Miss Representation of Women

Oh how I relate to this video in so many ways.

First things first: women and young girls do have an unattainable pressure placed on them. That being said, it bothers the heck out of me when people, especially other women, think that shaming size zeros does anything to help the problem. No. It is just perpetuating the size issue. I am a naturally small person. No, I don't diet or do any crazy exercise. I mean, I was a competitive dancer, but if anything, that raised my pants size because of the muscle put on. Anyway, now, I relate with the girl in the film who was upset because of people assuming she had an eating disorder. I have suffered from an eating disorder, but that was years ago and for reasons other than being self conscious about my size. However, I was already small. I have always been a size 0, no bigger than a 3, even during the eating disorder. I have recently recovered, but am still at my natural size. Now, I am being told by the media that I am not a real woman, that I am not good enough or sexy enough or curvy enough to be considered a "woman." Like that song "All About That Bass" or whatever its called. Really, girls?! Is slut-shaming the smaller females by calling them "skinny bitches" really helping you feel better about yourself? Some women are born curvy, some are born thin. Neither is more beautiful or womanly than the other. Building yourself up by tearing someone else down is an awful thing to do. And until ALL women can learn to accept ALL TYPES of other women, this problem will never be solved.

Okay. Now onto point two. Rape culture. This probably scares me more than any other issue women face. All of a sudden, men (or should I say boys) think that because they have certain biological parts, that gives them some kind of authority over me and my body. News flash.. It doesn't. We cannot go into a bar alone, or even in a group, without having at least one guy try for an hour to take one of us home. I cannot walk to my house from campus without having to hold my head down and ignore the guys yelling out their window. The only thing that makes it stop is "I have a boyfriend" even though I don't. And honestly, it is sickening that guys have more respect for other guys than they do for the actual woman. Just because we wear make up or certain clothes does not mean we are asking for it. I know none of this has been talked about yet, but I feel it fits into the overall theme of feminism. I am a victim of rape. It happened, I have coped, and learned that it isn't something I can hide (this led ultimately to the eating disorder mentioned earlier). I am fine now. I'm mentally healthy. But I still find myself carrying a taser or pepper spray whenever I walk anywhere alone, because women are expected to hold up to certain sexual standards. We are not objects, we are humans. No means no. Period. And the fact that even has to be a question is appalling.

So these are the two main "feminist" arguments I have something to say about. Feminism, to me, is more than just equality, it's having control over your body, and the ability to be confident as a woman, no matter what size.