Last weekend I read Fat Girl Walking by Brittany
Gibbons. I’ve been following Brittany
through her blog, Twitter and Instagram for a while now and have admired her
boldness, confidence and her beauty. I
used to think “wow, she must have had quite some upbringing to have such
confidence and self-esteem” because, really, that’s something that most women
have trouble with regardless of their dress size.
Well, guess what; she has those issues too. Who’d of thunk it?! You’d never know it, looking at her bikini
pics on Instagram, but she has all of the same self-esteem and insecurity
issues that I do. She has had the same
issues with clothing, taunting, shaming; been treated poorly by guys. Sadly, the things that she went through with
teenaged boys are the same things that I’ve experienced with grown men. Do they ever grow up?
This lady is just like me, you and every other woman who has
ever looked at her body and said “Ugh!” yet, she has found way to live with
this and still shine. If she wasn’t such
a bad lesbian (you gotta read the book), I’d be in love with her.
The difference between Brittany and me is that she has found
a way to look past her own insecurities and see herself in a positive
light. That’s what this book is about;
her journey to seeing herself in a good way and giving herself permission to
shine. I try but tend to fall short,
more often than not. She is definitely
an inspiration.
Anyone who has struggled with their weight throughout their
life will find themselves nodding at so much of what she says and, hopefully,
will walk away with a new perspective. We owe it to our daughters to obliterate the current harsh language that we use to describe ourselves and, perhaps, open the discussion wherever we go about what real beauty is.
Kathy
Sounds like a great read. Being a plus size gal can be challenging but with the right style of clothing to fit your shape, a touch of make up and a great haircut, there's no stopping us. You have to feel good to look good. No matter what size you are.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right about that Barb. Taking care of ourselves - giving ourselves a bit of pampering on the outside - isn't just about vanity, it's about self-care and feeling good on the inside.
DeleteSounds like a good read. I have had body issues my whole life and I am determined to raise my little girl with a healthy outlook, lifestyle and courage to be herself, no matter what.
ReplyDeleteI totally get it. I have a fourteen year old girl and try so hard to be careful of the language that I use around her. I'm sure that I must slip here and there but I'm definitely aware.
DeleteI will definitely check this book out. Having struggled with weight and self-esteem issues all of my life, I think I have finally come to terms with them both. We need more authors like this for our children! Stopping by from Mama Kat's. Thanks for your kind words about my 10th Grade Memory. No Greg and I never became an item, but I will always remember that night!
ReplyDeleteThere's just enough candid sex talk in it that I'd watch what age I'd let kids read it at but it is certainly thought provoking for us as parents.
DeleteAt least he left you with a special memory to share years later. :)
I'm definitely going to check this book out. Sounds really inspirational and motivational and I really need some right now to deal with some weight issues. Thanks for sharing. I am stopping by from Mama Kat's.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by MJ! This lady definitely knows how to make you think about yourself in a different way.
DeleteI've seen what low self esteem and confidence issues with weight have done to my sister. It is a life long battle. I would love to get her to read this. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAngela @ Stepping into Motherhood
You should definitely get it for her. If anything, it's at least nice to know that we're not alone
DeleteI think the first part of having confidence is pretending like you have confidence. Eventually it starts to stick and even if it's not sticking, you've fooled everyone else into thinking it's there. The truth is, I think it's something everyone struggles with to some degree, even people who seem to be perfect to us! I've met a couple of times now and she really is hilarious and lovely. :) Can't wait to read her book!
ReplyDeleteFake it til you feel it! There is definitely some wisdom there.
DeleteI would love to meet Brittany! I've give her a big hug and say thank you.
I LOVE this book. We can all learn to look past our insecurities. It's a daily task. I'll try if you try ;)
ReplyDeleteYou're right, it is a daily task. We are so surrounded by negative messages about our bodies that it's a job that's never done. We need all the support that we can get :)
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