Do not tell me to respect my body by crossing my legs, keeping my knees together, my skirts long and my treatment of my body within your framework.
I respect my body by doing what I please with it.
I respect my body by loving it and all of the things it allows me to do.
I respect my body by…
Yes all of this.
I wish I knew the source for this! I couldn’t reblog it from the blog it was on (it didn’t have a link to the original source) because they were using it as reverse thinspo. Well, I think it’s really cute. Yay tummies!
Just another step in my self-love and acceptance journey! A little love for the one part of myself that I used to hate most. Take that, past self-loathing Courtney! ♥
Inspired by frass.
It actually began after I met Cody. To clarify things, I’m not saying you need a partner to discover your self-worth and to begin to love yourself but he really pushed me along. Actually, I’d say he SHOVED me along, hahaha.
I’d just gotten out of a ‘relationship’ with an arsehole who I felt like I needed to impress. I constantly wore heavy make up and sucked in my stomach when I was around him. He’d compliment me but I’d always feel like I was never enough. He broke up with me and left me feeling heartbroken and absolutely disgusting, even more than before.
Cody came along and after getting to know each other he blatantly told me that I looked bad with make up on (which both offended and complimented me, haha!). At the beginning I felt ‘too fat’ to be with him and I actually haven’t confessed that until now. He pushed me out of my comfort zone and sometimes that really needs to happen. After being with him for a few months I stopped being so critical of myself.
I also discovered blogs like chubby-bunnies and lovely ladies just like myself and then I discovered the fat acceptance movement. All of this really, REALLY helped open my eyes. Having self love is so much more important than the size of your jeans. I’d much rather go to a restaurant and order a burger than restrict myself to the salad because I felt like I HAD to. I don’t have to. You don’t have to.
I’m still on my journey to loving and accepting myself! Life has been so much more enjoyable and I’ve been more happy because I’ve discovered that I can be at peace with myself and my body. Granted, I still have days where I can’t be as comfortable with my body but that’s absolutely fine. :)
As for advice, I’d say just give yourself a break. Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. You deserve to feel amazing and beautiful and all things wonderful. Most of all, learn your body and appreciate it. That fleshy vessel you embody has done and is doing and will do so many amazing things! It deserves to be commended for all that it does for you. The human body (all shapes and sizes) is an art form, embrace yourself. ♥
I drew this wayyy back- probably a few months ago when I was thinking about all the body image and eating issues I had to deal with when I was in my teens. I was the type to hide her body and face away heaven forbid it get judged or the self loathing was some how reinforced.
A massive turning point though was when I bought this thing called the “Body Shaper”- this comic deals with the first time I wore one and how I managed to deal with it.
It’s not a perfect comic/ strip to say the least and nor am I promising true love or what ever it is people tell you on the television these days in order for you conform to their idea of successful. I guess I just want people to know that your bodies are fine they way they are- and that your looks shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying positive experiences in your life.
Now I’m just rambling
Anyway, if you click the image, you’ll be sent to a larger more easy to read version of this.
