Being comfortable in your own skin and loving the way you are is a beautiful thing in today's judgmental society. Everyone should be able to feel accepted as they are no matter what they look like, where they come from, or what backgrounds they have. Unfortunately, this equal acceptance doesn't seem to happen too often.
There are so many different messages being said aiming to empower girls who weren't considered "skinny." Girls are hearing things like "zero isn't a size" and can't understand where that is coming from when they are a size zero. They begin to ask themselves questions like: How can the jeans I buy not be considered a size all of a sudden? What is wrong with me for being able to fit into a size zero? What if I'm a size double zero?
Social media enforces that "curvier is better" or "boys don't like girls who are too skinny." There are endless Twitter and Instagram posts highlighting the girls with bigger butts and thicker hips while shaming the girls with gaps between their thighs and small bodies. How can one body type be liked more than the other? Who decided that skinny was not attractive?
Even some songs reinforce that being skinny is a bad thing. In Meghan Trainor's hit song "All About That Bass," she sings about how boys like bigger girls and not "skinny bitches." Seeing posts on social media is one thing, but hearing these lyrics repeated constantly brings this issue to a new level. Hearing friends and family sing along with the lyrics without thinking about what the words really meant is hurtful. Do my friends think I'm too skinny? Does everyone else see me this way?
There is no doubt that people are also hurting from the words "plus size" and are ashamed of being overweight. But, saying someone is "not a size" or too skinny is equally as cruel. No one should have to feel as if they aren't the right shape or size.
Being skinny shouldn't be something anyone should be ashamed of. There are a lot of people who were just born skinny and try really hard to gain weight wherever they can, but for one reason or another, they never appear to be any less skinny. Maybe these skinnier people are only trying to gain weight because the media favors people who aren't so skinny. There shouldn't be anything wrong with being skinny as long as these people are healthy and happy.
No matter if you are considered too skinny or too thick, your own opinion of yourself should trump everyone else's. There needs to be a stop to body shaming because no two individuals are the same shape and size. It's okay to be a size two and it's okay to be a size 10. Being comfortable in your own skin and accepting yourself for how you are is the most important thing to do. Maybe one day we will all be able to accept each other as we are.
