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This week's challenge at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
celebrate_women "Women's Bodies."
I looked at that, thought--"What can I possibly say that hasn't been said before?"
The truth is, I probably can't say something unique, or original, or "more right" than the other 80 bazillion people who have discussed this, at length, over and over again. But today has been such a huge day in terms of angry-making headlines, stories, and thoughts, that I just couldn't help myself.
I want something positive out of this day, so I'm making a list of what I want people to know about my body:
1. It's mine. I decide how to feed it, what to wear on it, how to move in it, who to let touch it, who to touch with it, where to go with it, and everything else possibly connected with it. You don't get to tell me what to do with it unless I ask you, and even then I'm just soliciting advice, not asking for a dictator.
2. It is what it is. I cannot change the shape of my nose, the fact that I grow wispy hairs on my chin, have short fingers, and it's debateable about whether I can even change much of its girth, which is impressive. At any rate, if you're complaining about it, there's not much I can do about it at that moment, and possibly nothing at all.
3. My body, although it occassionally rebels and/or gets injured, serves me quite well for the most part. In addition to neck-saving ninja rolls (even though they hurt my back), it allows me to walk, dance, play musical instruments, type, and sew. It also houses my brain, a part of me I consider important--whether you do or not.
4. For the most part, other people seem to be able to read my body language, facial expressions, and get along fairly well with my body--all things I consider to be important, based on my unending love for snarky conversation and open discourse.
On a related note,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tigersvoice charged us with pledging to take back control of our bodies. In addition to the above, I pledge to:
~ Listen to what my body tells me about the foods I feed it, and adjust based on how they make me feel--not what other people tell me I should be eating.
~ Continue to speak up against youth-centric and destructive ideals of beauty.
~ Never try to pluck/chemically remove/wax my chin hairs again. Ow. Sorry, future friends/boyfriend/spouse/kids. You'll just have to deal with them.
~ Use sunscreen when I need it--no one knows better than I do how fair my skin really is.
~ Use my swim suits to go swimming. That's what they're for!
celebrate_women "Women's Bodies."I looked at that, thought--"What can I possibly say that hasn't been said before?"
The truth is, I probably can't say something unique, or original, or "more right" than the other 80 bazillion people who have discussed this, at length, over and over again. But today has been such a huge day in terms of angry-making headlines, stories, and thoughts, that I just couldn't help myself.
I want something positive out of this day, so I'm making a list of what I want people to know about my body:
1. It's mine. I decide how to feed it, what to wear on it, how to move in it, who to let touch it, who to touch with it, where to go with it, and everything else possibly connected with it. You don't get to tell me what to do with it unless I ask you, and even then I'm just soliciting advice, not asking for a dictator.
2. It is what it is. I cannot change the shape of my nose, the fact that I grow wispy hairs on my chin, have short fingers, and it's debateable about whether I can even change much of its girth, which is impressive. At any rate, if you're complaining about it, there's not much I can do about it at that moment, and possibly nothing at all.
3. My body, although it occassionally rebels and/or gets injured, serves me quite well for the most part. In addition to neck-saving ninja rolls (even though they hurt my back), it allows me to walk, dance, play musical instruments, type, and sew. It also houses my brain, a part of me I consider important--whether you do or not.
4. For the most part, other people seem to be able to read my body language, facial expressions, and get along fairly well with my body--all things I consider to be important, based on my unending love for snarky conversation and open discourse.
On a related note,
tigersvoice charged us with pledging to take back control of our bodies. In addition to the above, I pledge to:~ Listen to what my body tells me about the foods I feed it, and adjust based on how they make me feel--not what other people tell me I should be eating.
~ Continue to speak up against youth-centric and destructive ideals of beauty.
~ Never try to pluck/chemically remove/wax my chin hairs again. Ow. Sorry, future friends/boyfriend/spouse/kids. You'll just have to deal with them.
~ Use sunscreen when I need it--no one knows better than I do how fair my skin really is.
~ Use my swim suits to go swimming. That's what they're for!
