At least in the United States, the “ideal” female body is skinny, toned and hourglass shaped. For some of us, this is easier to obtain than for others. I've come across those who say that I was blessed with my slender frame, fast metabolism and long legs. Others publicly envy my body. And still others outright wish that I would get fat, as if that would be the ultimate downfall of the skinny ideal. It's certainly nice to think that having a rockin’ body would solve all your problems. But it turns out it doesn't.
My whole life I have been skinny. I fit into sizes 0-4 on average but I don't do this on purpose. My mission is not to perpetuate the myth that there is a perfect body, and I guarantee that is also not the mission of the majority of slender women. The reality is that this is how we are built. This, in my case, is the sum of healthy eating, vigorous exercise, a fast metabolism, and a small frame. It does not make my body better. It does not make my body worse. Some people could live the way I do and have a remarkably different physique and that's just how it's going to be. As long as you're doing your best for yourself, keeping your health in mind, you have a good body.
Being skinny also does not shield you from body image issues or bullying. Sometimes I get people singing my praises for being so fit. They constantly iterate how I'm so lucky to look the way I do. To not have to worry about how I look. But I do worry. Because sure, to them I look good now. What if I slip up? What if my body changes? What can I do to make sure I never look any different? Despite the fact that I try not to buy into the skinny girl paradigm, sometimes I do, and I feel more like a victim than a shining example. Other times, despite the fact that I have a healthy diet and an average weight, people say that I'm so skinny it's gross, that they wish one day I would get fat, that I must be anorexic or bulimic. Then you get those backhanded compliments like: “You're lucky, you have the perfect body, you don't have to worry about these things, I'm so jealous.” In a way, it makes me feel like I'm perpetuating the misconception that there's one ideal body, just be being how I am.
As everyone knows, words stick with you. So it's a small comfort that I have what our society might say is an ideal body, when friends and family think and say the opposite. Body image issues will not go away until you're comfortable and confident with yourself and your health. Being skinny won't fix this. It will not make you perfect in society's eyes. You will always get snide remarks from people, that won't change. Being skinny will not make you comfortable in your own skin or accepted by those who matter.
Despite this spiel, I'm pretty comfortable with my body right now. I can do most physical activities that I want to with relative ease, and that's something I value a lot. That's why I like my body so much, because I'm physically strong and that enables me to do what I want to do. If this isn't what you want, then that's ok too. I'm not trying to promote skinniness by being skinny, and most likely, none of the skinny girls around you are either.
