I'm tired of seeing 'Boobs=Power' and 'At Least I have Big Boobs'. What? At LEAST? Way to bring yourself down a few notches, ladies. Time to step up and say things like 'Brains=Power' and 'At least I can think for myself and be free to ask for more'. I'm not saying we shouldn't be proud of our bodies - we should. But this idea that we are powerful by virtue of our breasts rather than our brains really gets to me.
What, you may ask, brought on this rant? I was at work yesterday, when two girls (who couldn't have been more than 11) walked in talking about how fat they are and how no guy will like them because they have fat rolls (they didn't, by the way). One of them proceeded to say that she was glad she was developing early. "At least I have something going for me," she added.
The girls left before I was able to say anything to them. But it got me thinking. These girls didn't think this crap up on their own. They were just parroting what they've heard other women say - their mothers, their sisters, women in magazines and on television. Mothers tell their daughters that they're beautiful just as they are, but then turn around and go on a crash diet and talk about how fat they are. Girls recieve these mixed messages and they are supposed to come out of it with a positive body image? Unless we are able to change that message, young girls will grow up thinking that boobs equal power.
End rant.
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I agree whole-heartedly. Even as self-assured as I am, I have struggled with the whole boob issue throughout adolescence and even now in young adulthood. It is a terrible thing for society to place a girl's worth on her body, or more specifically on her breasts or lack thereof, and it is worse for young girls who know no better to fall for it.
I hope to do my part as a high school teacher with a Women's Studies minor to influence young girls positively. Hopefully, I can at least help a few.
When I was 14 and still relatively flat chested, I had the idea that large boobs were more attractive, which did cause me a few self-esteem issues. Yet today, I am realizing that my still small breasts are a blessing; I can go brawless, I can fit into tops with ease, I don't have back pain. I see what my mom goes through with D sized breasts (the pain and the trouble with fitting clothes)and realizing at 21 that I'm fortunate not to have to deal with that. I just wish I could do something to help my 16-year-old cousin realize this...she wants breast implants as a graduation gift!!!
You know what bugs me, too. Commercials that talk about weight loss, and the women in the commercials aren't even overweight! They look like very fit 30-40 year olds! What is up with that!
Giant boobs are no picnic.
Hello, back pain. Expensive bras. Hard-to-find sizes (34G anyone?). Ill-fitting tops. People not looking at your face. Clothes considered "cute" on someone with less boobage being called "indecent" on you. An inability to wear halters due to an inability to find strapless bras. Those funky (permanent) grooves in your shoulders from overworked bra straps.
Etc.