How to Love Your Body without Shaming Others for Theirs

by Roxanne C.

 

Lane Bryant Ad Campaign

 

As far as lingerie or beauty ad campaigns go, I’m all for promoting self-love. In 2013, Abercrombie & Fitch incurred the wrath of self-made activists by proclaiming their clothes were made for “good-looking people.” Tables were flipped, keyboard warriors went mental and bloggers such as Jes from The Militant Baker embarked on personal missions to make their voices heard.

 

More recently, Lane Bryant introduced their “I’m No Angel” campaign for their lingerie line. As a plus-size retailer, it’s no wonder they don’t subscribe to the stick-thin-with-enviable-cleavage notion that the Victoria’s Secret angels fit. Again, I’m all for supporting anyone who promotes self-love and self-confidence. But what I cannot see eye to eye with are hypocrites.

 

According to the press release, part of which was published on several sites, such as Racked and The Washington Post, Lane Bryant CEO and president, Linda Heasley, said: “Our ‘#ImNoAngel’ campaign is designed to empower ALL women to love every part of herself. Lane Bryant firmly believes that she is sexy and we want to encourage her to confidently show it, in her own way.”

 

And I am about to lose it big time.

 

While I get it that Lane Bryant is trying to help plus-sized women love their own bodies, how the brand is helping to empower skinny women – or women who do not fit into the plus-size category – completely misses me. And it’s not just Lane Bryant that is getting under my nerves. All other brands and personalities of high influence out there who are claiming to promote self-love but doing so at the expense of those whom they deem not in need of this help are killing me softly inside.

 

How difficult can it be to focus on the positive? Here, let me teach you:

1. Stop photoshopping ads of plus-sized models to erase their cellulite. Teach women to accept their cellulite if they can’t get rid of them!

2. Stop photoshopping skin discolouration on models.

3. In fact, stop photoshopping people at all, save for minor tweaks like Photoshop curves and contrast.

4. Practise what you preach. If you want others to feel good about themselves, start with yourself.

5. Don’t put anyone down, especially if they look different from you.

6. Acknowledge that every body shape is different and no one shape is better or worse off than another. Don’t say – or even think – you’re better than anyone else because of the way you look. You look like you, they look like them. Now get over it and move on.

7. Think and say positive things about others, rather than remain neutral or tight-lipped about their appearances. There MUST be something good about the way they look.

8. Focus on more important things in life, such as education, travel, family bonding, or how you’ll like to hang out with your friends after a hard day at work. Experience is better than depression.

9. If someone tells you you need to stop eating so much/eat more/cut down on carbs, remember how men survive living with their wives: One ear in, the other ear out.

10. If you come across any toxic person, just let them go. Renee at Beautifille has some tips on how you can get rid of toxic friends.

 

Feeling good about yourself doesn’t mean you have to make someone else feel bad about themselves, or focus on the negative aspects of others to make yourself feel better. In fact, this does the complete opposite and reinforces any insecurities you have. Even if you, on some days when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, feel crappy about yourself, the people around you still have good points for you to focus on. Remember that everyone you meet is fighting a battle of their own, even if they are smiling and seem happy. It really takes no effort to think positively and doing so makes you a happier person anyway.

 

Start with one good thought a day, and then gradually increase as you go along. You’ll be amazed at how much your life will change when you change your perspectives. Hate your flabs? At least you have a tummy to work on. Don’t like your thunder thighs (I call mine that some times)? At least you have thighs to work on. Come along now, let us all send cheerful, positive vibes everywhere.

 

Be positive,

Roxanne

 

Image credit: US Weekly