The Shapes of Reality

This has been done before, and possibly with more finesse (for all I know, it has been done many times before), but I'm feeling a bit rant-y and I want to do this in my own words: stop saying "real women". Unless you're talking about the difference between a living, breathing person, and a fictional character, you are probably not using that phrase correctly.  You may think that what you are saying is helpful, or progressive, but really, it's not.

Seventeen magazine recently declared that they would not digitally alter the images of the models in their magazine.  I think this is good, and all, and it definitely demonstrates the ability that individuals have to effect change.  What I have a problem with (aside from the fact that Seventeen is frequently shallow, contradictory, and misogynistic--but that's a post for another day), is that Seventeen has said that they will "'celebrate every kind of beauty' and feature 'real girls and models who are healthy,'" (emphasis mine)

I honestly appreciate the efforts that various people and organizations make in order to recognize that the majority of women--the majority of models, even--do not look like the women featured in most magazine.  I take issue, however, with the idea that women who have a weight that is below average or is even unhealthy are somehow 'unreal.'

While I understand the sentiment intended behind the phrase "real women have curves", it is not all that much better than perpetuating a body image that is nearly--if not completely--unattainable for the majority of the population.  Yes, eating disorders are a big problem, as is someone having a low estimation of their self worth in general, whether or not it leads to such problems. The solution is not to try to shift the ideal body image from one thing to another. This would just create health and body-image issues within a new group of people.

Beyond that, implying that models--yes, even the ones who attain their weight in an unhealthy manner, actually especially the ones who achieve it in an unhealthy manner--are somehow "not real" trivializes the impact eating disorders have on both a person's physical and mental health.  There is nothing wrong about being a person with and ED. Certainly, there is something wrong with the way an eating disorder negatively affects one's health, but there is no reason that someone should be shamed because they have one, by others--even if those others have good intentions and actually are seeking to eliminate the excessive presence of EDs.

Words have power, and images have power. Let's start using them to vie for healthy, period. Let's start using them to acknowledge that all people come in (as cliché as it sounds) all shapes and sizes and that "healthy" looks different on everyone.  The goal is not to eliminate super-skinny, super-tall women from magazines, because those women are real, and your disbelief aside, it is not necessarily unhealthy, either. The goal is to include women who represent everything a woman can be (this should also include male-bodied women, fyi).

Words to live by.