First I am going to post a popular picture and reply that is circling around right now. Many are taking it as empowering, encouraging, or a wonderful story. To me, it rubbed me the wrong way. And NOT simply because I am into fitness, but because I always find irony in a need to KNOCK something to raise something else up, PERIOD. I think this statement always rings true.
So if you haven't heard the whole Mermaid Vs. Whale Story... Here it is. It is circulating with a picture of a French Model Tara Lynn. The irony starts in the fact that she is a MODEL... but I'll come back to that...
A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"
The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way:
"Dear people, whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, seals, curious humans), they are sexually active and raise their children with great tenderness.
They entertain like crazy with dolphins and eat lots of prawns. They swim all day and travel to fantastic places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea or the coral reefs of Polynesia.
They sing incredibly well and sometimes even are on cds. They are impressive and dearly loved animals, which everyone defend and admires.
Mermaids do not exist.
But if they existed, they would line up to see a psychologist because of a problem of split personality: woman or fish?
They would have no sex life and could not bear children.
Yes, they would be lovely, but lonely and sad.
And, who wants a girl that smells like fish by his side?
Without a doubt, I'd rather be a whale.
At a time when the media tells us that only thin is beautiful, I prefer to eat ice cream with my kids, to have dinner with my husband, to eat and drink and have fun with my friends.
We women, we gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge that there isn't enough space in our heads, and it spreads all over our bodies.
We are not fat, we are greatly cultivated.
Every time I see my curves in the mirror, I tell myself: "How amazing am I ?! "
(The girl on the picture is French model Tara Lynn)
***Hmmmm I get the point of the whole mermaid vs whale story, I really do. First of all, the poster was clearly seen as derogatory and I get that. Calling women whales never really goes over well. But the irony was it struck a cord with this particular woman who claims to be so confident. If she were, why would it have bothered her so much in the first place? I myself have taken a passion and made it my LIFE to encourage woman to embrace their bodies at all sizes, but to do so while being HEALTHY! Defining who you want to be does not come from a size or a number on the scale. It comes from knowing you are healthy, fit, happy, and feel as good on the inside as you do on the outside. You can weigh 110 pounds and still hate your body.
BUT this sounds like a cop out to be unhealthy!! An easy way to KNOCK slim/fit women, implying that they are somehow less successful at all the things "whales can do" just by being thin and/or fit. Its the classic if I can't be them, then I'll just simply KNOCK them mentality. Clearly if this ad bothered a women enough to write a thought out reply something inside of her is "unsettled" by the "mermaid type". Giselle Bunchen, Heidi Klum, Faith Hill, Jane Seymour, Brook Sheilds, Brooke Burke, Kelly Ripa, Faith Hill, Victoria Beckham, would all be considered "mermaids" then huh? They have had babies, marriages, careers, success, and happiness!! Or what about all the fit Moms who compete and rock single digits of body fat? Guess what? Just because they are fit or thin or beautiful does not make them any less better at enjoying life than you! Some woman can DO IT ALL, and instead of knocking them, we should aspire to be like them. Which doesn't have to mean perfect, or thin or beautiful, but CONTENT within themselves, inside and out. TRUE CONFIDENCE SPEAKS QUIETLY FOR ITSELF.
So why does it bother me so much that I feel a need to retaliate? What is MY INSECURITY. Mine is pretty clear to see, whether people admit it to my face or not I am constantly judged for looking or acting a certain way. If a mother spends too much time on her looks, it must mean she's stuck up and not spending enough time on her children right? Not that she really feels good and knows taking care of herself first makes her a better Mother right? I have built a little business doing what I love, and making more money than any part time job I've ever worked as a Mother. But my life revolves around being healthy, so I must not have much fun right? And God forbid I do have too much fun, then I am irresponsible. Damned if you do damned if you don't.
My retaliation is because I am so sick as a woman of seeing the WARS between woman...Working vs Stay home, Breastfeeding vs. Bottle feeding, Co sleepers, vs Crib sleepers, Young Vs. Old. And the infamous Fat vs Thin. ENOUGH ALREADY. I have carried 3 children within my body, slept with them on my chest, nursed them, kissed tiny toes & wiped away tears. I have been puked on, peed on & spent sleepless nights cradling them. My body isn't magazine perfect (hate to break it to you magazines aren't real), but when I look in the mirror I do not see JUST A MOM, I see a beautiful women. I see strength, I see determination, I see laugh lines, I see stretch marks, I see the body of someone I can be PROUD OF. So lets stop copping out to "we are fat because we are cultured". We are a fat nation because we eat poorly, and do not exercise. We have a 34% obesity rate because we don't take care of ourselves. Embrace your curves as long as you know they are HEALTHY curves!
And the biggest IRONY of it all is THE picture circulating with the story is still that of a MODEL!!! A woman who is paid because she is beautiful. So despite trying to rise above being image conscious, it attached to a picture of a MODEL!!! Maybe she is considered more "plus size" or "curvy", but we are still attaching her worth to WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE!!
