Forgive me but I must ask, what has this world come to? Have we evolved into a society that we now cannot even be pregnant without getting bullied or shamed? And it doesn't end there! We are continually hearing about the "mombod," and the "dadbod." We hear about significant others putting on "sympathy weight," and realistically has anyone ever put on weight from having sympathy? We throw around the term "baby weight" when the true weight is in the expression itself. Our bodies have to put on weight to support this amazing miracle, or in many cases miracles, we are growing inside of us so why must we personify this term? This term also carries with it an entire conversation about gaining baby weight, losing baby weight, How long it took to lose the baby weight and so on. We body shame and body blame, but I think the shame and blame is on us. We glamorize celebrities who push out humans and are back to their pre-baby weight in six weeks or who get back in the gym right after having a baby. We cannot check-out at the grocery store without seeing at least a half dozen magazines that talk about the latest diet, how to lose 9 pounds in three days, the magic pill that was discovered by some plant that we can't pronounce in some remote location that probably no one has ever been to, or see the face of some celebrity who social media, society or some higher power has deemed more beautiful than the rest of us. We put so much emphasis on weight and outward appearances as if that takes precedence over all of the incredible aspects about us that actually matter. We are also contributing to mental illness by doing this. Can we not see that? This is the part that causes a lump in my throat. We are telling our children, our teens and our young adults, like my younger self, that the judgement and bullying continues well into adulthood and that one of the most incredible and life changing times of their lives, having their children, will be overshadowed by the continuous pressure to get their bodies back to what the world thinks they should be. We are telling them that their journey to feel good about themselves and accept themselves will be a journey without a destination. What scares me most today is there is this whole other element of pressure that comes from social media. We need to shatter this box we are put in once and for all. There is no such thing as the, or a, "bod." We are not "bods." We are not "baby weight." We are not superficial beings. We are people. We are people made up of all things perfectly imperfect.
Let's teach our children about self-love, acceptance, kindness and courage. Let's teach our children that they are perfect just the way they are and there isn't a box they need to fit into, ever, because what makes them unique makes them extraordinary and they are the popular crowd because of it. We must work together, all of us, to evoke change and make progress. We owe this to our children, our grandchildren and our future generations. #shatterthebox
Michele
Forgive me but I must ask, what has this world come to? Have we evolved into a society that we now cannot even be pregnant without getting bullied or shamed? And it doesn't end there! We are continually hearing about the "mombod," and the "dadbod." We hear about significant others putting on "sympathy weight," and realistically has anyone ever put on weight from having sympathy? We throw around the term "baby weight" when the true weight is in the expression itself. Our bodies have to put on weight to support this amazing miracle, or in many cases miracles, we are growing inside of us so why must we personify this term? This term also carries with it an entire conversation about gaining baby weight, losing baby weight, How long it took to lose the baby weight and so on. We body shame and body blame, but I think the shame and blame is on us. We glamorize celebrities who push out humans and are back to their pre-baby weight in six weeks or who get back in the gym right after having a baby. We cannot check-out at the grocery store without seeing at least a half dozen magazines that talk about the latest diet, how to lose 9 pounds in three days, the magic pill that was discovered by some plant that we can't pronounce in some remote location that probably no one has ever been to, or see the face of some celebrity who social media, society or some higher power has deemed more beautiful than the rest of us. We put so much emphasis on weight and outward appearances as if that takes precedence over all of the incredible aspects about us that actually matter. We are also contributing to mental illness by doing this. Can we not see that? This is the part that causes a lump in my throat. We are telling our children, our teens and our young adults, like my younger self, that the judgement and bullying continues well into adulthood and that one of the most incredible and life changing times of their lives, having their children, will be overshadowed by the continuous pressure to get their bodies back to what the world thinks they should be. We are telling them that their journey to feel good about themselves and accept themselves will be a journey without a destination. What scares me most today is there is this whole other element of pressure that comes from social media. We need to shatter this box we are put in once and for all. There is no such thing as the, or a, "bod." We are not "bods." We are not "baby weight." We are not superficial beings. We are people. We are people made up of all things perfectly imperfect.
Let's teach our children about self-love, acceptance, kindness and courage. Let's teach our children that they are perfect just the way they are and there isn't a box they need to fit into, ever, because what makes them unique makes them extraordinary and they are the popular crowd because of it. We must work together, all of us, to evoke change and make progress. We owe this to our children, our grandchildren and our future generations. #shatterthebox
Michele
