We all have been exposed in one way or another to the ever-growing trend of the “Dad Body,” or “Dad Bod,” among not only college fraternity guys, but celebrities as well. If, for some reason, you haven’t heard of the “Dad Bod,” try to picture this: men whose bodies say, “I go to the gym on occasion, but I like beer more.” The “Dad Body” is not fat, it is not unattractive (in fact, to many girls it is more attractive than muscles), and it is not shamed.

The “Dad Bod” trend constantly has me baffled and really makes me think about the differences in men’s and women’s social standards of beauty. As a woman, I wonder why we see the flaws in ourselves, but not in the men we date or are attracted to. Fat shaming is heavily popular among women and we tug and pull at our stomach, thighs, and ass any chance we get—spreading hatred and confidence issues to ourselves and the environment around us.

This has got to stop.

It’s horrible that when we, as women, attend a party now, we size up those around us and feel jealous of their beauty, clothes, body, hair, etc. We run constantly, go to the tanning bed, spend hundreds of dollars on makeup, diet, wear uncomfortable clothing and shoes and for what? Many people would probably say they do these habits for themselves, but often it is solely to fit into the social standards of Miami University and what is seen throughout the media. I struggle with this, and almost every girl I know does as well. We should be able to eat a piece of pizza and not feel guilty about it, wear heels because they make us feel sexy, not because we feel obligated to, and tell other people they are beautiful without the subtext of “You’re gorgeous, and I’m jealous because I’m ugly and fat.” Women should be able to look into the mirror and say, “I’m gorgeous and my friends are gorgeous too, but we are all equally beautiful in our own way.” Whether you’re a size 0 or a size 22, you should own it as if you’re the hottest thing that walked into Brick Street, because you are.

The “Dad Body” trend shows body confidence and we should really learn from it. We are women and we come in all shapes and sizes, each beautiful. It seems as though it would be much easier to be a man and have a few extra beers with no guilt and with women loving to snuggle the soft belly, but I am proud to be a woman. Every morning, we wake up and have to jump the hurdle of negative thoughts about ourselves. Sometimes we fail, and that’s okay. We are strong. We may not ever fully get rid of social standards and our self-confidence issues, but as women of Miami University, we should try and encourage others and ourselves to love the skin we are in as much as we love the “Dad Body.” So crack open a beer, snuggle, or eat a piece of pizza, because I promise you, that dress will still fit in an hour and you will look beautiful, because you’re you.