we're all real women, even victoria's secret models

On Tuesday night was the somewhat infamous Victoria's Secret Fashion Show which aired on CBS.  It feels as though I've read hundreds of posts about how much Victoria's Secret is marketing to young girls, how they give unreasonable expectations about how women should look and a plethora of other things.  I've also seen so many articles about how "real woman have curves" or how the models should "eat a sandwich."  And I have some serious issues with ALL of these things....

If you don't want your children to be exposed to certain things, it is up to you to shield them from it.  Make firm boundaries and let your children know where you stand.  Yes, they had Taylor Swift as a musical performer this year.  Many, many, MANY parents believed this was wholly inappropriate.  Taylor Swift is well above the age of 18, a legal adult.  She made the choice to perform there, you have the choice to allow your children to watch her performance during the show or not.  Also, because clearly many, many, MANY people out there don't understand this.  Lingerie doesn't promote promiscuity, lowered societal standards does that. 

I have actually seen that the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show lets me know that these airbrushed and perfect women I see in the ads are not always perfect.  I can see their thighs jiggle, I can see they have some rolls or cellulite.  It lets me know that even the most beautiful and pinnacle of perfection women have little imperfections in their bodies. 

And, of course the most troubling things I seem to constantly be bombarded with regarding the Victoria's Secret Line...The Thin-Shaming.  It is no secret that fat-shaming seems to have always been a societal problem that people are trying to overcome.  So often we see tabloids showing and pointing out "beach nightmare bodies" or "Look at her weight gain!"  However, thin-shaming has become a more prevalent as the war on fat shaming has progressed.  Often we see the term "Real Woman Have Curves" and things emblazoned on photos of thin models tell them to "eat a sandwich."  In a world filled with so much inequality and hate, why on earth do we feel the need to find another reason to separate ourselves by something as arbitrary as physical appearance? 

A gif showing the before and after photoshop of Kelly Clarkson

 

Body Shaming is, in my opinion, one of the greatest societal issues facing us today.  Both men and women are constantly bombarded by magazines of people airbrushed to perfection.  Society has given us ridiculous expectations of what our bodies should look like.  Ultimately, the best body shape is a healthy body shape.  If you are healthy as a 00, great!  If you are healthy as a 24, great!  I work to lose weight because I do not feel healthy at my current weight.  All body shaming is WRONG.  Too often I see internet bullies and real life bullies pestering both thin and heavy women about their bodies.  Neither is perfect enough.  Neither is good enough.  Body shaming needs to end.  The only way it will end is if we, as a society, make changes to how we all perceive those around us.  So, start today and join me in ENDING body shaming for all body types!