Have you ever stood in front of your mirror and grumbled, “I hate my body”? Have you ever wished you had longer legs, a flatter stomach, or bigger boobs? Do you wish you were fatter, thinner, taller, or shorter? Have you figured out by now that Barbie’s shape is totally messed up? In fact, I read that if Barbie’s measurements were projected to life-size, her measurements would be 38-18-34 (a figure not found in nature.) Even if you were one of the few girls who weren’t allowed to play with Barbie, chances are you are just as warped as the rest of us when it comes to body image issues.
Do you remember playing for hours with your “Happy to Be Me” doll? Probably not. It came out in the early 90s and was marketed as an alternative to Barbie. It claimed to have more realistic body proportions than Barbie and was marketed to parents as “A Doll that Both You and Your Child Will Love.” Sorry to take a little bunny trail here but isn’t it interesting how they chose to use the word child instead of daughter. Talk about being politically correct. Did they really think little boys were saving up their allowance to buy a “Happy to Be Me” doll? That’s more warped than Barbie’s figure. I would love to write a letter to the company and politely explain that the world is a better place when little boys play with GI Joes, not “Happy to Be Me” dolls.
Unfortunately, I can only dream about writing that letter because the company is no longer in business. The dolls were a flop and the company went kaputt, proving that in the end most girls prefer to play with a doll that has an unrealistic body shape—a shape we can never have. Besides, it’s not fair to blame just Barbie for the negative attitudes among women concerning body shape. Honestly, I played with Barbie and I can’t remember ever thinking “Wow, I wish I had her bod.” I do remember thinking “Wow, I wish I had her Corvette.” For the record, I didn’t get her bod or her car.
As someone who struggled off and on with an eating disorder, I can attest to the power of the message to be thin coming from media, magazines, and the culture. I wanted desperately to look in the mirror and like the image staring back at me. Unfortunately, this would not come until I hit my 30s and I finally came to the conclusion that life is too short to dwell on something as superficial as having a perfect body. After almost two decades of having a love/hate relationship with my body, finally, with God’s help, I made friends with my shape. I decided that my contentment would no longer be based on the readout on the scale or how I looked in a swimsuit. I was going to like me, no matter what.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not recommending that we just let ourselves go, eat five boxes of Twinkies, and blow off exercising. I’m talking about accepting our shape for what it is, whether it’s pear-shaped, apple-shaped, hourglass, short, tall, big-boned, or petite. Even if you are currently overweight or underweight, you can still aspire to reach a healthy weight range and at the same time, accept yourself.
The true test is to be able to look at ourselves in a full length mirror and confidently say to God,
“I will praise You because I have been remarkable and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know [this] very well” (Ps. 139:14).
If you can’t say it and mean it, consider posting the above verse on your mirror as a reminder and say it every day. Pray and ask God to help you believe it.
Written by Vicki Courtney
Article taken from TeenVirtue: A Girl’s Guide to Life. Posted with permission from Broadman & Holman Publishing.
Comments (15)
wow, its funny that i just read this, 'cause just recently i decided i was sick of hating myself, and i wasnt going to anymore. God defedintly timed me reading that!
Posted by Elizabeth | June 18, 2007 11:15 AM
This is awesome! I wish that I always felt like what this article says to feel like, but even hearing these words again is helpful. It's been a while since I have heard these words, but they are definitely helpful to anyone who has doubts about their body, etc.
Posted by Catherine | June 18, 2007 11:17 AM
This is amazing! The funny thing is everything you said in the little reminder letter it very true. Even i struggle to think positive about my body because i have friends that i would kill to have their body and i would love to have barbie's body.... but everyday i try to think how blessed i am with the body i have. Remember girls what you think about your self prejects out into the world because it is written across your forehead..... keep a positive thought it helps!
Posted by Jordan | June 18, 2007 11:48 PM
WOW!! just reading this article helps me so much because i used to think that i had a terrible body!! but then it dawned on me that i'm one of god's beautiful creations!! And he made my body so unique and beautiful!!
Posted by karly j. | June 19, 2007 8:40 PM
This is soo true!
sadly, i have trouble with this one because most of my friends are "On the small end of the range". i have a bigger build, so it is sometimes hard for me to accept who i am. i do often re[eat in my head the verse you listed that makes me look again at what i say, and more often then not, i like the way i look.
hope that helps you if you are having the same problem.
Posted by Emily | June 20, 2007 10:10 AM
Even the title of this article made me think of a girl that used to be my friend. She was always stressing that guys wouldn`t like her because she wasn`t "full-out" like the rest of the girls. I tried to tell her that if guys don`t like her for her personality, but rather her bdoy; he wasn`t worth it. Now I`m ashamed she isn`t my friend anymore because I would really like to tell her about this article.
Posted by Morgan | June 20, 2007 10:39 AM
My mom and I had just talked about how i was so uncomfortable with my body. I prayed about it and then my mom found this article. I don't have an eating disorder, and i don't hate myself, but the bathing suit thing is definitely true. I always look at myself in the mirror and think,"that looks so inappropriate!" But, I asked my brother and he said that it is nothing close to inappropriate! this article may not have completely erased my problem, but it definitely helps me with it!!! Thanks! :^)
Posted by Brittney | June 27, 2007 12:30 PM
This is just what I needed to read. Recently I have not liked the way i'm built. So i've been skipping meals here
and there. And my body doesen't listen to my hunger signs. So i'm never really hungry. And in the summer I forget to eat. Now I see the devil is trying to take control of me. Now that i've read this,i'm not letting that hapen. I'm going to read the verse in the artical every day and dwell in Jesus Christ. And not worry about my body shape.
Thank's Vicki!
Posted by Jessica | July 11, 2007 11:42 PM
This article is very helpful, i have always had struggles with my self-image, never realizing that God had created me the way i am.. thanks for the verse it is really awesome.. i have always been bigger than my girl cousins and my friends and i always felt FAT... i've basically done everything to get thinner, dieting, exercising, diet pills and i was even bulimic for a little while.. what was it all for? to get attention from people but in the end, i still felt empty and it wasnt until i found christ that i realized i am unique and that God loves me.
Posted by Jane | August 14, 2007 11:41 AM
wow...good article! i struggle SO MUCH with body image, and i hate it. right when i start feeling good about myself...i see a picture of an ultra-thin model...and i go right back to only seeing my flaws. i honestly think that airbrushing should be outlawed. think of all the low-self esteems, eating disorders, and self-destructive behavior its caused. when is this brainwashing unrealistic media trash gonna stop ?
Posted by *sparkle* | March 9, 2008 6:08 PM
THIS IS VERY TOUCHING!!!!! i am 13 and my mind is going through some changes. for the past yr i have compared myself to at least 30 other girls and i have hated my body over time. my mom yells at me because she thinks i am going anorexic. i simply believe that, that is not going to help me. but after reading this i have learned that i was made i God's image and that i am beautiful in his eyes!!!!:)
Posted by laurie | August 3, 2008 6:17 PM
Politically correct! That is sooo funny. And crazy. Yeah. Mostly crazy.
I used to struggle with my body image a few years ago. And I don't know why I did...I have always been on the thin side. Oh, all the things I didn't do just because I didn't want people to notice me. Not talking in Sunday school, not participating in games in youth when I didn't have to. All the time I spent carefully picking out my clothes, making sure my arms were always folded over my stomach... I think it was just Satan attacking me and me not standing in Christ's name up against it.
Now, I can gladly say that I am happy with my body. I love to use it to praise Jesus by dancing. :) God bless you all! And just be confident in who you are in Jesus. :)
Posted by BallerinaGirl | September 4, 2008 5:22 PM
Just like sparkle I struggly ALOT with body image and it doesn't take much to make me start thinking about my flaws. I found a song that really helped me with that and listen to it quite a bit. Its called "More Beautiful You" by Jonny Diaz. God will love us no matter what shape we are.(I just have to keep remembering that.)
Posted by deena | June 14, 2010 10:39 AM
WOW! I am 13, and having a hard time accepting myself for who I am. I always seem to be wishing I looked different, and it's nice to be able to relate to other girls. God bless!
Posted by Sancta Maria | January 18, 2011 1:25 PM
This really helped me! I look in the mirror all the time and think, "I wish I was like so and so..." But after reading this, when I look in the mirror I think. I really like my body! God made me like this and I should appreciate his work!
Posted by Rachel | June 15, 2011 8:12 PM