Often I feel like we live in a world of contradictions where we are taught to accept ourselves as we are but are surrounded by images of surreal beauty impossible and unobtainable for the average person to obtain. Women are especially vulnerable to a whole industry
of images on social media which are filtered retouched images of what women are 'meant' to look like. Impossible images because we don't live behind soft focus filters that can erase our blemishes or 'enhance' our behinds. It is estimated that more than one in twenty girls aged 17 to 19 may have a body dysmorphic disorder. According to Natcen a 2017
survey found that just over half of girls with a mental disorder (54.8%) compared themselves to others on social media, in contrast to 31.7% of those without a disorder. I feel blessed that I didn't grow up surrounded by social media and instead grew up in an albeit imperfect reality where I knew full well we don't all magically wake up ready to walk the catwalk. I am well grounded enough to know none of it is real and as I age I want to look good but I am also more than happy to let the signs of my true age show through. I see not point in denying the reality of a situation and there is still a lot of beauty albeit in a different form from when we are young. My message is whether you are young, old, slim, large, tall or short learn to appreciate your trueself whatever that is. Far too many people try to force themselves into a narrow notion of beauty that is damaging and frustrating.
I am and always will be perfectly imperfect much love CocoBabbit xoxo
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