We’re so glad that the body positivity movement is growing. There’s still more to be done, but women like Brenda DeRouen are proving that everyday people can push the movement forward.
DeRouen lives in Texas with her 8-year-old son, and she’s felt self-conscious about her stretch marks since her pregnancy. She wrote on her blog, “I turned away when dressing in front of others, and wouldn’t chance doing the dirty with the lights on… For years I dealt with not loving myself. I was self-conscious in relationships and I hated how my body looked.” We can all relate to that feeling of self-consciousness, but DeRouen offers some encouragement: “I guarantee you there is something that you are struggling with. Whether it’s your weight, your hair, or your breast size. Just know that there is no such thing as a perfect body. Most pictures that you see nowadays are Photoshopped and edited anyway. You are beautiful.”
To help herself cope with her self image, DeRouen decided to do a photo shoot that featured her stretch marks prominently. Deun Ivory, her photographer, took photos of DeRouen in Calvin Klein underwear. Her photos put an inspirational spin on Kendall Jenner’s Calvin Klein ads. By being fearless and showing off her body, DeRouen helped herself break out of her insecurity.
We can all learn from DeRouen’s bold decision to show off her body, no matter what. We’ve all experienced insecurity, but we don’t have to let it hold us back!