut Barbie kit (pictured left), no helmet hair required.
...Interesting, isn't it, that the first real American woman, Sally Ride, to go to space wasn't until 1983?
You read that right.
For 18 years, Barbie was inspiring young girls to reach for the stars (quite literally) before it was even a realistic dream.
Still to this day, Barbie pushes the boundaries of conventional society gender roles.
Every election since 1992 has come with Mattel's own Barbie for President kit.
I'm writing this today, in 2014; let's all take a moment to remember that America has yet to elect a female president!!
Also something worth noting in this picture:
Barbie President comes in Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic-American and Asian-American, so that no matter what your ethnicity is, you, young empowered girl, can be the leader of the free world.
Am I the only one who shed a tear just then?
Barbie has done many other great things for racial acceptance and diversity encouragement.
In 1968, Mattel came out with Christie, Barbie's black friend, the first black doll to be released on a national market.
1968: only 4 years after the Civil Rights Act was passed, outlawing most public segregation and prejudice based on race.
For a young black girl to be growing up in a time where white normality, racism, and prejudice is still the norm in many places, having a beautiful, empowered doll that represents your race can mean the world.
Since 1968, the range of African-American Barbies has been equally impressive. Just like all white people don't look the same, all black people don't look the same:
-Some have more red untertones in their skin, some more blue, some are darker, some are lighter.
This may seem like an insignificant detail to some, but having pride in your origins, in the uniqueness and complexity of your pigment, is a wonderful, inspiring idea that is often overlooked by many other competitors.
-----------------------------------------
Barbie's not perfect, I'll give you that.
But jesus christ who is?!
I'll leave you with this simple question:
What's more important to YOU?
1. That your daughter plays with a doll that fits your idea of a healthy size and proportion (if you can find one, please let me know)?
or
2. That your daughter plays with a doll that teaches her that her life is in her own hands?
That because Barbie can be a CEO, an athlete and a stay-at-home mom, than so can she?
That's up to you, future parents.
But when you're walking up and down the aisles of a toy store in 10, 15, 20 years, and you see a Barbie in the corner of your eye, I hope you know what's more important.
Have a wonderful day my loves!
xoxo
Gabby
Links:
1.Times: http://ideas.time.com/2014/02/05/in-defense-of-barbie-why-she-might-be-a-feminist-doll-after-all/
3.The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/dec/19/women
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