By Cicely J
Body image does not only effect women who feel they are overweight, underweight/skinny women are taunted also. In a community where curves are accepted and the more “bootylicious” the better I was constantly put down by family, friends, and acquaintances for being a size 0.
I never had an eating disorder but I did have a high metabolism and at 28 years old, 5’9, and shopping in the juniors department my body image really caused me to be insecure as an adult woman and a mother. I had no curves, no love handles, nothing about my body said I was a “woman”. Those insecure feelings kept me out of the public eye for a while until I was comfortable enough to embrace it and make it work for me.
Learning to be comfortable in your own skin is a process and self acceptance and self love is such a necessity among women. Especially when you are in business and have to represent yourself or your company. I have also learned that the most important element of a person is who they are inside and not what they look like outside and once you exude that type of confidence other people around you start to feel the same. No matter how big or small you are.
Being an African American woman and being what our community considered too thin effected my dating habits. Most black men want curvaceous (thick) women with a big butt. I was neither. So what did I do? I dated white men. Thus, noticed the distinct differences between Caucasian men and African American men which prompted me to write my debut non-fiction: black men vs. White Men: the Black Woman’s Choice.
So the experience changed the course of my life and I am now a published author because of it. I still have my moments of insecurity when someone reminds me I am skinny but I am so comfortable in my own skin now that it does not matter to me anymore. I love public speaking, I love writing books, and I love being the center of attention. Because writing gives me confidence no one is able to take that away from me.
Hey skinny mini. Isn’t funny that no matter how big or small we are we all have insecurities about ourselves. It’s sad that the people the closest to you will be the ones to hurt you ie family and friends. You go girl!