Most of my friends are girls, and I love it. But it certainly has its downsides at times. One thing I’ve learned to bite my tongue about in conversation with my friends is the topic of body image. Quite frankly, I’m sick of hearing “I’m too fat,” or “I hate my face!” It drives me absolutely insane. You were given the body you were given. Quit your complaining and rock what you got!
Flipping through the pages of “Vogue” or “Star” magazine can be painful, as I’ve come to understand, from a girl’s perspective. It’s hard to feel good about your body when the media portrays the ideal woman for us as a twig with blonde hair, blue eyes and a perfect tan. Evidently, the perfect woman is one who completely disappears from our vision as soon as she turns sideways. Pair these images up with articles on how to lose weight, the fashions that are in this season, the fragrances you MUST have and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster. How can you feel good about yourself when the bar is set so high? The answer is simple: Beatrice Arthur.
Don’t know who Bea Arthur is? Look it up. Envision it, a 6-foot, broad shouldered, authoritative middle-aged woman with a voice deeper than many men’s voices. You look at her and you say: “how weird, how was she ever successful.” I look at her and I say: “You go get it girl!” Beatrice Arthur was not beautiful by any magazine’s standards but still had a successful television career between her run on “Maude” and “The Golden Girls.” She was a pioneer for women on television, showing that not every girl needed to fit into strict “Vogue” standards to be successful. Bea owned what she had, and all my lady friends should take a lesson and own what they have as well.
So what if you’re a little bigger, wear whatever the hell makes you feel confident with pride. If you’re tall, stand straight and flaunt what you’ve got! That face you’ve got isn’t ugly, it’s unique! If you’re voice is too deep, work it. You go seduce those men with your mysterious deep tones! What I’m saying is: own it. Just rock what you’ve got, and if you ever feel lost, just look up a video of Bea Arthur, the ugly duckling who defied all odds. Seriously girls, Bea cool.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Ithaca chapter.