Did you ever wake up one morning thinking about something you wish would change dramatically in the world? For the past couple mornings I’ve had something on my mind involving a subject that has been near and dear to me since my middle school days. For those who have followed my blog and/or my Twitter feed for some time know that supporting women is a social cause I’m passionate about. I grew up around women all my life and learned all that I ever needed to know about being an ally to women and women’s rights. It’s with this passion for supporting women that I thought: How great it would be if the world came to its senses and became a more empowering place for women?
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Dear Society, Stop Pressuring Women
It’s both sad and disturbing you continue to be grossly obsessed with a woman’s looks instead of the amazing talents she possesses to change the world. Take a seat and prepare yourself for what I’m about to say because either this won’t sit well with you or you’ll think I’ve been “brainwashed” (that’s laughable): everyone is physically made differently. There are tall people, short people, skinny people and heavyset people. Big deal. All of us celebrate body diversity – and you should too. It’s what makes the world so special. And that crazy notion of yours about a woman not being worth anything unless she’s a size 0 to 2? Sorry to rain on your grossly antiquated viewpoints but a dress size never ever defines a woman’s greatness. What defines a woman is what she does to follow her heart, take risks and courageously lead while inspiring others.
When Brittany Gibbons Gave a TEDx Talk, It Was Powerful…
It was only yesterday when I stumbled across a TEDx Talk in Bowling Green, Ohio on YouTube from the badass writer and humorist Brittany Gibbons called “Courageous Beauty”. Now mind you, I’m aware of the influence TEDx talks have on sharing and promoting ideas and creativity in the world around us. But Gibbons’s TEDx talk was the first ever TEDx talk video I’ve watched – and has certainly become my most favorite talk.
For those who won’t bother to watch, Gibbons’s “Courageous Beauty” touches on the topic of body image to tell her personal story of childhood struggles with body image and bullying because of her weight. It’s a topic most everyone at some point in his or her life has dealt with or knows someone that has experienced this. But Gibbons’s story wasn’t like anyone else’s that I’ve heard in the past. In my eyes, Gibbons’s talk was raw, personal, and downright relatable. In this day and age where women and girls are facing a constant pressure every day to fit in and achieve “The Barbie Look”, Gibbons has taken the negative and created her own trailblazing empire to inspire and empower women everywhere that they are beautiful badasses regardless of what shape and size they are. I love what Gibbons is doing to help and empower women everywhere, and I look forward to following her journey in the years to come. And that moment in the talk when Gibbons strips down to her black swimsuit? Beautiful, empowering, and so badass.
