The term ‘real women’ is used a lot in the media but what does it really mean? We are constantly bombarded with airbrushed photos of perfect size six models with flawless skin, amazing bodies and huge hair. Although you know these women are airbrushed and probably starving themselves to get those bodies, they still have to power to make the most confident girl feel a little self-conscious.
That’s what made it so refreshing when Girls appeared on our screens. Girls is the anti-Sex and the City. It features so-called ‘real’ girls. Their bodies and lives are not airbrushed; they have problems and they make us feel good about ourselves. While the stars of shows such as 90210 are glamorous, rich and lead perfect lives, these girls have student loans to pay off, messed up relationships and the daunting task of finding jobs in the current economic climate. More importantly they remind us we don’t have to have perfect model looks to be happy.
Lena Dunham, the writer and star of Girls (seen on the far left) was recently featured in a sketch for Jimmy Kimmel and the opening of the Emmy’s which you can watch here. She was seen naked (her modesty was covered) eating an entire cake. This may have just been classed as comedy for some, but for others it was a bold move by a woman who is proud of her body just the way it is. She has a few extra pounds, she doesn’t have perfect skin and she’s awkward. She loves herself, and we love her for it.
There are lots of articles comparing skinny models and bigger ‘real’ women and asking which is more beautiful, but Her Campus wants to celebrate all of these women. They’re all real; whether you spend ages in the gym, are naturally slim or curvy you should be proud of your body and realise that you are a real woman just by being you.
With all the controversy surrounding SSB this year – from the racism accusations to that video being released – we forgot what it was actually about: raising money for a charitable cause and having fun at the same time. We lost count of the amount of girls overheard saying “I would’ve gone to SSB if I didn’t feel so fat”. It’s fair enough if you don’t want to be seen in your underwear – some of the best actresses turn down movies because they don’t want to strip off in front of the camera – but ‘feeling fat’ shouldn’t stop you from going to a party. We don’t believe that your size or shape should restrict you from anything, least of all socials at university. We praise women like Ms Dunham who are proud to show off their bodies, and don’t care what criticism they get for it.
More recently Kate Upton was the victim of internet bullies because she had put on some weight. She went up from a size 10 to 12 but she hit back at the bullies saying “I’m not going to starve to be thin – I want to enjoy life”. We salute Ms Upton for speaking out and standing up for herself. Who cares if you’ve got a few extra pounds, or if you’re naturally very petite? Remember, those perfect girls on 90210 have their problems as well; being skinny doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be happy. Celebrate the body you have and love yourself for it.
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