Frances Maples


What do you think is the most important thing for young girls to know about their bodies as they grow older? 

NO TWO PEOPLE ARE ALIKE.  Similar, sure! But you cannot be someone else no matter how hard you try.  There was a specific reason you were born into the beautiful body you have.  You were given your amazing attributes for a reason, and you just have to figure that out. Your body was created just for you, how cool is that?! We need to be proud of the bodies we are given and celebrate them, take care of them, keep them healthy.  It is so amazing to be lucky enough to be able to share our message of body image and celebrate ourselves.  We can't be someone else.  We just can't.  And odds are, that person that you want to be probably wants to be like someone else.  We never know everyone's struggles, so what we can do is embrace ourselves and try to help others to do the same.  We are so blessed!

What is a quote or saying that makes you feel great about yourself?

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."  - The Little Prince

What does self-love mean to you?

Self-love means that it is about ME.  This isn't about how someone else sees me, and this isn't about someone else praising me for loving myself.  It is me: my body, my happiness, my attributes, my uniqueness that I am blessed to have.  Self-love isn't something that comes about in a day or a week, it is a process and an extremely difficult one.  It is a journey and when we reach the destination, we will see that the journey was worth it.  The end result IS what it should be - that we are made perfect for ourselves and for no one else.
What's one star/ model etc. that you feel is really embracing their body and who they are as a person? 

How do you feel negative body image affects women in their daily life?

It is absolutely crippling.  Not only to your self esteem, but to your whole life.  It snowballs into this giant "thing" that you cannot get rid of.  When you wake up, there it is, when you pass by a mirror, there it is.  It dehumanizes women and spreads a message that our most important part of us is our bodies.  Pardon me, but I think my brain is pretty important.  I think my faith is pretty important.  I think my ethics and morals are pretty important.  I think my passions are pretty important.  My body is where all of these aspects of me are housed! 


What is a personal experience with your own body image that you would like to share?

Growing up, I knew that I wasn't the skinniest.  I knew I was not tiny.  I was bigger, taller, and just more person.  I didn't even know what being self conscious meant, but there I was, as self conscious as I would ever be.  How are we supposed to allow children in our society have these negative body images if they can't even define most of the words that are associated with it?  Children shouldn't be worried about their figure and their clothing size.  When I moved oversees, I really felt that size was a number and being perfectly me was perfectly fine.  Of course body image is an issue world wide, but I realized how much worse it is in the United States.  My body is mine and though I may not be perfectly ok with it every single day, I am working on it, and I know I have more support than I could have ever hoped from these wonderful women I am lucky enough to call my Tri Delta sisters.  The fact that this sorority has a whole position dedicated to body image says something without needing an explanation. 



Side note: It isn't easy to accept your body and there are days when you may not want to look in the mirror.  That's ok! We can't be flawlessly optimistic every single day, but we can sure as hell try.  Trying is the first step.  Instead of creating this negative self-image, look at yourself in a positive light and I promise you will like what you find.  Don't give up.  Ask for help! Whether you are male or female- we all have the potential to love ourselves.

Kat Mitchell




When do you feel the most beautiful? 

I feel the most beautiful when someone I know really loves me and expresses that love with a kind gesture, whether it be a surprise, a gift, or as simple as a hug. When someone loves you despite of your flaws, the demons you have, and the struggle you're going through, and they show that love-it's the best feeling in the whole world. Genuine love makes me feel beautiful.


What do you think is the most important thing for young girl's to know about their bodies as they grow older? 

You are enough. You are extravagantly beautiful. There is no one else in this world like you. You have the power to do great  things. You deserve to be loved.
I feel like this reassurance is so necessary for young girls. I had a very difficult time accepting this as a young girl simply because no one ever said such things to me. I wasn't considered the pretty one. I was friends with tall, skinny, long haired friends growing up. I was the short, average sized, mom-made-me-get-a-bob-haircut girl. It didn't feel good, even when I grew out my hair and accepted the fact that I'll always be short and average sized. Even if the girl's love language isn't words of affirmation, it is still a good idea to instill such thoughts in her mind at a very young age. Also, I'd tell them the girls they envy are wishing they could change something about themselves, too.

What is a quote or saying that makes you feel great about yourself?

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." 
Oscar Wilde

"...When things get dark, when you feel really crappy about yourself, or your body, or how you look, sometimes a good way to help yourself get out of that is to have some gratitude. What I mean by that is go around your body and kind of thank it for what it gives you and thank yourself for your great eyesight, or your thick hair, or nice legs, or strong teeth or whatever it is that you have, that you were given, and make friends with those parts of your body, and not try to focus on the parts that will never change. Because, look, we’re all different, everybody’s different, every body is different. There’s only, like, five perfectly symmetrical people in the world, and they’re all movie stars, and they should be, because their faces are very pleasing to look at, but the rest of us are just a jangle of stuff, and the earlier you learn that you should focus on what you have and not obsess about what you don’t have, the happier you will be. You really will be happier in life if you let go of the things that you will never have. And the other thing that I would say is that when you do talk about yourself, or talk to yourself, or you have that tape running in your head, about yourself, try to picture you talking to your own daughter. Or your younger sister. Because you would tell your younger sister or your daughter that she is beautiful, and you wouldn’t be lying. Because she is. And so are you.  So, don’t worry about finding love. You will always find love. Every pot has a lid. There’s a lid for every pot, that’s what my grandma used to say. And you deserve love, and you’ll get it." 
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Amy Poehler, "Ask Amy: Bodies"

How do you feel the media’s portrayal of women’s bodies influences their body image?


The media has tried to bring a positive body image for women for a few years now, but I believe they are missing the point.  There are some very strong women in the media that are showing their real dedication to promoting positive body image. Women like Meryl Streep and Tina Fey are saying, "Hey! We made it to the other side of the tunnel! So will you." Even the younger media sensations like Demi Lovato and Jennifer Lawrence are supporting the positive body image. However, at the same time, we have ignorance in our midst. Rap songs describing the woman's body often have the characteristics of larger behind, flat stomach, long legs, larger breasts, and full lips, soliciting the idea of beauty in a man's eyes. This is not always the case, though, as many women don't have such attributes. The models gracing the runways are still predominantly a small size, and the entertainment world praises them for such. Fad diets, obsessions over collarbones and thigh gaps, and the photoshopped movie star are all still reigning as the highest goal for the American woman.
The commercials in between television shows that have seemingly normal people are broadcasting women in undergarments strutting the streets to sell underwear. This would be fine, except that all of the women are all the same shape: a thin (but not too skinny) woman with an even skin tone and awesome legs. Then the next commercial is a diet commercial saying women that are overweight need to do this diet so they can look beautiful again.
The media is only doing a mediocre job with promoting body image. We, as believers of positive body image, still have a lot of work to do. Hopefully in our lifetime, we can change the standards of beauty for the media. I hope that one day, a lady that would be seen today as a larger woman will grace the covers of Vogue magazine and not be seen as "turning the tables" but rather an ordinary occurrence of a model doing her job. 


What is a personal experience with your own body image that you would like to share? 
  
Fourth grade wasn't the prime of my existence. I was going through puberty before all of my friends, my curly hair was still in a bob cut, and I still had to wear a tankini to the pool because my mom thought the bikinis "didn't cover my chest well." One day, my mom told me that I needed to start wearing bras to school. I was so embarrassed. I didn't want to wear a bra, I would be the only one who would wear one! Bras were for old people! A few weeks into the school year, we had a field day, and I decided to wear my new white polo and bright blue shorts from Academy. Turns out there were some water activities and low and behold, there I was, the junior winner of the wet t-shirt contest. I was hoping no one could see it (I was ten, I was filled with optimism and the belief that Santa was still very real.) When my classmates and I lined up in front of the classroom, though, my optimism vanquished. The popular girl in our class came up behind me, popped my bra strap, and said, "Is that even a real bra?" The girls and guys in my class roared in laughter as my face began to get very hot and red. My eyes were welling up as the boy I had a crush on said, "Are those the apples to your tree trunk legs?" That was it.  My sensitive pre-teen heart couldn't take it anymore. I told my teacher I had to go to the bathroom and would come back in five minutes. First, I was embarrassed by the coolest girl in class all because of these things growing on my chest. Then, the boy I thought was so cute became so mean. I had, and still to this day, "cankles," where the calf seems to go in a straight line to the ankle rather than show any indention to distinguish between the calf and the ankle. My thighs and hips were no better, not being proportionate to the rest of my tiny frame. I hadn't been self conscious of it before, but now the fear of people not liking me for my boobs and now my cankles really got to me. I stayed in the bathroom for more than ten minutes, and my teacher came to find me. She asked me what was wrong, that I never acted like this before and she was concerned. I told her everything, and she just hugged me for what seemed like a very long time. I remember her saying, "I'm sorry you had to deal with this mean stuff already." Now, nine years later, I can see how she was sorry for me dealing with such negativity at a young age. However, this is the reality: girls can start to face negative body image experiences as early as the age of six. SIX. I was playing in mud at six and getting married to little boys on the playground. I can't even imagine what would have happened if I experienced negative body image before then. The experience has always stayed with me, and it became my little negativity demon that would float around. Every time I would look at the mirror, I would hear it saying words like "you are disgusting" and "you shouldn't eat." I still deal with this issue, but the difference is that I'm better at telling the voice to shut up. We are all going to have moments in life where we aren't happy with our bodies, even when we reach that nirvana of body love. And that's okay. We just have to be our brave selves and stand up against the negativity. We have to say to those nasty demons that, "Yes I may have cankles but right now I look hot and sexy in these jeans so I'm going to need you to shut up while I'm having a good time." But some mornings you may wake up and the demon can't be quiet. It'll say a lot of mean things to you, but please don't let it consume you. Just ride it out. Ride out the negativity, the shame, the guilt-whatever you are experiencing. It won't last, because there's always tomorrow. And by then, you have all the time in the world to figure out how to love yourself again.



Molly Magrath


When do you feel most beautiful?

I feel most beautiful when I am surrounded by my friends and family. Especially my boyfriend. He has gone a long way to tell me every day how beautiful I am to him, even when I am just in sweatpants and a t-shirt. When I am with these people I feel safe and loved and confident to be myself because I know they will love me no matter what. I also really happen to love when my cheekbones are a tad bit sunburnt and my face is covered in new freckles :)

How do you feel the media’s portrayal of women’s bodies influences women’s body image?

I think it is hard for women and young girls to see past all of the photoshopping and retouching that happens to every single image out there. It is easy to look at a magazine and feel inadequate because there is absolutely no possible way to look like the celebrities we see there because they have all been photoshopped into creatures with physical features that would not physically and healthily support a human body. But instead of realizing this, girls just feel too fat, or too skinny, or too tall, or too freckly or whatever it may be, and that is very harmful. 

What does self love mean to you?

Self love is something that I struggle with daily. There are days when I look in the mirror and think “damn girl you look amazing today”, but there are certainly many days where I look in the mirror and I can’t help but nitpick and think “well, your stomach could be flatter; if only your thighs were smaller and more toned; why does my butt have to look like this; why can’t i just look like _____” As much as I hate to admit it, the bad days seemingly outweigh the good ones. But as I grow older, I have been better able to accept the fact that I will never be a size 0 or a size 2, probably not even a size 6 pant size because my hips are simply not made for that… quite frankly I would probably look ridiculous in that size pant because i’d have a massive and unhealthy thigh gap. I think learning to accept your body for what it is (in my case wide hips and muscular thighs) is the first step to self love. 

How do you feel negative body image affects a woman in her daily life?

Because I have not always been blessed with a positive self image, I have learned first hand that self esteem issues and social issues can arise. I have never really felt like I fit in with what the other girls I have been surrounded with looked like. I have always felt larger and more awkward, like I took up too much space in a room. Luckily, I made a really good friend before I developed confidence issues with this matter, and that friend has stuck with me for most of my life. I felt inadequate, like I didn’t have the right to talk to or make friends with the girls who I perceived to be prettier than I do, or I felt like they looked down on me immediately because I didn’t look like them. I am sad to say that I still struggle with this, even in college I am sometimes afraid to talk to girls who I think are prettier, or thinner, or more fit than I am because I am afraid they will judge me for how I look. And while, thankfully, most of the girls I have met are bigger than that and have been beyond kind and supportive… unfortunately this is not always the case and I have been met with sneers and snide glances and comments which hurts me a lot. For me, fitting in and finding confidence to be myself have been my greatest struggles as side effects of my self image. 

What's a personal experience with body image that you would like to share?

I have seen a lot in the media lately about different campaigns started by women of all different backgrounds, ethnicities, body types, and weights promoting acceptance and love of one’s own body. And while I am watching those campaigns I am saying to myself, “Hell yes! You go girl, preach!”. And I am able to carry that sense of confidence around with me for a while. That is… until I decide to go shopping. I am all for loving myself, and learning to accept my body for what it is, I have been trying very hard lately to do this. But accomplishing that goal is made nearly impossible for me when I go into a store and I am defined by a number that is usually at the bottom of the piles of clothing or sometimes kept in the back. I don’t know what stores are afraid of with putting that number out for sale, but none of the stores I typically like seem to be comfortable doing this. How on earth am I supposed to be comfortable with my body when something so basic and simple as clothing is not made for my body type? I understand that it is impossible to make a universal jean that fits everyone… but i highly doubt that the straight leg, tight, and tiny jean is closest to what everyone can accommodate. I would feel a billion times better about my body if I were able to feel comfortable and confident shopping for my clothing, and if I were ever able to find clothes that truly fit me well. Again, I am all for these “love your body” campaigns, but I seriously think that these campaigns will fail unless someone gets the fashion industry’s attention and makes a change. I am coming to love my body, and I think many girls are on that same journey… i just wish society would follow suit and make it easier for us to achieve that goal. 

Rachel McNeil




What is a personal experience with your own body image that you would like to share?


Body image has always been a tough subject for me to talk about. For a long time, I hated my body. Trying to find something I liked about myself was a serious challenge. I didn’t start forming a poor body image of myself until I reached middle school. I was the unfortunate girl who bloomed a bit early in life. I developed a lot earlier and faster than most of my friends did growing up, and I was teased for that. I can remember being in middle school and going to sleep with an ace bandage tightly wrapped around my chest hoping my boobs would shrink so that I could be the same size as everyone else. I even went as far as putting textbooks on my chest! It was insane, but I was desperate to fit in. My friends made me feel like something was wrong with me and that I wasn’t like the rest. They always made jokes and I just laughed and pretended like it didn't bother me. I felt like an outcast inside. I hated pool parties because that was the time where everyone would make some comment about my chest. The girls made me feel like I didn’t belong and the boys made me feel extremely uncomfortable. It was absolutely embarrassing for me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my friends dearly, but they never made me feel equal to them. High school wasn’t any better. By that point, I was completely ashamed of my body. I still had big boobs, I was the tallest girl in my class, and I wasn’t stick thin. Thinking back to this time in my life is extremely hard because I’d like to think I’ve come a long way since then. When I came to college, everything started to turn around. I finally started to feel accepted. I can honestly say that because I became a Tri Delta, my entire view of my own body and body image in general has completely changed for the better! Although I still struggle every day with my own view of my body, I know I am own the road to recovery. My sisters have been the greatest support system ever. They are the ones that have taught me to love myself. I am especially thankful for my very close friends because they never let me talk poorly about my body. Any time I start to have negative thoughts, I am always reminded of  “body image 3D.” It is because of Tri Delta that I am finally starting to love my body and myself. I love you sisters!!!

When do you feel the most beautiful? 

I feel most beautiful when I am around my friends. I have been so blessed to have such an amazing support system in my life. I can honestly say that fat talk is not present within my close group of friends. They are constantly encouraging me to only talk positively about myself and that has helped me to do the same for them. 

What do you think is the most important thing for young girls to know about their bodies as they grow older? 

I think it's important to know that there is no perfect body type. I grew up thinking that a girl should look a certain way. She should be super skinny, no blemishes, no stomach rolls, and the list goes on. It drives me insane to think that I used to believe that. The truth is that every single human being on this planet has a different body type, and even that body type will go through changes. Young girls should be encouraged to live a healthy life and to be accepting of other body types, including their own. This constant desire to be a certain body weight or look a specific way is quite honestly repulsive. Models don't even look the way they do in magazines! When you start to be confident and accepting of yourself, your beauty will shine all over! 


How do you feel the media’s portrayal of women’s bodies influences women’s body image?

The media rips apart and destroys any positive body image that a woman has. Magazines, the internet, social media, they all contribute some type of criticism toward women and their bodies. The media thrives off of women with poor self-esteem so that they can make a profit. It's disgusting. If one day I am fortunate enough to have a daughter of my own, I will do my best to not let her drown within the negativity of the media like every woman in this world so often does. 
What is a quote or saying that makes you feel great about yourself?

"A flower does not think about competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms."
It's a simple quote, but in my opinion, it says a lot. Flowers are such beautiful aspects of nature. There is no such thing as competing for looks with flowers. They are naturally beautiful. Humans are also naturally beautiful. If only everyone could see that there is no need to compete with others. Just being yourself is beautiful. 

Darian Price

When do you feel the most beautiful? 
I think I feel most beautiful when I am able to do the thing I love most which is dance. The best part about it is that I feel beautiful, because I feel no pressure in being something that other's want me to be. Dance is a way to get away from all the negativity and that is one of the best parts about it. 

What do you think is the most important thing for young girls to know about their bodies as they grow older? 
Your bodies will go through change, there will be moments when you feel like the smallest person in the world and then there will be those moments when you feel like the most beautiful. The most important thing to keep in mind is through all of the times, good and bad, you are beautiful. Those changes are only noticed by you and no one else, don't be so harsh, it's a part of life that each girl has to go through. 

How do you feel the media’s portrayal of women’s bodies influences women’s body image?
The media influences body image in a very negative way for me. I can't look at a magazine, Instagram, Facebook, or anything online without comparing my body to those of a model or movie star, but I always try to remind myself that those women are edited and even they have thoughts like I do about their bodies. I also think, these women have physical trainers that help them every day, and I can not afford that. So I try not to compare my body to theirs although it is difficult when all ads these days are full of barely clothed women.

 What is a quote or saying that makes you feel great about yourself?
" You shine and you can't even help it"
Most people don't get this one, but the way I look at is that even when I feel badly about my body, others see it shining and I can't help that. So even on my bad days, some one sees me as beautiful and no matter what I do, nothing will change their mind about it.

What is a personal experience with your own body image that you would like to share? 
As a female, going to the beach is one of the most stressful times of the year, we all are scared to step out in front of lots of people with basically just a bra and panties on. I am usually okay with going to the beach and showing my body…don't get me wrong I still get anxiety, but I act confident. This particular time I was with friends and I felt terrible about myself and did not want to take my shirt off. When I finally decided to just lay there and focus on tanning, my friends were giving me compliments on my body. Saying things like  " wow! Darian you look so great today!" As I heard all this, I finally realized how harsh I am on myself about my body. No woman, no matter what shape they have, should worry about what they look like, because to someone else, you look amazing! After this certain situation, those compliments have stuck with me and every time I slip into my bikini I replay those words in my head and tell, not convince, myself that I am beautiful. There is always someone who looks at you and dreams of your body, keep that in mind and show that girl that it's not your body they want, but your confidence, because a confident smile and woman is more beautiful than any six pack or edited thigh gap.   

Kiva Talty

When do you feel the most beautiful? 

When I’m all dolled up, of course! Probably when I wear a good fitting dress, something that’s comfortable or flattering, I feel the most beautiful. But I think most girls feel that, when they have the opportunity to show off their beauty with a big event like a dance or such.

What do you think is the most important thing for young girls to know about their bodies as they grow older? 

Your body is yours. Don’t ever, and I mean this, EVER, let someone tell you what to do with your body. Growing up I had a constant reminder from someone that maybe I should be a little more active, maybe I shouldn’t wear that dress or that top, or maybe I should lay off the sweets. All it did was make me retaliate externally, but internally I was dissecting myself in front of the mirror, pinching and stretching my waist and thighs. It took me almost 16 years to realize that regardless of what other people say, this body belongs to me, and I decide how I treat it.

What is a quote or saying that makes you feel great about yourself?

“Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, and riches take wings. Only one thing endures, and that is character.” -Horace Greeley

How do you feel the media’s portrayal of women’s bodies influences women’s body image?

Drastically, more than we let on. We might pick up a magazine in the checkout line at the grocery store, and put it down without another thought, but I think for a moment we might think to ourselves, “Wow, I wish I had that bone structure” or “Her complexion is way better than mine” or even “How do I get those breasts?” We take those thoughts with us and they hang around, that’s for sure. Since the media is everywhere we look now, it’s hard to escape that and disregard those wild representations. 



        

Elizabeth Nourse


What is a personal experience with your own body image that you would like to share?

When I was in high school, I remember occasionally looking at myself in the mirror and liking what I saw in the reflection. I was finally starting to develop into a woman, and I had certain features that I was proud of. But something within me would immediately suppress those thoughts, and I would revert back to perfecting myself. That was the norm. It was not normal for a girl to think she was pretty. It is normal, however, for girls to think that they are not enough. Our society has completely confused humility with self-denial. If a girl admits that she is physically beautiful, she is judged as narcissistic or self-obsessed. I say we break that status quo. If I could go back in time to when I was 15 or 16, I would compliment myself like crazy. Knowing this has made me realize that I need to start complimenting myself in the present. We truly can be our own worst enemy and our biggest bully. But we can also be our biggest cheerleader. It just takes breaking the status quo and making self-love the new normal.

What do you think is the most important thing for young girls to know about their bodies as they grow older?

Perfection does not exist. Although the mainstream media nips and tucks women to their idea of perfection, those women are not real. You are real. Nothing you have will ever be enough to reach society’s ideal. Imagine this: You spend your whole life dieting, tanning, and perfecting yourself. One morning, you wake up and look in the bathroom mirror. You are finally her. You are finally the ideal woman. You have the tan, toned, 36-24-36 body. Your hair is long and sleek. Your teeth are as white as the snow. Not one wrinkle traces your face. You are perfect. Who is perfect? You. But wait, who are you? Beyond the perfect appearance, who is this woman staring back at you in the mirror? In the fight to achieve exactly who this society wanted you to be, you lost that passion, that spark, that fire that you used to have. You ask yourself, “Who am I… really?” and you are at a loss for words. Do not waste away your life trying to become that perfect woman because you are not her. You will never be her. She does not exist. But you do. You are a somebody. Spend your life trying to figure out who this beautifully unique “somebody” is, so that one day you can look at yourself in the mirror and recognize the fiery spirit that smiles back at you.

What is a quote or saying that makes you feel great about yourself?

“She was becoming herself and daily casting aside that fictitious self which we assume like a garment with which to appear before the world.” –Kate Chopin, “The Awakening”
While I was forced to read this book for high school English and did not particularly like the story (especially the ending…), this quote really stood out to me. This is the woman whom I wish to be. I want to spend every day of my life challenging myself and learning more and more about who I am. Who the world wants me to be is irrelevant. The further I can get from the standards of others, the closer I am to finding myself.

What’s one way that you celebrate your body every day?

I celebrate my body every day through exercise. I never thought I would ever say those words. I used to hate exercise with a passion, but once I got into better shape and my body began to grow used to working out, going to the gym became more of a hobby than a chore. I listen to some upbeat classical, jazz, country, or pop hits (depending on my mood), hop on a cardio machine or grab some dumbbells, and spend an hour or 2 exercising the body God gave me. I have noticed that I feel so much better on a daily basis, I have so much more strength, and I have lots of energy. “Treating myself” doesn’t just have to mean grabbing some froyo or taking a bubble bath. It can also mean taking an hour out of my day to continue strengthening the body that I was given.

How do you feel the media’s portrayal of women’s bodies influences women’s body image?


Our bodies are mere tools that are meant to aid us in life. The media, however, portrays a woman’s body as her defining quality. In Hollywood, it’s all about her body measurements, her skin color, her hair color, her makeup, her clothes, her shoes, and her hairstyle. TV and radio personalities talk about this stuff for hours on the air, for women across the nation to see and hear. How we should look in a bikini is suddenly our iPhone wallpaper. How much we should weigh is suddenly our New Year’s Resolution. It becomes all women think about because the media tells us that it is all that we are. We are our bodies. Nothing more. This needs to change. Who we are is truly defined by what we do. Our bodies are just a convenient tool we use to do whatever it is we choose to do. Considering that your body is just a device to aid you in your life journey, the size dress that it fits into or how tan it is means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of why you are here on this planet. We need to keep our bodies healthy so that they can aid us in our travels. But that’s all that we as women should have to worry about when it comes to our body image.

Jennifer Trenier



What is a personal experience with your own body image that you would like to share?

I can't quite remember the first time I felt negatively about my body. I grew up with a really good home life. I had two parents that loved me more than anything in the world and encouraged me every step of the way. But I also grew up in a predominately white community. I was surrounded by girls that were skinny, white and had straight hair. I personally don't posses any of these qualities. I have hips, thighs, and a rather plump derrière. My skin is a brown color and my hair is curly. None of these traits line up with what I was surrounded with. It was hard growing up in a community where I didn't see a lot of people that looked like me, so naturally I was insecure.

The pressures of being a high school girl hit me pretty hard. I was a cheerleader and I had a group of pretty well liked friends. I was in no way the girl that was "supposed to not like herself"..but I didn't like much of anything about myself for while. The thing about me is that everyone thought I was such a strong and confident person. I've always been the queen of putting on a tough face and this was no different. But behind closed doors, I really loathed my body. Unfortunately, when you don't like your body, the place you're pretty much stuck for the rest of your life, you tend to not like much of anything else about yourself either.

I was a sophomore in high school when I picked up a couple negative eating habits. Spring break was coming up and I really wanted to look like all my others friends on the beach. I distinctly remember my schedule every day. I would get up in the morning, have coffee and maybe a piece of fruit, go to school and eat a protein bar for lunch, then come home, exercise, and try my hardest to avoid or eat as little for dinner as possible. This routine carried on for about 2-3 months. It makes me very emotional to write this because I regret this time so much.

Looking back, I realize that I was in such a deep place of hate. From experience, I can tell you that when you're in that kind of mental state, limiting what you eat can feel like such a release. For me, it felt like I could finally control something in my life.

My plan worked too. I dropped 20-25 lbs. just in time for spring break. People would comment on how great I looked. "How did you do it?", they would ask. This only fueled the fire even more. I had finally become what I wanted to be: like everyone else around me. I basked in my glory for that time, but it was short lived.

As you can imagine, it was hard over time for a girl like me that deep down actually loves food to maintain that kind of eating regimen. I slowly put back on weight and it upset me at first. I felt worthless again because I wasn't the "right size". I eventually came to the realization that those kind of eating habits were unacceptable and unhealthy, but I hadn't fully accepted my body at that point.

It wasn't until I began college and found independence outside of my bubble of a high school that I really began to understand what true body acceptance was. I joined a sorority, Tri Delta and met a group of girls that were not perfect, but accepted who they were and stood for a cause: Body image 3D. I fell in love with Fat Talk Free Week and the impact they were making on college women. I started to realize that there is no such thing as the right size. Every size is beautiful in it's own right. For me, it was the realization that God made me this way. I am completely unique and I was given this body for a reason.

My sophomore year, I was given the opportunity to become the Body Image Coordinator for my sorority. My job is not only to plan Fat Talk Free Week, but to educate the girls in my sorority on issues of body image. Despite the constant encouragement from family, friends and sorority sisters, I was petrified that I would do a terrible job and fail.  I thought "How the heck am I going to inspire people when I'm not 100% confident myself?" I had dealt with my own acceptance issues in the past and was afraid it wouldn't be the right fit.

To my surprise, this position has been my saving grace. I find that researching, educating and helping other people understand the importance of body positivity, makes me feel even better about myself. In this whole experience, I have learned how to accept myself and my body. When we encourage other women to love themselves, we encourage ourselves also.

When do you feel the most beautiful? 

I think that I feel the most beautiful when I'm wearing a dress. I love the way a good dress hugs my waist and shows off my body.  I think there's something really womanly and beautiful about it. 

What do you think is the most important thing for young girls to know about their bodies as they grow older?

I think the most important thing for girls to know about their bodies is that it's unique! Completely unique to them. No one else in the world has that exact body as you..so it should be honored. Girls can begin to have feelings of body dissatisfaction in young childhood.  So in my opinion, it's up to our mothers to start instilling in young children's minds that their bodies should be loved not hated.

What is a quote or saying that makes you feel great about yourself?

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams- live the life you've imagined." -Henry David Thoreau 
The first time I saw this quote my aunt gave it to me on a magnet. I really fell in love with the way it made me feel and I now have it on the front of my college planner. It just reminds me as a college woman to push forward in times of resilience and follow my dreams. It's a quote that really makes me feel proud to be 100% me. 

How do you feel the media's portrayal of women's bodies influences women's body image?

Personally, it's an everyday struggle for me. No matter where I go I see something that's promoting unrealistic body expectations. You walk into the grocery store and there's headlines like "Lose 15 lbs. in just 2 weeks"on magazines, you turn on the TV and there's actresses and models with size zero waists. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with being a size zero, but there is something wrong when that is the only thing we are presented with as young women. What are we to think? That this is the only acceptable size to be.  In order to break the cycle, we have to just remind ourselves that our beauty cannot be put inside of a box and made to be one dimensional. Bodies come in all shapes and should be appreciated.

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