jillianpowersphoto: I Woke Up Like This #008 By: Jillian Powers Click Here to See Mo
jillianpowersphoto: I Woke Up Like This #008 By: Jillian Powers Click Here to See More We tell kids how their body should look before they have the chance to develop their own. This has always bothered me. I used to be skinny, very skinny. Tall too. It was a combination that got me the nickname giraffe in middle school. As a child, all I really knew was my body was changing. Hips becoming wider. Becoming a woman, they say. But I struggled with not being womanly enough. I was constantly ridiculed for my flat chest in middle school. Girls called me anorexic because I was thin and they were told thin girls were only thing because they were anorexic. Where do children learn this? They learn from media, their parents, other children, and observation of treatment. Bigger boobs are better. Thin is best but not too thin. Being tall is awkward and manly. Kids create this perfect body from all these influences and project that onto other children. It’s horrid and I’ll always teach my child to respect the change others are going through. As Cheyn puts it below. In short, I think the key to high self-esteem and being comfortable with your body lies within how we educate the youth to perceive the bodies differences. A breast is a breast. A stomach is sometimes larger. Not all girls are small. Not all men are tall and muscley. I think if children could start this acceptance, it’d translate into everything. One day I hope to teach social sciences to middle schoolers.-Jillian What are your thoughts on how we view our bodies?I think that it’s really important for females to feel comfortable in their own skin. Lately, I’ve come to realize that we are not our body. It’s about what’s inside of us. Our time here on earth is temporary. It’s silly that we’ve worked ourselves into this discomfort because that’s not really what matters in life. It’s just your shell. How would you rate your self esteem?I would say about an eight, as far as my physical body goes. What factors into that?I haven’t really been focusing on my appearance lately, it’s more so about what my body feels. I’ve been practicing yoga everyday, so I’ve been feeling really strong and my body is flexible. I feel like I’m more equipped for change. This is the way I see it. When you have discipline and flexibility on your mat, it transfers into your life. How was your middle school experience?Probably the same as everybody. In respect to my body, I felt gangly. Because you’re tall?Yeah. I was definitely always taller than everybody. That made me feel really uncomfortable for a long time. I would slouch a lot, I learned how to stand so that I looked shorter. How do you feel about your height now?Doesn’t really phase me now. A few times I’ve been mistaken for a man. At the moment, it’ll bug me and make me start thinking about my appearance a lot. I try not to take things personally anymore. What other people think in their minds shouldn’t effect what you think. It does, but you know. How do you feel after the shoot?I feel really good! That was a lot of fun. You made me feel really comfortable, thank you! Being naked is not really a problem for me. My friends will party naked a lot of times, it’s a good way to know a person on a real level. Not really hiding behind anything. What’s your definition of feminism?I feel like it’s changed a lot. I feel like it used to mean striving for equality. Nowadays it seems like it’s female superiority. Everyone has a masculine and feminine side. We need to become in touch with those, not worry about gender roles. Your genitalia doesn’t define you. It definitely can, but it shouldn’t. What’s your favorite part of your body?I don’t know! I like my armpit hair. Body part? I like my breasts. I like the idea that someday they’ll feed someone else. What’s your least favorite part of your body?My acne. How has acne effected your self-esteem?When I talk to someone and get up close to them I feel like it’s distracted from who I am. Do you wear a bra?No. Someone told me the longer you go without a bra the more lifted they are. Strengthens the muscle right?Yeah! -- source link