I want to share with you a conversation I had with my BFF about a week ago- the topic of conversation was the cover of the new Sport’s Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Have you seen it?
Hannah Davis is a beautiful young woman- seriously. The swimsuit she is rocking is pretty cute. I really like the black lace over colored fabric detail- whatever it’s technical term.
But.
But. I can almost see her vagina hoo-ha! Now, I know this 2015 and her body is bangin’ but- I mean, this is a little much. She is dangerously close to a wardrobe malfunction! My BFF and I talked about how we would feel if that were our daughter… and we even talked about the image it projected for sons. There is no doubt that sex sells.
As a reference, I looked to see what the January 2015 Playboy cover looked like… Now, this is another example of a beautiful scantily-clad young woman, Rachel Mortenson. She is topless- dare I say that her arm covers as much as the typical string bikini? Yes. And her hoo-ha is pretty well covered. And this is Playboy.
I have to clarify that my BFF and I are not prudes. We are totally open to women flaunting their bodies. Sexy is sexy. We both have been known to show a little skin ourselves- but, neither of us were okay with how precariously close Ms. Davis came to a public display of her hoo-ha.
So, I have been thinking about this conversation off and on for the last week or so- and thinking about what it means to love your body- no matter the shape or size. Two things- 1. I think there is a separation in loving your inner self and loving your outer self. 2. It must take a world of body image confidence to pose for any magazine in a bikini (or less) for any magazine- especially one like the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. For Reals.
American society does not always laud the beauty of those in the plump to round category. Everything I have is plump to round! We are indoctrinated to know that slim and trim is beautiful and anything else is not so beautiful. So, it can be a struggle for me to love my outer self. And it can be a struggle not to constantly be striving to get into, ahem, a smaller size pair of jeans.
I read this article several months ago and recently came across it again- Things No One will Tell Fat Girls… So I Will by the Militant Baker. The article is great and her Body Imagine Project is beautiful. It displays women as they are- but, I am in no way trying to glorify being overweight- no more than I am trying to glorify being slim and trim. Neither is the Militant Baker. At the end of the day- I am trying to glorify getting comfortable in your skin and loving yourself as you are- and. It’s really in everybody’s best interest to strive to be healthy- mentally and physically.
Just like the scantily clad cover models, I am the most beautiful when my confidence flows from the inside out. It is in this way that I can be my best Valentine. Sometimes that means being okay wearing a size clothing I never wanted to wear again or that not every hair on my head is in place. I guess, cutting myself some slack. So- I totally encourage you to think about being your best Valentine- maybe cutting yourself some slack.
P.S. What did you think about the new SI Swimsuit issue? How would you feel if that was your daughter?
P.P.S.
