The Weight of Perfection

So you want to be perfect?

Firstly, there’s no such thing as “perfect”, nobody and nothing is absolutely perfect no matter what anybody tells you. The fact that people hold such stigma towards themselves over their weight because of the “perfect size” campaigns made by modelling companies and magazines is saddening. Nobody should be made to feel horrible about themselves because of lies thrust upon them by the media and society.

The reason I come baring this pressing matter is due to the fact earlier today I read an absolutely shocking article on Elle.com. Myla Delbasio has been labelled as “plus-size”… I would personally love to know when size 10 became plus-size? Now I understand that in the modelling industry most models are a (rather terrifying) size 0 – 4. Why? What is this obsession with still making that size seem ‘healthy’? It’s incredibly dangerous to be so depleted in weight. Myla is absolutely beautiful regardless of her size, no matter what modelling companies have previously told her and there was no reason for her to think otherwise.

Within the article, it is also stated that Myla “spent years abusing Adderall, crash dieting, and flirting with bulimia in an attempt to whittle herself to ‘straight size’”. “Flirting with bulimia” – it’s almost as if they’re romanticising this serious illness, which, in itself, is quite grotesque. Even by just pin-pointing what this poor girl went through to try and work her way to the top of the modelling game is absolutely horrific. There is no reason why any woman, girl, man or boy should feel the need to put themselves through hell just to be a part of their dream profession. Modelling industries need to put their heads into 21^st-century gear as what they portray on their magazines and runways is – for the most part – diabolical. The women who put themselves forward to walk these runways and be a part of these shoots often have underlying health problems, and an extensive list of them. The list includes conditions such as Anorexia and Bulimia, which are not only physical illnesses but mental illnesses as well.

You might be think, “well it’s their own fault, they made themselves do what they did to be a part of that career path, nobody forced them to do it”, but how can you possibly know that? There are so many reasons why people do the things they do; pushy family members, underlying mental health problems and so they can be happy in what they do. Those are only a few reasons why people feel the way they do towards a particular life choice.

The media plays such a humongous role in today’s society that it’s no wonder with all the thin, beautiful models gracing the covers and inner pages of magazines and websites, that people (not just girls/women) feel so horrid about their own appearance. Personally, I understand this feeling because my own self-esteem is rock-bottom most of the time and seeing those kinds of pictures just makes it worse. As I’ve heard from other peers, and folks on the internet, I’m not the only person who feels that way. Take into consideration the amount of Photoshop work that actually occurs on the majority (if not all) of these models before they are published into these glossy magazines. “Go on, just a little more nip and tuck there, thinning on the cheeks, airbrush those blemishes” – I can bet you those are just a few of the thoughts running through editor’s minds… and straight out of their mouths. 

“If you got beauty, beauty, just raise ‘em up, ‘cause every inch of you is perfect, from the bottom to the top” – Meghan Trainor, thank you for blessing us with these lyrics. I understand why some of you might just be teeny bit sick of this song – as it was blasted on the radio a million times a day for at least 2 months. But seriously, she’s right, every inch of you is perfect in its own way. Alas, I did kind of contradict myself there from the being paragraph of this post, but you gotta do what you gotta do! Of course, everyone has their flaws, but remember – beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’s time you, and myself included, became the beholders of our own beauty.

Much love to you all,

Luce xo

(This is the link to the article I was referring to: http://www.elle.com/news/fashion-style/myla-dalbesio-calvin-klein-plus-size)