Now, I really want to get to the main reason for this post. It's a serious topic and highly controversial, and before you read, I want you to know that I do not mean to make anyone feel uncomfortable or degrade anyone in any way. But I've been noticing a lot of advertisements lately for a new TV show that will soon be premiering on ABC Family called "HUGE".
Now, the name alone seems, I'm not sure how I can describe it... controversial? Rude? Degrading? I'm sure I'm probably just reading into it too much, considering the show hasn't even premiered yet, but when you think about, do we really need more pressure about body issues in today's society? There are pressures EVERYWHERE for girls to be "skinnier" and how "Size 6 is the new 14". But when you flip through your TV Guide today, you see all of these shows devoted to body appearance. For example tv shows such as: HUGE, One Big Happy Family, Biggest Loser, Dance Your A** Off, Celebrity Fit Club, and movies such as: Hairspray, Mean Girls, To Be Fat Like Me, 
Shallow Hal, and even Center Stage address body issues. Whether it's highlighting criticism and abuse to people who are overweight, or whether the movie portrays a character faced with anorexia or bulimia, the media shows too much attention to body image. It is basically impossible to walk into a supermarket or drug store today without seeing tabloids with headers such as "See which celebrity recently gained 25 lbs." or those with pictures splayed all over the cover of celebrities who are "fat" (according to the media), when in all actuality, they are HEALTHY. I for one am not exactly the thinnest girl in the whole world, but I am HEALTHY. I love fruits and vegetables and I don't eat a lot of sweets. When I drink soda, it is usually lower in calories and sugar. I dance 24/7 and am always on the move. But, I do go between a size 6 and a size 8. And here's the thing... I DON'T CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK. Sure, I want to look nice. But in all honesty, I'm proud of my body because I'M CURVY, but I don't have a weight problem. I'm healthy, curvy, and tall, so it all balances out. People can say what they want about how "skinny" girls are "prettier" or "better" than "fat" girls. These are the people that keep our society from moving forward, from progressing, from CHANGING. I KNOW that there are obesity problems in today's society, but people often don't realize the problems associated with anorexia and bulimia. According to The New York Times, 34% of adults are obese and 17% of children are obese. But according to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, 8 MILLION Americans suffer from bulimia or anorexia, 7 million are women and 1 million are men. 1 in 200 American women suffer from anorexia, and 2 to 3 in 100 American women suffer from bulimia. Nearly half of all Americans know someone with an eating disorder, and only 10% of people with an eating disorder receive treatment. And even though 10% of people receive treatment, 80% of those who receive treatment do not receive enough treatment. So next time you see a tabloid in your nearest supermarket, just remember that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL JUST THE WAY YOU ARE! This is why for this post, I decided to quote Kate Winslet, because I totally agree with her statement. If anyone has any questions, PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. If you want to just talk, I'm always available. And again, this post was not written to offend anyone. It was simply to inform you about the problems in the media today about pressures associated with body image.Con Amor (always),
Lauren <3
STAY BEAUTIFUL! <3
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