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To the big girls in the house
I don’t get to cry about it. I dare not. I’m supposed to be the strong one; the one who holds everything together when it feels like everything is falling apart. It’s exhausting, not going to lie. Pretending that I have it all under wraps when, inside, I’m one minute away from a meltdown. But what happens when you’re the one with the “common sense,” the one who thinks things through, the one behind the logistics, the one who keeps everything running smoothly — like some invisible thread holding the fabric of it all intact? Or at least the one everyone thinks is all that? When the truth is, while…
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Women: we rise from the ashes
A “woman of Christ” ready to kneel a housekeeper on heels a womb that never heals ageless body whose feelings can’t be real defenseless little girl whose autonomy men think they can steal That’s how society sees us it’s how they expect us to feel But from a woman’s womb came all of you, we can’t be erased our history you can’t undo We rise from the ashes as we all have seen We care for the vulnerable from LA to Berlin We are glass-ceiling breakers and have always been a force to be reckoned with our strength comes from no gym, our strength is built in. Happy International Women’s…
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How to accept your small frame (excerpt)
As an author, I don’t think I could always keep a copy of my own book nearby. But whenever I need to remind myself of my purpose or of things that I’ve accomplished because of my stories, or of my own advice, I like to go back to a particular page or chapter in my book. It’s purely for satisfaction (and a little ego boost). Most recently, I revisited my FLAT: LIVING SMALL IN LARGE AMERICA book — my very own personal journey that I wrote in hopes of inspiring other women to make peace with their bodies and, particularly, their small boobs — and boy, am I proud. I…
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Pro-life They Call Themselves
I created a blog about 20 years ago which tagline was: my hands are tied, my voice is not. It was a space I made for myself to voice out my frustrations during my early years of political and self discovery. I realized how affected I was by social injustices and human rights violations everywhere. And though I’m not sure that I understood how important it was at the time, I wanted to be part of the movement, the voices that spoke up and tried to protect all humans’ rights. I quickly learned that it is usually the people with the most unfortunately unfair “social status” who are marginalized and…
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You’re the Real Deal
What some men say, or what you think men say about your chest, is bringing you down. Don’t let this fiction influence your reality. Remove everyone’s eyes from you. Forget about everyone’s views on the “ideal” breasts and you’ll be alone in the room with the only critic that matters: yourself. It’s important that you understand that you’re not a walking magazine cutout. You’re the real deal, the full 3D experience, if you will, with working organs that cannot be trimmed down (or blown up, in our case) just to fit the mold. Love your assets — they’re beautiful the way they are. Bringing women a bit of inspiration on this start…
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Buns and Bosoms in Tina Fey’s Words
In her book, Bossypants, Tina Fey writes the following: I think the first real change in women’s body image came when JLo turned it butt-style. That was the first time that having a large-scale situation in the back was part of mainstream American beauty. Girls wanted butts now. Men were free to admit that they had always enjoyed them. And then, what felt like moments later, boom—Beyoncé brought the leg meat. A back porch and thick muscular legs were now widely admired. And from that day forward, women embraced their diversity and realized that all shapes and sizes are beautiful. Ah ha ha. No. I’m totally messing with you. All…
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Where Empowerment Doesn’t Come From
Absolutely LOVED this article by Beauty Redefined, where they call Victoria’s Secret on their “empowering” bullsh*t. What girls need is campaigns like VS to go away; to stop selling unhealthy and dangerous standards to our younger generation. You’re in control of your body, ladies. Remember that. Here’s an excerpt: This brand begs us to believe, and totally relies on us believing, that our power comes from enhancing, accessorizing, fixing, and flaunting our bodies. It relies on us believing beautiful and “sexy” look ONE very specific way — very thin, tall, young, and wrinkle- and cellulite-free — and that we must achieve those ideals by any means necessary in order to…
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Don’t Need Your Silicone, I Prefer My Own
Am I less of a lady if I don’t wear pantyhose My momma said ‘A lady ain’t what she wears but what she knows’ But I’ve drawn the conclusion, it’s all an illusion Confusion’s the name of the game A misconception, a vast deception Something got to change…
