Yes, They’re Real
My body and I have been through many phases. As a kid, I was very skinny, and then I hit puberty. That changed everything. Let me tell you, having big boobs in my early teen years made me very, very strong. I’ve pretty much heard it all. The good, the bad, and the really ugly. I try to take it all in stride though. I mean it’s not like I could just go home and chop them off then come to school the next day. Although hard to believe now, I used to not like them. Even now there are still moments where I’m like “ok that’s enough for today”. Other times I thank God for them. That usually happens when the Cava line is long and someone lets me cut. I’ve gotten comfortable now with the whole situation and even though most people stare at them before they do anything else, I’d have to think long and hard about whether or not I’d want a reduction. They’re literally a part of me.
What used to be a big insecurity of mine has turned into one of my favorite and most physically defining things about me. Learning to love yourself at every stage of your life is never easy. Especially when everyone seems to have an opinion. The most important thing to remember is that you are the one who determines what you think about your body and don’t let anyone tell or treat you differently because of how they feel about it. Whether you want to look like a pornstar or a preschool teacher, it’s your job to make sure that you wake up every day being your most authentic self and confident in who you are.
As women of color, just being ourselves sometimes is so damn controversial. The way we walk, the way we talk, how we wear our hair, our outfit choices. It’s all placed under a microscope. I hate that, but unfortunately, that’s just where our society is right now. I made up my mind a long time ago that if people are going to gawk and talk, they might as well be seeing the real me. Nothing in this world is perfect. In fact, the definition of perfection is multifaceted and complex because perfection is really an individual thing. What may be one person’s idea of perfection could be absolutely terrible to someone else. That is why it is so important that we don’t place those harsh standards and expectations on ourselves. We’re only human. Take care.
Love,
Claire
